Cost of Production for Eggs

What costs go into a dozen eggs?

Start by listing every cost of keeping the flock, then divide by the dozens you actually sell. Feed is usually the largest. Others include bedding, nest material, waterers and feeders, housing and fencing, predator protection, lighting or heat if you use them, cartons, labels, cleaning supplies, and any fees or licenses.

Add the cost of getting new birds into the flock. Chicks or started pullets, brooder supplies and the months a young hen eats before she lays all belong in the cost of future eggs.

• Feed and supplements
• Bedding and cleaning supplies
• Housing, fencing and predator protection
• Cartons, labels and cooling
• Replacement birds and brooding

How do I track feed and production?

Write down feed purchases and weigh or count what you use over a month. Count eggs every day for the same period. Divide feed cost by dozens produced and you have your feed cost per dozen, which you can compare month to month and season to season.

Production changes with the age of the hens, the season, daylight, molt, stress, weather and diet. Do not assume a number you read online matches your flock. Your own records beat averages, and your extension poultry specialist can explain what is typical for your breed and setup. Keep the counts in one notebook so the numbers are easy to find when you review them. Keep the counts in one notebook so the numbers are easy to find when you review them.

Why do losses matter so much?

Small flocks lose birds to predators, accidents, age and illness, and each lost hen is lost production plus the cost already put into her. Cracked and dirty eggs, eggs you keep for yourself and eggs you cannot sell add to the gap between eggs laid and eggs sold.

Warning signs of illness in a flock, such as sudden deaths, drop in laying, swollen faces, labored breathing or unusual droppings, call for a veterinarian or your state veterinarian's office. Reporting rules and biosecurity requirements for poultry disease vary by state, so ask your state veterinarian or extension office what applies to you.

How should I count labor and time?

Daily care takes only a few minutes per chore, but the minutes add up across the year. Count feeding, watering, collecting, washing, grading, packing, cleaning the coop, repairs, record keeping and selling. Include trips to buy feed and deliver orders.

Decide what hourly value you will place on your time. Even if you choose to take less than a wage, writing down the number shows you the true cost and lets you compare eggs with other enterprises.

Seasonal chores matter too. Winter water that freezes, summer heat, deep cleaning and predator repairs all take extra hours that do not show up on an average day.

What rules affect selling eggs?

Egg sales are regulated in many places. Requirements may cover licensing, candling, grading, labeling, refrigeration, carton reuse, sales volume, and where you may sell. Rules vary by state and sometimes by county, and some apply only above a certain flock size or sales level.

Ask your state department of agriculture exactly what you need to sell eggs at the farm, at a market and to stores or restaurants. Ask your local health department too. Put the costs of any required license, inspection or labeling into your cost per dozen.

Keep copies of any licenses or inspection notes with your egg records, so you can show what you were told and when.

How do I turn the numbers into a price?

Add up all costs for a period, divide by dozens sold and compare the result with what similar eggs sell for locally. If cost is higher than the going price, look at the largest items: feed efficiency, losses, flock age and labor. Small changes in each can add up.

Compare your eggs with those sold in your area by quality, freshness, how the hens are kept and how easy it is to buy from you. Customers will pay more for reliable supply and clear information, and your price should reflect the real cost of that service. Review the price at least once a year.

What should I review every year?

Each winter, review flock size, replacement plans, feed costs, production and the hours you spent. Decide whether to grow, hold or shrink the flock. A flock that supplies your family and a few neighbors may suit you better than one sized for a market.

Keep your records in one notebook or spreadsheet so that next year's decisions rest on facts. Ask your extension office whether enterprise budgets for small laying flocks are available for your state.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Homestead & Small Farm Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.