How much does it cost to raise backyard chickens?

For me personally, I definitely spent less on eggs every month. But the chickens bring me more joy than anything else ever has before. They are priceless in my mind. This article does a great job laying it all out

Nice read. Felt like I spent a million dollars . In all honesty most of the materials were free from various online posting ads. But a good what to expect when jumping in to raising a flock.

Well written but year of publication regarding estimated cost must be taken into consideration.

Informational article with lots of links and good example pictures.

Mostly true, but if you find the right resources you can make a coop for much less, maybe as low as 30 dollars. And in many places you can buy day-old chicks for less than a dollar. Last thing is you can make a temporary brooder out of a cardboard box lined with pine shavings, for practically no cost (not including the shavings). Everything else looks great; well thought out and tested!

Very educating and correct

1) Building your own coop may technically save you money, but unless you know what you are doing, it probably isn't worth the time. If I paid myself minimum wage for all the time I've spent finding the materials and making my own coop out of cheap or free scrap wood, it would cost more than ordering one new, lol.

2) You can't really buy chicken food in bulk since it doesn't store well. Organic is crazy expensive in my area. Obviously if you give your ladies access to the compost/large bug-hunting areas, you will have to buy less feed.

3) It would be better to calculate in terms of at least 4 chickens. Three is too small for a flock.

4) I don't think it actually saves you money to buy chicks instead of pullets. First of all, there is no guarantee that your chicks will be girls, even if they are supposed to be. It takes a long time to know what you've really got.
Second, a lot can happen in the five-six months that you are waiting for them to grow old enough to lay eggs. In my experience, that is the most dangerous time in terms of predators (particularly hawks, who are able to fly off with half-grown chickens, but I've never had one get an adult). Meanwhile you have to buy food that whole time, and at the beginning you even have to pay for a chick heater/the energy it takes to run it. Raising chicks is fun but if it's your first time I would recommend starting with 4 or 5 month old pullets. It's worth paying to get a guarantee of gender, health, less waiting time for eggs, lower danger of predators, etc.

I really stopped counting now as it's not about just the eggs anymore. These birds are a part of the family and they are spoilt rotten!! Lol! Thank you for breaking everything down for the newbie.

Just got 62 pullet chicks for almost nothing. Wondering after if their cost would make me any thing in the long run. Other than happy bc we ALL love bitties.

I myself do a lot of improvising on items and recycling items that can be reused from brooder to coop, to help keep down cost of them, mine don't like fancy stuff as long as they got a place to roost and lay they are happy campers and a Happy hen produces. Wish this article would have been written before I started and we built them a nice insulated secure coop that they hated and only time you could get them to go into that coop was if they wanted to brood. would have saved a lot of money and work.

This article covers what a new chicken keeper needs to get started. I like that you provided links to additional resources!

Great article, do wish it mentioned heat lamp alternatives!! Maybe a link to MHP (momma heating pad) which can be as simple as a heating pad (as long as it will go 24/7, no auto shut off) over a frame for holding foil/saran wrap on a kitchen cabinet door, zip ties and old hand towels/pillow cases - or heaters like the sweeter heater or brinsea (not as cost effective).

I found this easy to read. It's a shame the prices are a bit out of date.
If you are planning on taking your chickens to a vet should they become ill, or get injured, then $10 per month isn't likely to cover the vet bills. $10 per chicken per month would probably cover you for two vet visits a year for nothing too serious.

Good article, covers everything a beginner should know, to avoid disappointment, failure, then quitting!

I found this to be about right for me during the winter, being they free range summer time I spend hardly anything. I found you can buy open bag products for 1/2 the price or less at some stores. I've gone from $60 a month to $20, I just use a two large trash cans to hold the food. One for chicken scratch and one for layer pellets.

Perfect for those wanting to raise chickens!

The numbers in the article will give someone a good idea of what it will cost to get started in chickens. A reader should plan for higher end in cost in most cases, to be on the safe side.

Good relative numbers. Very helpful to someone thinking about chickens or wanting to get chickens.