How many eggs will your hens really lay, and what does each dozen cost you? Enter your flock, breed type and feed price to see eggs per week, monthly costs, cost per dozen compared with the store, and how many hens you need for the eggs your household eats.
How the numbers work
- Laying rate starts from typical figures for the breed type: about 290 eggs a year for production layers, 200 for dual-purpose breeds, 150 for bantams and 120 for heritage and ornamental breeds. It then drops about 15% for each extra year of age; that yearly drop is our estimate of the commonly quoted 10–20%.
- Feed: a standard laying hen eats about 110–120 g a day, roughly ¼ lb (University of Missouri Extension). Bigger birds eat more and bantams less.
- Cost per dozen = (feed + your other monthly costs) ÷ dozens laid that month.
- Winter: short days slow laying. Our estimate of about half the summer rate without added light is a rough guide; some breeds stop entirely.
A worked example
Six first-year dual-purpose hens lay about 23 eggs a week, a little over 8 dozen a month. They eat about 46 lb of feed a month; at $22 for a 50 lb bag plus $15 of bedding and extras, that is $35 a month, or about $4.21 a dozen, just under a $4.50 store price. Want 18 eggs a week? Five hens like these would do it.
Read more
- Picking birds for eggs: the best breeds for a first flock.
- Why one or two hens always turns into more: chicken math, explained.
- Keep the feed bill and the flock healthy: what not to feed chickens.
These calculators give general guidance from extension services and experienced keepers. Your breed, climate and setup may need more. For sick or injured birds, contact a poultry vet.
Frequently asked questions
How many eggs does a chicken lay a week?
A productive first-year hen lays about 4 to 6 eggs a week in spring and summer. Dual-purpose breeds average nearer 4, heritage and ornamental breeds 2 to 3, and every breed slows down in winter and with age.
How much does it cost to keep chickens per month?
Feed is the main cost: a standard hen eats about a quarter of a pound a day, around 7.5 lb a month. At $22 for a 50 lb bag that is about $3.30 of feed per hen a month; bedding, grit, oyster shell and treats come on top, and local prices vary a lot.
Are backyard eggs cheaper than store eggs?
Sometimes. Young hens of a productive breed often beat store prices on feed costs alone; small, older or ornamental flocks usually cost more per dozen. Most keepers do it for freshness, quality and the birds themselves.
How many chickens do I need for a family?
Divide the eggs you eat in a week by what one hen lays in a week. For productive breeds that is about 5 eggs per hen in peak season, so a family eating 18 eggs a week needs 4 or 5 hens, plus one or two more to cover winter and older birds.
Is my information stored?
No. Everything is calculated in your browser, and nothing you type is saved or sent anywhere. The share link keeps your numbers in the part of the web address after the # sign, which browsers do not send to the website.