Each day, I reliably pull three or four gorgeously colored eggs out of my backyard chicken coop.
I think to myself.
Now, most people with backyard birds arent going the cheap route.
By those standards, its definitely cheaper to buy your eggs.
Chickens arent expensive, but the accessories can be
Lets start with the chickens themselves.
you could purchase chickens as chicks just a few days old, and they are deceptively cheap.
More exclusive breeds can go for as much as $25 per chick.
Older birds cost more
You dont have to start with chicks.
Some places will sell youpouletschickens that are at least 15 weeks old.
you’re able to also skip out on buyingchick foodandchick grit.
But skipping the chick phase means you miss the opportunity to bond with your chickens.
Those chickens are often fully grown layersand, even better, available for free.
it’s possible for you to build a very simple coop yourself, but that’s a risk.
Your coop’s design will also impact how easy it is to tend to your flock.
The coop will need winter insulation, even if you have hardy chickens.
Pre-built coops, meanwhile run fromhundreds of dollarstothousands.
Your adult birds will need awatereras well as a feeder.
You’ll even need to buyfake eggsso these bird brains know where to lay.
All of that is going to cost you another $100 or so.
Each month, youll need to budget forfood,grit, andoyster shellsor another source of calcium.
Youll also needtreatsof some kind.
A grown chicken eats about 1.5 lbs of food a week.
The other reason is bird flu, which is now raging in every state in America.
Will your backyard flock save you money?
(Probably not.)
Do the “chicken math”
This is why chicken math exists.
They have become my companions, and I enjoy the tasks of caring for them.
