You could lower that price a lot by realizing chickens don’t need all the fancy stuff

We didnt spend anywhere near that and we have 16 hens and 1 rooster. I think they cost just under $3 each, sexed and shipping included. We built almost a quarter acre to free range. 2 sides were our pre existing property fence. We used some extra t posts we had laying around. It cost about $300 for the fencing, extra t posts and a couple 4x4s. We built a large coup, not those cheap ones from tractor supply that fall apart in a couple years. It cost about $500. We made a waterer out of a free 5 gallon bucket and metal outdoor garbage cane and a feeder out of another free 5 gallon bucket. Total cost was under $50, and we only have to top off once a week. They free range most of the time, and we spend about $30 in feed a month on 17 chickens. This year we are planting grains and peas and black sunflower seeds to offset our feed bill, plus starting to feed them scraps from the kitchen. We got them last april, so they are not quite a year old. We got average 12 large eggs a day in fall, and 9 a day in winter. They are northern breeds that do well in winter. Barred rocks and wyandottes. Good luck!

You forgot about the pride and standing back and looking at your own work and smiling, knowing that you both did that and your Rewards from it

We built our coop from leftover wood and bought the cheapest chicken fence. It cost a bit more a few years later to replace the top fencing, because we had to get heavier duty fence due to the possums climbing on top and falling in. Then they'd kill a bunch of our hens and steal the eggs. Smh...in all I think it cost use maybe $400 over several years. It can be done for very little money if people don't have a lot of up front money. Also, we got a rooster for free from a neighbor and several hens from a friend who needed to down size her own coop. Ask around, lots of people who will share in hard times. Or barter.

As a new chicken owner you can convert a old shed and use a manual door as well. That's what we're doing so far planning on expanding chicken run.

We live in the middle of the burbs. Country ordinance states no more than 8 hens only. Because our neighbors are busybodies, we have them in a “covert” setup. Homemade coop in the back of the garage with a ramp connected to a hole I cut and sealed in the wall. This leads to the run that is built into and under our deck. All in all we have invested about $1500ish into them with an ongoing cost of about $35-50 a month for feed. Bedding is through chip drop. Arborist wood chips eliminate odors. Best part, we get an average of 3 dozen eggs a week currently. Love our girls😁

Thank you for being honest! As someone who also has chickens it bothers me when internet people say “I have 16 chickens and only spent $80, they produce eggs and don’t need feed” it spreads misinformation for how much these awesome fellas actually cost!

We have eight chooks. We spent about $2500 in the set up, and around $35 a month to maintain. 2.5 years in and about to replace coop with new and better $1800 set up (including dulux weathershield paint so it lasts longer). We get about 9-12 cartons a month plus lots of fun and laughter. Still have eight girls, 2.5 years old and laying great. At their best, had an egg a day each - 56 eggs per week. Eggs are huge too - up to 110g per egg.

I just used an old shed. Added nesting boxes and a roost. I use the deep bed method which only needs to be cleaned out once a year. Kitchen scraps cut way down on the feed. You folks have a lot of learning to do.

I'm sure it is worth it. Also, the main cost will last you for a long time and many chickens to come. Thanks for the info.

I always use mostly repurposed materials for projects like this. These folks spent over 8X what I did to set up my most recent girls, so clearly there is a wide range RE your investment. Whatever works for you. Best of all: delicious fresh eggs; chickens are fun and funny; they have unique personalities. I would have chickens in my life even if they didn't provide yummy food.

Chickens give manure and feathers too. Also no gas cost to gather the eggs.

Nothing like fresh eggs. Thanks for sharing this.

It's also great therapy. Entertainment and so much love.

We also have chickens. Our eggs are worth $50 each.

Plus red mite control with diatomaceous earth food grade, rodent control, grit and a knowledge of chicken welfare is essential so it’s not as easy as you might think. Plus you have to lock them up at night and open the coop in the morning unless you buy an automated door

We always send having chickens is the most expensive eggs you will ever eat but they're the best tasting!

this is great. I live in NC and several people in my family raise chickens. I'm going to tell you, we love our chickens and they are mild mannered and actually sweet. I agree with u sweetie on these prices. they sure do help out!!!!

Thanks for the information! I've been considering it, but wasn't sure what was involved or where to start. Your video gave me a clue of where to start.

I can have a chicken coop as fancy as that for cheaper from; scrap wood(free) a drill screws and a machete(for cutting sticks down for t-post😂😂😂 I personally don’t have a chicken coop like that but it could definitely work for a few bucks instead of spending 1500$ for like 5 chickens😂

He can say it...but you will never forget it and constantly bringing it up for the rest of his life.

The difference between U All and others is U guys are doing IT…👍👍👍

When the grocery store runs out of eggs, you still have your own reserve.

We have 3 hens and they’re so worth it. Not only great eggs but they’re wonderful pets with so much personality 😊 I love how you modified your coop! Ours is similar and needs more room, thanks for sharing this.. great ideas!

Thank you for posting this video about your chickens. With the prices of eggs going up around the country it makes sense to invest in making your own food! You are an encouragement especially to the microwave generation that wants instantaneous satisfaction without working for it. I don't know where THEY get their eggs but yours and mine DON'T come from the grocery store! 🐣🐤🐥🐔🍗

On our homestead we just got chickens this year! A young flock of 10 that we bought and 6 layers free from a neighbor. We used old scraps for building coops and chicken tractors, in total over the past 4 months of having them we've spent about $250ish. You can get it down to dang near free if you take advantage of your resources. This cost would've been less but we bought the expensive feed the first couple of months.

Wow 35 a month? I have 3 chickens and don't spend anywhere near that and we have more eggs than we need

Great breakdown! Now you can build a slightly larger coop and add 10+ birds. You'll find that after the first winter, the egg production will drop significantly during short days each winter. With 13 birds, our lowest day was 1 egg in early January (second year). We just added 18 girls to our collection.;

If you have a family or friend that is in the military, most bases have free wood and you can you shredded cardboard or newspaper for bedding. Also it is much easier to use makeshift food and water systems such as pipes, leftover wood, and even strong plastic or lightweight metal.

1st yr: $1500/12mos= $125/ month cost of building and setting up coop+ $35/month feed and bedding is $160/ month 1st years cost. I bought a dozen eggs yesterday at my chain store grocer for $3.49/ dozen. At that price you'll need to get 45 dozen eggs ( thats 540) from your 4 girls a month to break even. And even if you had no cost of equipment just recycled stuff around the house for feeder and water and scrap wood to build a few nesting boxes and kept them in the garage for protection you are still spending $35/ month on feed and bedding. Thats 10 dozen eggs a month to break even. 10/4wks= 2.5dozen or 30 eggs a week. Are your girls up to it? I had flock of 15 chickens on my farmstead. Each hen laid about 5 eggs week. Less as they got older. Your 4 could produce 20 eggs a week or theoretically 28 eggs a week @1 egg per chicken per day. But not for long. After their 1st year. Backyard chickens, like growing a garden, aren't to save money, it's to nurture something you put into yourself; to teach your children how to take care of animals and themselves and to enjoy the origin and freshness of growing your own food. Food agribusiness exists because of the economy of scale which cannot be duplicated in the backyard but backyard growing cannot be substituted at any cost👍😉

I’m lucky to have inherited my Dad’s coop & covered run, though I expanded his 4 RIRs into 8 different heritage breeds. Had to expand the run significantly with wire he had laying around and add perches in their coop. Planted a delicious weed garden which is now bare dirt!

Thank you. Non-chicken people think our backyard chicken eggs come free...thanks for busting that myth.

I have chickens and they are about the most fun things to have on this planet

My 8 month old barred Plymouth Rock Chickens, the coop and run I built, and all the stuff needed. I've probably 1500 bucks in every up til this point. Unless I free range or grow ur own food the eggs will never balance out the cost. But the fact of having fresh organic eggs each day and the joy and satisfaction of watching the chickies go about their day. It's well worth the independence IMO.

I love my chickens, I remember when I was little and I always helped around. I helped to build the coop, and I always fill up their food and water

I'm planning on raising chickens for a summer project/program from a class I'm taking. Luckily, we used to have chickens and still have the old coop and feed/watering systems.

GOOD...LORD...I don,t spend $35.00 a month on EGGS!!! And, I also don,t have to feed and water and take care of them!!!

Wow, that is really amazing!!! Those chickens are so lucky to have great owners like you!! Thank you for giving them a great life!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I have to believe that this could be done in less expensive way. the chickens don't need a luxury manor to live in - place to be safe, up off the ground to roost, roof over heads and walls to protect from the weather and some chicken wire around an area to run around in . you think people in 20s, 30s, and earlier had setup like this?? my point is for anyone else thinking about getting chickens don't let this video and talk about the cost keep you from having chickens - you can do it for much less and keep them just as safe and comfortable without spending thousands of dollars. fresh eggs are the best!!!! and for the people who made this video I applaud you for getting your chickens I just don't want you to scare others away with what you spent

I paid 50 bucks for the coop and fencing because I had scrap wood, and I pay.. MAX 10 bucks feed for 4 chickens because they dig my compost and kitchen scraps as well as the garden. It can be so much cheaper than what you present here but it's good looking!

In 1996 there was a "General store" in Greeley colorado. It was basically all things Farm/Ranch. You could buy chicks for 25 cents each. 😢 Miss those days.

Your set up looks great. I bought one of those pre built starter coops before and the poplar woods broke down real fast .

I have owned chickens for around 5 years now. My coop literally costed me under $300 to build. We had all the wood laying around, the automatic door was around 200 and then for the waterer anf feeder it was around $100. The fencing we got for free. Prefab coops dont give enough room for your chickens, so i found it easier to build big the first time. I spend maybe $40 every 2 months on mine as i give them scrap vegtables and fruits this saves on food cost. When you start you realize you dont need a ton to have chickens. And that they only lay for a few years before only laying one egg a week.

I've heard a lot of good things about using pine needle bedding. Unfortunately, I don't have pine trees in my yard, but if you do - free bedding!

I have 47 birds it costs roughly 30 dollars a week for them.

Yep nothing like fresh eggs I also got my chickens ad chicks and in total I have 15 chickens and they lay eggs every day and u love this video 😊

Im 16 i work with my father and uncles in the country side of japan and we spend 30 dollars a month on food for our 7 chickens ,we open up cars and one of them had a chicken house on its back so 0 dollars spend on the house😂,we do suffer some casualties but we also get a lot of chicks too ,thier mother takes care of the and its fun to watch them grow up

Ahh…ok I think I’ll stick to paying $5 for a dozen eggs 😅

And you know what goes into them. Priceless.

Good looking birds, great set up . Eggs and chicken clowns priceless 👍🇬🇧

Very helpful and informative! Thanks! 😊

Cost me about $500 to build a 4x 8 indoor & 10x12 outdoor & do it all myself with my hubby or Dad. And we have 15 dual purpose. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Nice coop and chicken setup. I am getting ready to move to my retirement farm. I will be starting with chickens and rabbits. Their coop will be one of the existing sheds on site that is 10X16 that I will be modifying. First I will divide it in half with hardware cloth and an existing screen door. On the chicken side I will use limbs (1"+ diameter) cut from overgrown trees being removed. A hole will be cut in the side for their doorway. And will use existing wood scraps for their door/ramp. I will need to purchase 2 small hinges for that door which I anticipate no more than $3. I will be installing a water recovery system from their roof which I have already priced out at under $70. Less than $5 for food dispenser as I am making one from a bucket obtained from food service business and scraps from a plumbing project. Nesting boxes will be made with existing wood scraps. Modifications to coup to include a covered outdoor area (so it doesn't get muddy since chickens like to be dry) of 10X8 which will be made with a combination of wood from pallets, hardware cloth, corrugated panels, and 4"+ diameter poles from removed overgrown trees at an estimated cost. There will also be a chicken run leading to a 20 ft square fenced in area which will be a composting station for them to help me process. Out of pocket costs will be $270 for both their covered area and the run. Chick cost will be approximately $100 for 20 (just under $5 each for the ones I want and I do intend on letting broody hens hatch eggs to build up numbers high enough to provide meat chickens in the future. Feed costs are undetermined. Have already started a small mealworms farm and been letting them multiply so that production levels will be sufficiently high enough to provide substantial supplemental feed as well as them being supplemented with veggies from garden. Unknown how much will be able to supplement grain and bedding. That comes to $478 + another $50 for nails, screws and any other incidentals that I might not have anticipated plus unknown feed and bedding costs. Costs can be even cheaper if someone chooses to have completely free range or house them in chicken tractors. This isn't to say my way is better than theirs. Mine will be much more rustic looking than theirs for starters. If they are living in a residential area, especially if they have an HOA there could be necessity for more attention to aesthetics and with only 4 chickens I would guess that is a factor. They have an excellent setup that works for them. Plus if you don't have building skills it makes sense to spend for a premade coop. If I didn't have a sturdy building already I probably would choose to house in chicken tractors because of costs for a coop as large as my shed provides. There is a multitude of options available, all with their own costs for raising chickens. Whether it costs you a little or a lot don't be afraid to start. It isn't always about saving money. Sometimes quality of food is more important than costs.

My chickens were free because I hatched some of my grandmas eggs 😂 and I used an old garden fence to make their roaming area 🤷‍♀️ I ran to tractor supply and got a (not supper fancy) food dispenser, and a water dispenser. I used my grandmas old coop to put them in at night. Not including the things I recycled, the only thing I had to pay for was the food and water dispensers that costed around $30, and I got a HUGE bag of feed that lasts me a couple months for around $40 🤷‍♀️👍🏻 good deal

I have 5 chickens. It cost me about $300 to start (I got a free run). About 600 more eggs and I break even. But caring for them is priceless.

Lol, I had a ghetto chicken yard- didn’t spend near that amount( didn’t look as fancy either) but same results in daily eggs

Lass, I love how you share your lap with the little Ladies. So charming! ❤👍❤️

my goodness that’s a lot of money! I think for our 5 chickens and 5 ducks we still spent less than that. HOWEVER I am so glad to see more people raising their own livestock.

You don't 'need' an automatic door, that is an extravagance. The small flat pack coops are okay as starters, but a shed conversion is likely where you will end up. Fencing and runs are expensive, but it can grow over time.

I converted an old wooden play house that was left in our old neighbors lawn. Kids stopped using so my girls use it now 😂 it all depends on the space, money, labor and time you have. Honestly it’s worth it though I have never been more proud of my coop and girls ❤

I live in the city with a backyard flock of 4 hens and my capital expenses were $250 for a chicken tractor (moves across my garden area) and, with all kinds of vegetable and grain food scraps offered for free as well as what they eat out of the ground as they are moved, my total costs average around $20 USD per month for certified organic feed. However, they lay very few or no eggs in the darkest months of the year here in the north, so it's not a continuous-production calculation breakdown, either. I prefer to see them get that time off from laying, though. I still pay a good amount less per organic egg than they cost at the store.

Thank you! Can’t wait to start my chicken journey

It's amazing how quickly those incidentals add up.

I love the buff Orpingtons! And the Easter eggers too! Such sweet hens! Good job guys!

Most people don’t know how to do it so they spend $1500+ building a coop. We did it with $150, don’t let people like this discourage you from have your own chickens, they practically take care of themselves

"Coon Proofing" is your biggest upfront expense and it CANNOT be avoided id you wish to keep hens. Coons, foxes, possums, coyotes, hawks, wolves, even skunks will all kill your hens. If you can keep A group of coons out you can keep them all out.

Keep up the great work. At $5/dozen that's a 4 year ROI for the startup cost, but you actually won't break even due to the monthly feed cost equaling the amount it would cost to buy eggs. Feed your chickens more scraps and consider an alternative to feeding your own feed mix to offset cost.

To me, it's not so much the price, but the fact that you have options in the case that we have another pandemic or supply chain issues. I have a garden and we grow tomatoes, grind them, put them in a stew and freeze them. Then all winter long, we have them available. It's nice to be self sufficient.

You will love your hens forever! I highly recommend having them if it is at all feasible to care for them regularly and get them used to you from chick time.

I’ve had chickens for about 10 years. And I’ve wasted a lot of money in that time. The best money saving tips I can give are to build the coop and the run as big as you can from the very beginning. I missed around with a small prefab coop and a small run. And then I made the run a little bigger and then I made the coop a little bigger… Finally, I got smart and built a large coop and a large run. I would’ve saved, a lot of money if I would’ve just done that in the beginning. Figure out the true maximum amount of chickens that you can have, and then build your coop and run to meet that.

You can raise and safely care for chickens around $100 start up. I do buy 16% layer, but they free range and dont eat much in the pallet coop. Yes, pallet coop. 5 gallon buckets make great, long lasting feeders and waterers. Milk crates make great nesting boxes. You'll save around $1400 for your family.

With the current price of eggs, your chickens are a bargain and chickens are so sweet

Very cool. I’d say my investment was the same but now my chickens are self sustaining. We sell eggs for $4 a dozen and after selling 5 dozen we go buy more feed. We average about 14 eggs a day.

I wish I had the room for chickens. But I'm in a tow house with no yard. One day!

You’re so lucky. I don’t know if this is old or just a Canada US thing but here in Canada I paid at least double for all the items you mentioned.(except the chicks)

A lot of those costs are waaaaaay cheaper if you do it yourself. Rather than buying it premade. There are also many ways to get chickens for cheaper

Nice set up! You can do it a lot cheaper than that. They don't need fancy feeders. Pallets cab be got on most freebies pages. They live scraps and that eeks out your food sack. ❤

I think I will stick to the store for my eggs

I grew up with chickens and idk I thought you had to have a million chickens lol so I'm glad to know you could have as many as 4 chickens.

Good heavens. Thanks for showing everyone the more expensive way to set up chickens!

Here for the adventure! Stayed for the chickens 🐔 🙌💥❤️‍🔥

Built my own coop for $100, spent $250 on automatic door, and over and under run, $350. $700 to start, $30 a month to maintain. (I buy local, cheaper feed)

An intrinsic value with the chickens would be insect control and compost fertilization. And the simple fact that should there be a band or Ron on eggs or food in general... There would still be fresh eggs...

Lovely setup.

Yeah, the reality is that they cost more, but the eggs are so much higher quality. A smaller and richer alternative to chickens is quail. They only need a smaller cage, and their eggs are delicious. Also I think you can eat them? I’ve never kept them. (From a person who recently tried quail eggs for the first time; I’m hooked 😂)

with egg prices going up I decided to spend 2k for EGGS. The 3 of us eat about $200 worth of PER YEAR

jeeezus fam, I found some old planks, steel wiring and a bucket and I made a predator proof coup for EUR 30. Just have to put them inside every day.

Ive spent maybe 750, i couldve spent a lot less. Bought my first coop for 250 only held 4 chickens. Picked up a free coop that holds 10 chickens recently. Food costs at most $17 a month for 8 chickens and we supplement with good scrapes

I have subscribed. I would really appreciate you are doing a short on where a person can find heritage breed chickens to buy, as opposed to the industrial breeds typically sold it feed stores or through hatcheries.

They are Worth every penny ❤️

.... can I give you some advice? Don't keep using that coop. That wire stapled? Won't last. A dog could push through it, a racoon can rip it open, and a fox and for sure get into it. Trust me. Had the same coop.. did the same thing... added the same wire and stapled it... lost 6 chickens within idk 3 days of having the coop. Your just starting out.... so please heed my warning and don't keep using it if you love your girls! I ended up converting a carport for mine. So far so good! Also... raising chickens for eggs doesn't save any money lol! Food.. water.. bedding... medicine if their sick... etc... so people thinking egg prices are going up to get chickens... yeah... your still spending the same if not more! I sell my eggs lol Also 4 chickens? Nah girl you need 10+! Chickens don't lay year round.... and don't bet on them laying daily. If you really want the eggs... I'd advise you to get more girls! Get grown ones already laying :) their about $20 for the fancy ones lol. I have 12.... but I've also lost more than I have. Don't forget the wire over the fence for hawks!

$35 a month on keeping the chickens…. I’m sure that’s more than what anyone in the comments spends on eggs in one month. But having chickens and the satisfaction of eating your own eggs, priceless.

I used old shed in my backyard as the coop, bought 10×20 cage from Amazon for 250, bushed the cage toward the shed and connected them and now I have a very nice home for them . With everything, I would say, I spent 500 Dollars or so

I just Started a new chicken area & here's how much some things cost me. Just wanting to help. If your On a super tight budget, like I am....? Look on market place and get some free supplies. You will be surprised on what you CAN GET. Im Not new to chickens here & I'm getting back into raising them again. No hybrids me us, this time around.. only Black Australorps. We have a 8ft x 10ft Old metal shed (we was replacing anyways. For a bigger one) ...i used what we already had & turned into a hen house for 15 chickens. $0 (Many people will GIVE THEM away... so, look for one for free) I grow my own bamboo, so it's easy to make perches For inside the chicken house/coop and for their pen/run 😉 But, tree branches work GREAT TOO. Let nature provide. I need to Cut in air vents and add on plexiglass windows, $20 on Amazon. Adding in a solar fan, for better air flow! Only around $11 on Amazon. I will be Framing the windows with wood "scraps" we already have, and cover the window cut-out with protective wire, for when windows are open. Adding on locks to windows for winter time. $3 for the cheap locks I Ordered new CHICKS from Hoovers Hatchery $63. 5 roosters & 10 hen: 15! They will be shipped on Valentines day. ❤ 💜 nit keeping them all. Later, I will pick out my favorites.. Rooster and others will be re-home. Got a 10x13 feet, Chicken run on Amazon for $189 on prime. Comes with EVERYTHING YOU NEED to put it together... yes, even chicken wire roll too. ... im also adding in alot free things, I make myself or found for free, for many of my Chickens needs. ENTERTAINMENT for chickens!!?!?! YES! Many don't know this: when they are kept in pen/runs... they will get board and will start hurt each other, with pecking or even fight. Chickens need a swing & bright red colors to peck at.. things to keep their minds busy. Any treats they can eat, you can hang it up and let them WORK for it. Get creative! Also from Home Depot: feed and water containers are 2 food grade, 5 gallon buckets $10 for 2 with lids $5 for 2 =$15 Then get the feed cups and water attachments from Amazon for $15 or less 😀 The kits come with every thing needed to make the holes. So, Food and Water bucket containers for CHEAP Is a total of only $30 So, I also added in some extra protective clothes wire.. 20 inchs x 82 feet of ½ inch metal box Cloth to add some extra protection around the BOTTOM of the pen & hen house, to help stop predators from digging in. $58 on Amazon. (It's important to do with this type of pen/run! ) Im building a salad Bar grazing box (FREE!!!) coverd with old chicken wire. (ALSO FREE) Used old reused lumber. The plants will grow up threw the wire and saves the plants from being killed by chickens. They will just keep growing. Feed AND grains $40 every 2 months if you do it right. And feed them vegetables scraps and bug treats from the property & my garden. They LOVE grass, garden greens, millet spray, clover.. look it up. If you want to see my new journey for your self... just come find me. 😎

I got free pallets from UPS free tin from a guy's backyard I seen while driving down the road, I have 26 chickens I bought for $100 and they eat scraps, my chickens are all free range as well I get over a dozen eggs a day and all it cost was the price of the chickens, You can make a chicken coop out of practically anything! We have an Anatolian Shepherd as a livestock Guardian, and he's never lost a chicken

We also have 4 hens and spent a lot for all the peripherals other than feed. but now we (the UK) have avian flu restrictions so we had to but a big enclosure so we can't free range them round our big garden. We aren't getting eggs from them at the moment since is cold and they are in moult too

I did the same setup for 150bucks 1500to get started is insane I built those professionally and donate them all over

Geesh. I definitely didn’t spend this much but you have very nice set up

I warned someone about those cute Big R or TSC coops. They bought it anyway and a black bear opened it up like a bag of chips and snacked on her girls.

Wow! I built a 4x4 hen house with 30x15 coop. Spent $30 on pvc pipes & caps, got a 5 gallon bucket with lid for free to turned it into a watering bucket by adding $20 nipples for a dozen (which only used 6). I guess it will cost you more if your not handy & creative