Rex says
Everyday utility math — the kind you'd otherwise pull up four browser tabs for. I keep it to one clean answer.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Your cost per dozen
$3.65
Eggs per year
1,560
Total annual cost
$475
Feed cost per year
$270
Annual savings vs store
$110
Psst — share this and help Rex grow
One click, a permanent link with your numbers baked in.
How to use this
- 1Enter laying hens.
- 2Enter eggs per hen per week.
- 3Enter feed per hen per day (lb).
- 4Enter feed price ($/50 lb).
- 5Enter coop + setup cost ($).
- 6Enter coop lifespan (yr).
- 7Enter bedding + misc per year ($).
- 8Enter store price per dozen ($).
- 9Read your your cost per dozen on the right — it updates as you type.
- 10Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Feed is the dominant cost of home eggs and rarely beats the supermarket in year one. This computes cost per dozen and how long the coop takes to pay for itself.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Laying hens: 6
- Eggs per hen per week: 5
- Feed per hen per day: 0.28 lb
- Feed price: 22 $/50 lb
- Coop + setup cost: 850 $
- Coop lifespan: 10 yr
- Bedding + misc per year: 120 $
- Store price per dozen: 4.5 $
Results
- Your cost per dozen: $3.65
- Eggs per year: 1,560
- Total annual cost: $475
- Feed cost per year: $270
- Annual savings vs store: $110
What each field means
Inputs
- Laying hens
- The laying hens used in the calculation. Starts at 6 so you have a working example on load.
- Eggs per hen per week
- The eggs per hen per week used in the calculation. Starts at 5 so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–7.
- Feed per hen per day (lb)
- The feed per hen per day used in the calculation, measured in lb. Starts at 0.28 lb so you have a working example on load.
- Feed price ($/50 lb)
- The feed price used in the calculation, measured in $/50 lb. Starts at 22 $/50 lb so you have a working example on load.
- Coop + setup cost ($)
- The coop + setup cost used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 850 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Coop lifespan (yr)
- The coop lifespan used in the calculation, measured in yr. Starts at 10 yr so you have a working example on load.
- Bedding + misc per year ($)
- The bedding + misc per year used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 120 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Store price per dozen ($)
- The store price per dozen used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 4.5 $ so you have a working example on load.
Results
- Your cost per dozen
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Eggs per year
- Returned as a whole number. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Total annual cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Feed cost per year
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Annual savings vs store
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
Do hens lay year-round?
No. Production drops sharply in winter without supplemental light and falls off after year two or three. Five eggs a week is a good annual average for a young flock.
Is it ever cheaper than the store?
Once the coop is amortized and if feed is bought in bulk, yes — usually somewhere in year three.
Accuracy and limitations
- Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary.
- Results are rounded for readability; add a buffer before ordering, booking, or committing.
- Double-check anything with a real cost attached against a local quote.
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Backyard Chicken Economics Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/chicken-flock-economics
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/chicken-flock-economics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Backyard Chicken Economics Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Backyard Chicken Economics Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/chicken-flock-economics) (2026).