We paid $15 for a 7-month-old laying EE pullet and named her Lola. She's a good girl and lays pretty aqua eggs.
Our original flock was a joke. We paid $8 a bird, bought them from a family selling chickens out of their backyard. All but 2 of them have died from various health concerns, and the only one out of that whole flock that laid on time was the EE who laid at 30 weeks. Oh, and the leghorn started at 22 weeks, laid for 6 weeks, got eggbound, and died at 28 weeks of age. The RIR and welsummer got sick and were put down at 8 months of age and never did lay anything. The barred rock didn't lay her first egg until she was 35 weeks.
I don't mind paying more for healthier birds, and I have learned that lesson the hard way.
Of course, nowadays I'm hatching out my own so I REALLY know the health of the birds from day 1.