As in buying dogs and horses (at least) the initial cost is the DOWN PAYMENT, and feed and upkeep cost way more. Unless you pay $100 per chick, or six figures or more for a horse.
Mary
Not complaining, just stating so as far as buying chicks for straight production it’s not anywhere near financially doable... but investing in some breeding stock for a sustainable meat flock? Very much so! Considering I’m already looking at wintering a fairly large (40 birds or so, at least) flock of layers... and the shipping is 50% of the cost of the birds (on top!) to get them here, I’m not really worried about the costs of maintaining them. $25/day old chick, for clarity’s sake.