Listen, I’m all for paying top dollar for high-quality breeding stock—birds bred to the Standard of Perfection (SoP), with genetics meant to improve a breed rather than just pump out eggs. If that’s what I’m buying, then sure, $25 to $50 makes sense. These birds are an investment, not just random additions to the flock.
But when I see standard mixed flock layers, especially hatchery birds, priced like they belong in the national poultry show ring? That’s when I start wondering if people have completely lost touch with reality.
I’ve seen 6- to 8-month-old hens—barnyard mix, hatchery stock at best—being sold for $25 to $50 a bird. And that’s when I have to ask: What exactly are we paying for?
Because I cannot tell a chicken’s age just by looking at her—and let’s be honest, there have been plenty of folks selling geriatric hens while claiming they’re “just starting to lay.” Anyone who’s ever bought a “young hen” only to discover she’s on the brink of retirement knows exactly what I mean.
The Economics of an Egg Layer
From a business standpoint, it makes zero sense to drop $50 on a standard laying hen. Let’s break it down:
- A hen at peak production lays four to six eggs per week if she’s well-fed and managed.
- By year two, production starts slowing down.
- By three years old, laying becomes sporadic at best.
- By four-plus years, she’s more ornamental than productive.
So if I pay $50 for a two-year-old hen who lays three eggs a week, she’s giving me 156 eggs a year—if she’s still laying consistently.
At $5 per dozen, that’s $65 worth of eggs per year. Meaning I spend an entire year just breaking even on her cost—if she doesn’t slow down, drop dead, or turn broody and quit laying altogether.
Meanwhile, a fresh pullet—with years of productive laying ahead—costs $5 to $15 depending on breed and source. That means I can buy two to five younger birds for the same price as one aging hen—birds that will actually give me solid egg production for the next few years instead of dwindling output.
The Smokescreen of “Recouping Costs”
I get it—raising birds costs money. Feed, time, water, labor, electricity. And folks selling hens at inflated prices want to make their money back. But from the perspective of someone buying these birds, these inflated costs just aren’t worth it.
Because I’m not buying your time. I’m not buying the electric bill that kept their heat lamp running. I’m buying an egg layer—and if she’s past her peak, I’m not throwing top dollar at her.
That’s why I try to stay in the $5-10 range when buying hens for my mixed flock. At that price, if she turns out to be older or slows down faster than expected, it’s not a huge loss—and she’s still useful for the freezer when she drops below five eggs a week.
And if I’m buying birds for breeding purposes, that’s a different conversation. Show stock, breed improvement stock, birds bred to meet the SoP—those are worth the higher prices because they serve a purpose beyond just egg production. A quality breeder bird still holds value even when she’s only laying two or three eggs a week, because those eggs are meant to produce more birds that meet the standard.
But your average barnyard mix layer? Not a chance.
When Buying Hens Feels More Like a Scam
So, if you’re buying birds and see those “young laying hens—$45 each!” listings, pause for a second. Are these well-bred birds worth the money, or is someone just trying to offload old stock onto unsuspecting buyers?
And if you’ve paid $50 for a backyard egg layer, I’ve got some artisanal chicken feed subscriptions to sell you, too.
Have you seen these inflated hen prices in your area? Pull up a chair and let’s talk about whether backyard chickens have officially entered overpriced poultry insanity.
