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Do Backyard Chickens Save Money on Eggs?

An extension study puts homegrown eggs at about $3.37 a dozen before labor. Whether that beats the store depends on a price that has swung wildly.

By Leash & Bowl Editorial 7 min read
Two hens scratching the ground inside a wire-fenced run
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When egg prices hit record highs in early 2025, a lot of people priced out a coop and a few hens. The idea is simple: feed is cheap, hens lay almost daily, and the eggs are free after that.

The real numbers are less generous. They are worth working through before you buy anything, because a flock is a commitment of several years.

Key figures

  • $3.37 Maryland backyard-egg budget per dozen, historical
  • $6.23 US store eggs per dozen, March 2025
  • $2.27 US store eggs per dozen, August 2026

What an extension budget found

The University of Maryland Extension built a detailed budget for a flock of 10 hens kept for three years. It counted chicks, feed, bedding, cartons, electricity and the startup costs of the coop, feeder, waterer and storage.

The result was about $3.37 per dozen eggs. That figure spreads the entire startup cost across the three years. It does not include labor, which the authors estimated at around 20 minutes a day.

A woven basket of brown eggs on a wooden table
The coop and equipment are a large share of the cost. The more years they serve, the cheaper each dozen gets.

Compare it with the store, honestly

Store prices have been anything but stable. Bureau of Labor Statistics data show the average price of a dozen Grade A large eggs reached $6.23 in March 2025, driven largely by avian influenza losses in commercial flocks. By August 2026 it had fallen to about $2.27.

Cost of a dozen eggs, homegrown versus store
  • Store, March 2025 peak$6.23
  • Backyard flock, extension budgetabout $3.37
  • Store, August 2026$2.27

Homegrown figure from the University of Maryland Extension backyard budget (10 hens, three years, startup included, labor excluded). Store prices are US city averages for Grade A large eggs from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

So the answer depends on when you ask. During a price spike, a well-run flock looks like a bargain. At normal prices, it usually costs more than buying eggs.

What pushes your cost up or down

  • Flock size. The coop costs roughly the same for 4 hens as for 6. Very small flocks carry a higher cost per egg.
  • The coop. A $1,500 prefab coop doubles the startup cost of the budget above.
  • Feed price. Feed is the largest running cost. Local prices vary a lot.
  • Losses. Predators and disease cut production and add replacement birds.
  • Age of the flock. Hens lay less each year, so the cost per dozen rises over time.
The hidden cost is your calendar

Hens need feed, water and a closed coop every single day, including holidays. Oregon State University Extension warns that eggs left uncollected during a vacation attract predators. Line up a neighbor before you buy the birds.

Why people keep chickens anyway

Most long-time keepers will tell you the money is not the point. You get eggs laid that morning, manure and bedding for the compost pile, birds that eat kitchen scraps and garden pests, and animals many families grow attached to. Oregon State University Extension puts it bluntly: chickens will get you eggs, but they are not a big money saver.

The flock budget keeps recurring feed and setup separate. The egg-selling budget examines revenue alongside the costs rather than treating egg count as profit.

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to raise backyard chickens per year?

It depends on flock size, feed prices and the coop. A University of Maryland Extension budget for 10 hens came to about $1,759 over three years including startup costs, or about $3.37 per dozen eggs.

Is it cheaper to raise chickens than buy eggs?

Only when store prices are high. At the August 2026 average of about $2.27 a dozen, most small flocks produce more expensive eggs than the store.

How many eggs do backyard hens lay?

Good laying hens produce most days in their first year, then less each year. Production also drops in fall and winter as days get shorter.

How much time do chickens take each day?

The Maryland budget assumed about 20 minutes a day for feeding, watering, collecting eggs and cleaning, plus larger jobs a few times a year.

Where these figures come from

  1. Backyard Layer Flock Economics: How Much Does It Cost You to Produce a Dozen Eggs? University of Maryland Extension · extension.umd.edu
  2. Average Price: Eggs, Grade A, Large, per dozen US Bureau of Labor Statistics · data.bls.gov
  3. Thinking about backyard chickens? Know the costs and care first Oregon State University Extension · extension.oregonstate.edu

Figures last checked September 2026.

Researched and written by

Leash & Bowl Editorial

Every figure in this guide comes from a published source, linked above, and was checked before publication. No affiliate links and no sponsored posts.

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