I got chickens purely because I like having them, but when the eggs started piling up the fridge I decided to sell them. I make around $30 a month just by selling my surplus of eggs (that's with 9 hens) - that amount per month definitely adds up considering I spend
maybe $20.00 in feed every month or two (my girls get
lots of scraps and grass clippings) - They have since paid for themselves, and allowed me to purchase a few new hens and chicks just for grins and giggles. The only thing I regret is that my husband spent waaaaay too much building their coop. It's simple, and it's not huge, but it just
had to match the garden shed dontcha know?
So if I can just forget that it will take many many months to pay off their mortgage (ha!) I continue to let myself think that they are a somewhat profitable and thoroughly enjoyable hobby!
There's something about fresh brown hormone free eggs that people just can't get enough of. I sell mine for 2.00 a dozen, which is much less than what they would pay for them in the store, and I love being able to do that!