How the chicken feed math works
It is four short steps, in plain English:
- Daily feed: hens × feed per hen per day. So 10 hens × 0.25 lb = 2.5 lb a day.
- Monthly feed cost: daily feed × 30 days × price per lb. So 2.5 × 30 × $0.40 = $30.00.
- Eggs per month: hens × eggs per hen per day × 30. So 10 × 0.8 × 30 = 240 eggs.
- Cost per dozen: monthly cost ÷ (eggs per month ÷ 12). So $30.00 ÷ 20 dozen = $1.50 per dozen.
Enter your own feed price per pound — feed prices vary by brand, region and season, so this page does not assume one for you. If your hens eat more in winter or lay fewer eggs during a molt, change those two numbers and the cost per dozen updates.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my cost per dozen so high?
Usually it is low egg output, not expensive feed: the same monthly feed bill spread over fewer eggs raises the cost per dozen fast. Check the eggs-per-hen number first — an average over a whole month is more honest than a good week's laying.
Does this include all my chicken costs?
No — feed only. Housing, bedding, grit, supplements, vet care and replacement birds are separate, so your true cost per dozen is higher than this feed-only figure.
What if my flock includes roosters or non-laying birds?
Count every bird that eats in the hens number, but only count eggs from the birds actually laying, or your cost per dozen will look lower than it really is.