Chicken coop first-year cost estimator
Enter flock size, DIY vs kit housing, feed months, bedding, and permit reality. You get honest USD ranges for year one. No account. No email. Runs in your browser.
Not a substitute for the free coop-before-chicks checklist or local ordinance. Numbers are typical U.S. suburban street / farm-store ranges (2024–2026); your county, climate, and scrap pile will differ.
Your flock plan
4
Starter suburban flocks often 3–6 hens. Check local max before you shop birds.
DIY assumes you can cut, assemble, and predator-proof. Kit assumes a consumer prefab plus usual upgrades (hardware cloth).
12
Full year = 12. Mid-year start? Dial down. Chicks eat less early; pullets eat like adults sooner.
Deep litter can cut bag counts if you manage moisture and ammonia. Sand needs drainage and cleaning discipline.
Honest spread: many towns $0; some charge registration or zoning fees. Unknown ≠ free — ask first.
Pullets cost more up front, lay sooner. Chicks need heat lamp, brooder space, and more weeks before eggs.