Is having several chickens profitable? The farmer has no doubts

Is it profitable to raise several hens in Poland? DonAdi, the creator of the channel, presents his experiences in this regard, where – as he says – he checks whether living in the countryside can be profitable. The farmer has no doubt that the answer to the above question is obvious for people who want to have eggs from a reliable source at their fingertips. He started breeding with three Cochin hens, which laid 120-150 eggs a year, or on average two eggs every three days. The farmer decided that it was not too much, and since there was plenty of space, he decided to expand the farm by 10 green-legged hens.

The stairs started when winter came. While there was no problem with the eggs (it turns out that, contrary to popular belief, they lay best when the temperatures are below zero), the constantly freezing water in the waterer turned out to be a challenge. Adi had to buy a waterer with a heater for which he paid PLN 200, which is approximately the cost of four hens. In addition, you need to add electricity costs (approx. PLN 30 per month). This shows that even with a small number of hens, you have to take into account unexpected costs.

The farmer reveals that in the initial period of breeding he had no idea where to buy straw and he did it on Allegro. A cube of straw cost PLN 20-30 at a cult website, while today I buy it from a farmer for about PLN 3 (the monthly cost is about PLN 15).

How much does a hen cost?

How much does the cheapest laying hen cost? Depending on the region of Poland, from PLN 40 to PLN 60. On average, 10 hens cost approximately PLN 500. The cost of the aviary is approximately PLN 1,500. This means that the initial cost for a breeder who plans to have no more than 10 hens is approximately PLN 2,000.

The chickens need to be fed something and the leftovers from dinner are not necessarily enough. If we want them to lay eggs, we need to provide feed with good ingredients and from a good source. It is estimated that one hen eats about 120 grams of such feed a day. A full-fledged mixture from a good company costs about PLN 2 per kilogram. The monthly cost of food for chickens is approximately PLN 75. In addition, there are the above-mentioned expenses for straw and waterer, and you also have to take into account unforeseen costs when the hen gets sick.

Back to the eggs. How much can owners of 10 laying hens count on? A typical hen lays five eggs a week, which means there are approximately 20 eggs per month. Ten hens will produce approximately 200 eggs. On average, an egg will cost us 45 cents – Adi enumerates.

From a financial point of view, having a small number of hens – taking into account the above-mentioned costs – does not necessarily have to pay off, and if it does, it will pay off after two years at the earliest.

– The costs will be similar to buying eggs in a store, but the satisfaction of having your own eggs is something that no one will take away from you – sums up the farmer.