SAN ANTONIO
– Bill Estes, owner of Locke Hill Feed, Pet & Lawn Supply, can’t keep chickens stocked these days because they’re flying off the store shelves.
“We are selling so many chickens right now. I bet we’re selling 100 a week,” he said.
There’s a lot of interest in chickens these days with the high cost of egg prices. Estes gave KSAT a glimpse of what it would take to get started with some backyard chickens.
“They’re great pets. I mean, you know, they’re dual-purpose animals. They provide eggs, and they’re a nice pet to have,” he said.
Those who are handy could make their own coop, so the cost of supplies would vary, but if you buy a coop, the price can range from $300 to $500 depending on the size. A bag of pine shavings to cover the ground will be about $15, and a 50-pound bag of food to last about a month might cost $18, depending on what you choose.
Baby chickens cost about $8, but a ready-to-lay hen online might cost around $35.
“If you can even find them. Because I think people are depleting their laying hen supplies,” Estes said
Overall, you might be looking at roughly a $500 starting investment for backyard chickens.
“I think that with the price of eggs now — I think it’s cheaper, I haven’t calculated it out, but it’s probably going to be a break-even situation,” he said.
