Is Raising Chickens Right for You? Key Considerations -

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Raising a flock of chickens might seem like the perfect solution for your lifestyle if you want to enjoy fresh eggs and meat while reducing kitchen waste and embracing a more sustainable lifestyle — but is it the right choice for your needs?

While you may love the idea of chickens clucking around your backyard while your kids run around barefoot and you sip lemonade on your back porch, there are certain things you need to consider before making your final decision. Before you decide to become the proud owners of your own chicken flock, you need to weigh the costs, responsibilities, and time commitment involved in this new and exciting adventure.

Costs of Raising Chickens

When it comes to raising your own flock of chickens, there are upfront costs, as well as ongoing expenses, to consider, which are outlined below to help guide you in the decision-making process.

Initial Setup:
- Coop and Run: Building or buying a chicken coop with a secure run can range in price from $100 to several thousand dollars or more. The final price is dependent on the size and quality of the coop that fits the specific needs of your flock. DIY options can further reduce costs. Facebook Marketplace is a treasure trove when it comes to supplies one can utilize when building a coop and run. I know people who have repurposed pallets to make their flock a home. For those of you who would rather purchase a prebuilt coop, you can buy them at local farm stores or even look to see if any local organizations in your area build them for you. One option for New Hampshire residents is Coops for a Cause. They build and deliver your coops to you.
- Chicks: Baby chicks cost about $3–$5 each, while pullets (young hens ready to lay) are $15–$25. Another option to consider is taking in pullets from egg farmers who give them away each year. Some of my hens were acquired when a local farmer posted on Facebook that he had free hens available as he had just hatched new ones for his flock. Yes, they were a year old, but that was fine with me. Now they have a permanent home until they pass away.
- Feeders and Waterers: These cost around $20–$50 total.
Ongoing Costs:
- Feed: Chickens consume approximately 1.5–2 pounds of feed per week. A 50-pound bag of feed costs $15–$30 and lasts about a month for 5–6 chickens.
- Bedding: Straw or wood shavings for the coop can add $5–$10 monthly. Some owners also prefer to use chicken nesting herbs for their nesting boxes. Other options include nesting pads and hemp bedding.
- Health: Occasional expenses for supplements, grit, or vet care.
Other Expenses:
- Electricity: If you use heaters in winter, it adds to the costs.
- Egg-Laying Supplies: Nesting boxes and oyster shells (for calcium) can be an additional investment.

Potential Savings

One hen lays about 4–6 eggs weekly. You can expect around 20–30 eggs per week with five chickens.
Store-bought eggs cost $2–$6 per dozen, depending on whether they’re conventional, organic, or free-range.

Factors Affecting Cost-Effectiveness:

Egg Volume: Raising chickens may be a better option for individuals who consume a large quantity of eggs. Egg costs have gone up, and combined with the egg shortage caused by the Avian Flu (and store limits on how many cartons you can buy at a time), having your own flock can help save you money while not running out of eggs.
DIY Skills: If you have the knowledge and skill to build your own coop and the means to create your own feed, you can save even more money.
Egg Quality: For some, the costs of raising chickens for eggs and meat aren’t a deciding factor. Some raise their own birds because their eggs are fresher and of higher quality. We have definitely noticed a difference in the taste and color of our eggs.

When It’s Not Cheaper:

The costs outweigh the savings if you have a small backyard flock with expensive coop and feed setups. However, if you have a larger flock and eggs to spare, you can set up a roadside stand and sell your eggs to customers in your area. Many people would rather buy fresh eggs than store-bought ones.
Unexpected health issues or visits from predators prowling the woods near your home can add unforeseen expenses, so be sure to have medicines on hand for potential health issues and also make sure to predator-proof your coop and run as much as possible. If you are able to, install security cameras to monitor your coop and run; that way, if wild animals show up, you can deal with them before you lose your entire flock. We have cameras installed on our property for this very reason.

The Intangible Benefits:

Fresh eggs with better flavor and nutrition.
Sustainable and ethical practices.
The joy and entertainment of keeping chickens.

If cost savings are your priority, calculate your costs based on local feed and egg prices. Also, review your budget to determine how much money you have to spend without overspending. For many, the lifestyle benefits make the experience worthwhile, even if it’s not significantly cheaper.

Coops for a Cause

When we first decided to raise chickens, we purchased several different coops at Tractor Supply because too many roosters were fighting over our hens. That is a risk you take when buying babies from Tractor Supply. We don’t butcher our birds. We raise them strictly for their eggs, so we kept all of our roosters while allowing only one of them in the main coop alongside the hens.

Once we moved to a more rural location, we knew we needed something larger and more secure, as we have bears, bobcats, coyotes, raccoons, and foxes who love to visit our property and harass our birds. We eventually did rehome one of our roosters, and another managed to escape the coop before we moved, leaving us with only one rooster in the end. After researching custom-built options in our area, we purchased a coop through Coops for a Cause.

Coops for a Cause is a wonderful organization that works with several different charities that do excellent work worldwide. Those charities include:

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