How Much Does It Cost To Keep Chickens? 2026 Costs and Statistics

It’s something of a fanciful dream for many suburban families to walk into the backyard and collect warm eggs from under softly clucking hens. Having kept backyard chickens myself, I know how far the dream is from the bill. The good news is that the costs are predictable once you know the numbers.

Below I break down what chickens cost in 2026: the coop, the birds, feed, bedding and the extras nobody mentions. Every price links to its source, and the yearly totals come from a simple worked example you can adjust for your own flock.

How much does it cost to keep chickens?

For a typical flock of six hens, plan on about $931 up front and $501 a year to keep them. You can spend far less with a homemade coop and a smaller flock, or far more with a designer coop and organic feed.

How much does it cost to start a backyard flock?

Most of the money goes out in the first month. Here is what our six hen example buys, starting from day old chicks:

How much does a chicken coop cost?

The national average cost to build a coop for about six chickens is $650, according to Fixr, and most people spend between $300 and $2,000. A small A frame coop can cost $200 to $300, while an all in one coop and run can run $1,000 to $3,000.

One way to cut the cost is to build a coop yourself from materials you already own or can get cheap. Several sites have free coop plans. A metal coop like the one in our Omlet Eglu review costs over $1,000 but lasts for years. Whatever you pick, give hens enough room; see how much space chickens need.

How much do chicks and laying hens cost?

Common production breed chicks cost about $4.50 to $5.65 each straight run and $5.30 to $7.15 for sexed pullets at the hatcheries Creatures checked in July 2026. Near lay pullets, already 15 to 22 weeks old, ran $35 to $46 each.

Shipping changes the math fast. One listing for a single near lay pullet priced the bird at $46 and the shipping at $231 (SpectrumCare). Buying chicks locally during spring chick days usually costs less overall. See our guide on where to buy baby chicks.

How much does chicken feed cost per year?

A grown hen eats about 0.25 pound of feed a day, and chicks eat 13 to 15 pounds each before they start to lay, according to Oklahoma State University Extension. That is about 91 pounds per hen per year.

A 50 pound bag of conventional layer feed costs about $18 to $25 and organic layer feed about $35 to $55 (Plan Your Homestead). At $22 a bag, feed for one hen costs about $40 a year. At $45 for organic it is about $82. Six hens go through roughly one bag a month.

Bag size matters. A 10 pound bag of Purina Layena was listed at $24.99 at Walmart, about $2.50 a pound, versus about 44 cents a pound for a $22 50 pound bag. If you have room to store it in a sealed bin, the big bag is the better buy. Not sure which formula you need? Read our guide to types of chicken feed.

What does it cost per year to keep 3, 6 or 12 hens?

Layers also need oyster shell for strong shells and grit if they cannot forage. A bag of each lasts a long time for a small flock. Read more on oyster shell, grit and the best bedding for chickens. My own hens slept on raked leaves, which cost nothing.

How much do backyard eggs cost per dozen?

In year one, once you add the coop and chicks, our six hen flock works out to about $18.60 a dozen. Chicks do not lay until about 20 weeks old, so the first year only brings about 77 dozen eggs. From year two the cost drops to about $4.01 a dozen, and feed alone is about $1.93 a dozen.

So are backyard eggs cheaper? Not when conventional eggs are around $2.27 a dozen, as they were in September 2026. They were cheaper in 2025, when the national average hit a record $6.23 in March. Follow the monthly price on our egg prices tracker, and see more numbers in our egg production and cost statistics.

Most keepers do not do it to save money anyway. You know exactly how your hens are treated and fed, the eggs are as fresh as eggs get, and you get free fertilizer and bug control for the garden.

What hidden costs come with backyard chickens?

• Vet care. Not every vet sees chickens, so find an avian vet before you need one.
• Predator proofing. Hardware cloth costs more than chicken wire, but chicken wire keeps chickens in, not raccoons out.
• Winter and summer. A heated waterer or extra shade can add to the power bill.
• Replacement birds. Laying slows after year two, so many keepers add a few chicks every couple of years.
• Permits. Some cities charge $25 to $100 for a hen permit. Check yours in Coop Ready.
• Disease. Bird flu or a Salmonella outbreak can cost you the whole flock. Our bird flu tracker covers how to protect your birds.

Which chicken breeds are the most economical?

Most backyard keepers want hens for eggs. One of the best breeds for fresh eggs is the Golden Comet, a hardy hybrid that can lay up to 280 eggs a year. I currently have bantam Cochins, a smaller breed that lays smaller eggs.

If you want birds for both eggs and meat, the Rhode Island Red and the Sussex are good bets at around 250 eggs a year. The friendly Plymouth Rock lays about 200 eggs a year but makes a great family bird. Compare 21 breeds in our chicken breeds chart.

How can you keep backyard chickens for less?

• Build the coop from free plans and salvaged lumber, or look for a used coop in local listings.
• Buy chicks at spring chick days instead of paying to ship birds.
• Buy feed in 50 pound bags and store it in a sealed metal bin to stop waste and rodents.
• Use a feeder that keeps hens from flicking feed on the ground.
• Let hens forage on grass and clover and share safe kitchen scraps. Mine were especially fond of yogurt.
• Use free bedding such as raked leaves or straw from a local farm.

Never skimp on food, clean bedding and general care, though. Neglect leads to illness and vet bills that wipe out any savings.

Frequently asked questions