₦airaland Forum

Hello Nairalanders,

With the way the price of everything is shooting up, especially food items, many of us are looking for ways to save money and still eat well. A crate of eggs that used to be a "last resort" protein is now becoming a luxury item.
1
2

This got me thinking: with the current price of eggs in the market, would it be cheaper to just raise my own chickens for eggs?

I see many people asking this question, so I decided to do a proper breakdown based on today's prices in Nigeria. Let's settle this debate once and for all. Is it truly cheaper to raise your own layers or should you just keep buying from the market?

The Cost of Buying Eggs in Nigeria (As of Late 2025)

First, let's look at what we are trying to beat. The price of a crate of eggs fluctuates, but as of now, you're looking at anywhere from ₦5,000 to ₦6,000 in cities like Lagos and Abuja, depending on the size and where you buy from.
1
2
3
At the farm gate, it might be a bit lower, around ₦4,800, but after the middlemen add their own costs, the price shoots up.
1

So, let's use an average of ₦5,500 per crate as our benchmark.

The Real Cost of Raising Your Own Chickens for Eggs

To figure this out, we need to look at all the costs involved from day-old chick to the point they start laying eggs (which is usually around 18-22 weeks).

Let's assume we want to start small with 10 layers.

1. Cost of Day-Old Chicks (Pullets): You don't want to buy broilers if you want eggs; you need layers, specifically pullets. Good quality day-old layer chicks (like Isa Brown) from reputable hatcheries cost between ₦1,200 and ₦1,500 per chick.
4

Total for 10 chicks: 10 x ₦1,350 = ₦13,500
2. Feeding Costs (The Biggest Expense): This is where most of your money will go. A chicken eats in stages, and each stage has a different type of feed.

Chick Mash (0-8 weeks): A 25kg bag costs between ₦13,000 and ₦19,000.
5
Let's use an average of ₦16,000. Your 10 chicks will consume about one bag during this period.
Grower Mash (8-18 weeks): A 25kg bag is around ₦15,000 - ₦19,500.
5
6
Let's average it at ₦17,000. Your birds will eat roughly 3-4 bags during this phase. (4 x ₦17,000 = ₦68,000)
Layer Mash (18 weeks onwards): This is what they'll eat throughout their laying life. A 25kg bag costs about ₦18,500.
6
Once they start laying, 10 hens will consume about one 25kg bag every 2-3 weeks.
Total Feed Cost to Point-of-Lay (First 18 weeks): ₦16,000 (chick mash) + ₦68,000 (grower mash) = ₦84,000

3. Medications and Vaccines: You can't escape this if you want your birds to survive. You'll need to vaccinate against diseases like Newcastle and Gumboro.

Vaccines: A vial of 1000 doses for ND-IB might cost around ₦3,070, but you'll likely buy from a vet who breaks it down.
7
Essential Drugs: You'll also need anti-coccidial drugs, dewormers, and stress-reducing vitamins.
8
9
Estimated cost for a small flock for the first year: Let's budget a realistic ₦10,000 - ₦15,000 to be safe.
4. Housing (Coop) and Equipment: This is a one-time cost. You can build a simple coop yourself with wood, wire mesh, and roofing sheets.

DIY Coop: You could spend between ₦30,000 and ₦70,000 depending on the size and materials.
Feeders and Drinkers: For 10 birds, budget about ₦5,000 - ₦8,000.
Let's take a modest one-time setup cost of ₦40,000.

The Grand Total (Initial Investment)

Chicks: ₦13,500
Feed (to point-of-lay): ₦84,000
Medications: ₦15,000
Housing/Equipment: ₦40,000
TOTAL INITIAL COST: ~₦152,500
This is the money you spend before you see your first egg.

So, When Do You Break Even?

A good, healthy layer will lay about 5-6 eggs a week. With 10 hens, you can expect about 50-60 eggs per week, which is almost 2 crates.

Value of eggs per week: 2 crates x ₦5,500 = ₦11,000
Cost of feed per week (Layers Mash): They will eat about half a bag a week, which is roughly ₦9,250.
Weekly Profit (on paper): ₦11,000 (eggs) - ₦9,250 (feed) = ₦1,750

With this, it would take a very long time to recover your initial ₦152,500 investment.

The Verdict: Is It Cheaper?

From a purely Naira-for-Naira perspective, for the first year, NO, it is not cheaper to raise your own chickens for eggs than to buy them. The initial setup cost and the high price of feed are the biggest factors.

However, this is not the full story. For a more detailed look at the long-term costs versus benefits, you can check out this comprehensive guide: [url="https://chickenstarter.com/is-raising-backyard-chickens-cheaper-than-buying-eggs/"]Is Raising Backyard Chickens Cheaper Than Buying Eggs[/url]?

But Wait! There Are Other Benefits (The "Intangibles"

Freshness and Quality: You cannot compare the taste and quality of a fresh egg from your backyard with one that has been in storage for weeks. The yolk is richer, and you know exactly what your chickens ate.
Pest Control: Chickens are amazing at clearing your compound of insects, weeds, and other pests.
Source of Meat: At the end of their laying cycle (usually 1.5 - 2 years), these birds become a source of meat for the pot.
Fertilizer: Chicken manure is gold for anyone who has a small garden. It's a free, high-quality fertilizer.
Conclusion

If your only goal is to save money on eggs immediately, then raising chickens is probably not for you right now, especially with the high cost of feed.

However, if you see it as a long-term project and you value the benefits of fresh, healthy food, self-sufficiency, and the experience of raising animals, then it is an incredibly rewarding venture. The costs become more manageable in the second year when your major one-time expenses (like the coop) are already covered.

What do you guys think? Have you tried raising your own layers? What was your experience with the costs? Let's discuss

Op, are you by any chance, trying to discourage people from raising their own chickens for eggs? 😌

You failed woefully in your calculations.
0.150grammes feed per bird per day.
Thus missing Revenue so 20chicken cost same as 10. Nah you don't know what you are about.

I am raising noilers for their eggs. It is worth it, I don't use synthetic drugs and I am sure of what I give my chickens too. It is healthier that way.

You try fa

Musty112:
I am raising noilers for their eggs. It is worth it, I don't use synthetic drugs and I am sure of what I give my chickens too. It is healthier that way.

Is synthetic drug unhealthy?

Be deceiving yourself

If there was no innovation in poultry, how would meat and egg be readily available

Zocalite:
Is synthetic drug unhealthy?

Be deceiving yourself

If there was no innovation in poultry, how would meat and egg be readily available

Alhaji, do whatever pleases you.

Musty112:
Alhaji, do whatever pleases you.

Alfa and you too

Cc: Nlfpmod

Zocalite:
Is synthetic drug unhealthy?

Be deceiving yourself

If there was no innovation in poultry, how would meat and egg be readily available

He didn't categorically state that it was unhealthy.
Then again, you can't deny that free range chickens/eggs are healthier.

If it was cheaper to do that, wouldn't the prices of eggs be lesser?!!

Maybe you should look up the current costs of

Poultry feeds
Supplements
Vaccines
Etc...


That's like saying one should start baking bread to mitigate the cost of fresh bread. Lol.

Same issues.

Yes.

Buy local chickens and feed them with what you have or don't even feed them at all.

Angelfrost:
If it was cheaper to do that, wouldn't the prices of eggs be lesser?!!

Maybe you should look up the current costs of

Poultry feeds
Supplements
Vaccines
Etc...


That's like saying one should start baking bread to mitigate the cost of fresh bread. Lol.

Same issues.

Bread is actually cheaper if you baked yours.

3 more.

Zocalite:
Is synthetic drug unhealthy?

Be deceiving yourself

If there was no innovation in poultry, how would meat and egg be readily available

You have a great point here. The amount of chicken consumed daily in the world is something else. Thanks to innovation.

Mariangeles:
Bread is actually cheaper if you baked yours.

3 more.

Okay...!

Cost of flour and other baking materials
Time and stress (kneading is no joke)


This might be true if the person baked and ate it occasionally.

All these long stress just to evade from buying egg outside?

Why don't you just buy point of lay and safe yourself the stress

This will make economic sense if you use the egg regularly for commercial purpose. It won't make sense for domestic use, cost of raising the chicken is high too

I have a friend who runs a mini poultry farm and I can tell you from experience that it's not easy raising pullet to point of lay.

The cost of raising them till they start laying will set you back.

He bought a drug for them today and it cost 32k.

It is not cheaper. Considering the cost, space, stress, and birds susceptible to death before they even start laying it is not worth it 1 bit.

we raise noilers at home last year with about 4 female noilers laying egg the moment they started laying egg within the first 2 week our house was over run with eggs for a family of five because we dont eat egg every day it even force us to to eat egg more just to reduce the numbers and guess what the chicken eat? u guess right left over eba😂😂, pilled onions, and ogi shaft(maize bran) raising chicken at home is the best honestly

babatee126:
Hello Nairalanders,

With the way the price of everything is shooting up, especially food items, many of us are looking for ways to save money and still eat well. A crate of eggs that used to be a "last resort" protein is now becoming a luxury item.
1
2

This got me thinking: with the current price of eggs in the market, would it be cheaper to just raise my own chickens for eggs?

I see many people asking this question, so I decided to do a proper breakdown based on today's prices in Nigeria. Let's settle this debate once and for all. Is it truly cheaper to raise your own layers or should you just keep buying from the market?

The Cost of Buying Eggs in Nigeria (As of Late 2025)

First, let's look at what we are trying to beat. The price of a crate of eggs fluctuates, but as of now, you're looking at anywhere from ₦5,000 to ₦6,000 in cities like Lagos and Abuja, depending on the size and where you buy from.
1
2
3
At the farm gate, it might be a bit lower, around ₦4,800, but after the middlemen add their own costs, the price shoots up.
1

So, let's use an average of ₦5,500 per crate as our benchmark.

The Real Cost of Raising Your Own Chickens for Eggs

To figure this out, we need to look at all the costs involved from day-old chick to the point they start laying eggs (which is usually around 18-22 weeks).

Let's assume we want to start small with 10 layers.

1. Cost of Day-Old Chicks (Pullets): You don't want to buy broilers if you want eggs; you need layers, specifically pullets. Good quality day-old layer chicks (like Isa Brown) from reputable hatcheries cost between ₦1,200 and ₦1,500 per chick.
4

Total for 10 chicks: 10 x ₦1,350 = ₦13,500
2. Feeding Costs (The Biggest Expense): This is where most of your money will go. A chicken eats in stages, and each stage has a different type of feed.

Chick Mash (0-8 weeks): A 25kg bag costs between ₦13,000 and ₦19,000.
5
Let's use an average of ₦16,000. Your 10 chicks will consume about one bag during this period.
Grower Mash (8-18 weeks): A 25kg bag is around ₦15,000 - ₦19,500.
5
6
Let's average it at ₦17,000. Your birds will eat roughly 3-4 bags during this phase. (4 x ₦17,000 = ₦68,000)
Layer Mash (18 weeks onwards): This is what they'll eat throughout their laying life. A 25kg bag costs about ₦18,500.
6
Once they start laying, 10 hens will consume about one 25kg bag every 2-3 weeks.
Total Feed Cost to Point-of-Lay (First 18 weeks): ₦16,000 (chick mash) + ₦68,000 (grower mash) = ₦84,000

3. Medications and Vaccines: You can't escape this if you want your birds to survive. You'll need to vaccinate against diseases like Newcastle and Gumboro.

Vaccines: A vial of 1000 doses for ND-IB might cost around ₦3,070, but you'll likely buy from a vet who breaks it down.
7
Essential Drugs: You'll also need anti-coccidial drugs, dewormers, and stress-reducing vitamins.
8
9
Estimated cost for a small flock for the first year: Let's budget a realistic ₦10,000 - ₦15,000 to be safe.
4. Housing (Coop) and Equipment: This is a one-time cost. You can build a simple coop yourself with wood, wire mesh, and roofing sheets.

DIY Coop: You could spend between ₦30,000 and ₦70,000 depending on the size and materials.
Feeders and Drinkers: For 10 birds, budget about ₦5,000 - ₦8,000.
Let's take a modest one-time setup cost of ₦40,000.

The Grand Total (Initial Investment)

Chicks: ₦13,500
Feed (to point-of-lay): ₦84,000
Medications: ₦15,000
Housing/Equipment: ₦40,000
TOTAL INITIAL COST: ~₦152,500
This is the money you spend before you see your first egg.

So, When Do You Break Even?

A good, healthy layer will lay about 5-6 eggs a week. With 10 hens, you can expect about 50-60 eggs per week, which is almost 2 crates.

Value of eggs per week: 2 crates x ₦5,500 = ₦11,000
Cost of feed per week (Layers Mash): They will eat about half a bag a week, which is roughly ₦9,250.
Weekly Profit (on paper): ₦11,000 (eggs) - ₦9,250 (feed) = ₦1,750

With this, it would take a very long time to recover your initial ₦152,500 investment.

The Verdict: Is It Cheaper?

From a purely Naira-for-Naira perspective, for the first year, NO, it is not cheaper to raise your own chickens for eggs than to buy them. The initial setup cost and the high price of feed are the biggest factors.

However, this is not the full story. For a more detailed look at the long-term costs versus benefits, you can check out this comprehensive guide: [url="https://chickenstarter.com/is-raising-backyard-chickens-cheaper-than-buying-eggs/"]Is Raising Backyard Chickens Cheaper Than Buying Eggs[/url]?

But Wait! There Are Other Benefits (The "Intangibles"

Freshness and Quality: You cannot compare the taste and quality of a fresh egg from your backyard with one that has been in storage for weeks. The yolk is richer, and you know exactly what your chickens ate.
Pest Control: Chickens are amazing at clearing your compound of insects, weeds, and other pests.
Source of Meat: At the end of their laying cycle (usually 1.5 - 2 years), these birds become a source of meat for the pot.
Fertilizer: Chicken manure is gold for anyone who has a small garden. It's a free, high-quality fertilizer.
Conclusion

If your only goal is to save money on eggs immediately, then raising chickens is probably not for you right now, especially with the high cost of feed.

However, if you see it as a long-term project and you value the benefits of fresh, healthy food, self-sufficiency, and the experience of raising animals, then it is an incredibly rewarding venture. The costs become more manageable in the second year when your major one-time expenses (like the coop) are already covered.

What do you guys think? Have you tried raising your own layers? What was your experience with the costs? Let's discuss

op I will advise you to continue buying your eggs from the retail store because what you just outlined is not feasible. I’m a poultry farmer and I own a poultry farm, not a very large farm but in commercial quantity.

Let me start by telling you that, a carton of pullet contains 50 chicks and 1 extra. No one will sell 10 chicks to you at day old except you are buying from a brooder. I just restock last month and the price of one is 1,800 and price is not stable. They change from week to week and also base on demand.

Except you are raising them for commercial purpose, I will advise not to waste your time venturing into egg production. Poultry is not an all comer affair and I am telling this as an experience farmer of over 6yrs and it’s not for faint hearted

Poultry farming expecially for egg production is serious business and if you don’t have the experience or someone experienced in it to guide you through, you will regret investing your money into it. It is capital intensive, start from the housing, cage, feeding, drugs and vaccines. All this are not cheap.

To raise just 100 layers to the point of lay, aside from housing and cage. It will cost you close to a million, if not more than that and you will also factor in the numbers that will survive because not all of them will make it to the point of laying except you have an experience hand to guide you through or else premium tears await you.

There is so much I would have love to break down for you but time will not permit. Just save yourself the stress and continue buying from the store. People don’t know the effort farmers put in it before you have a poultry egg on your plate the hike in price is due to the cost of production and feed though it’s gradually coming down but the middle men are also to be blamed for the hike because of their greed

I actually enjoyed this write up because I'm a backyard layer farmer with 400 birds.
Most of the calculations were very rough estimates, but that's understandable.

But the conclusion of the matter is that it will NOT be worth it at only 10 birds or any number less than 50 birds, IMO.

It's not worth it. Buy your eggs if you can, at a farm gate price, let the farmer do the wahala and take the risk. The economics of small scale is badly against you.

billionman:
This will make economic sense if you use the egg regularly for commercial purpose. It won't make sense for domestic use, cost of raising the chicken is high too

exactly, except he is raising them for commercial purpose. The 10chicks may not even survive to a month. Raising chick from day old is like nursing a baby. They need proper care and constant heat till they start growing feathers. The stress of raising just 10 chicks doesn’t even worth it and no hatchery will sell 10chick to you because a carton contains 50 chicks.

Hope you won't put yourself and others in debts with this your writeup and estimate @oo.

I advise that you continue buying your crate of eggs.

Ire o.

Ah...

Who'd have time to wait.

This will require someone who's patient o.

Some business no fit some people. This one no fit me.

I have my own backyard poultry, but I keep them for meat not eggs. Give me 200layers, I go still chop all of them..

Hardeybohwarley:
I have a friend who runs a mini poultry farm and I can tell you from experience that it's not easy raising pullet to point of lay.

The cost of raising them till they start laying will set you back.

He bought a drug for them today and it cost 32k.

abeg tell am, poultry farming is not for the faint hearted…..it is very expensive to run and there is no guarantee that they will all survive that’s why you need to be tutored by someone who as the knowledge or just buy point of lay, at this stage the risk in minimal.

The stress alone involved in raising those layers will discourage and tire you out

I'd rather continue buying the crate at 6k

U did not consider the cost of the meat in ur write up..if u sell those 10 chickens when the stop laying eggs u will get close to 120k...then the proceeds from d eggs

SonOfDSoil01:
abeg tell am, poultry farming is not for the faint hearted…..it is very expensive to run and there is no guarantee that they will all survive that’s why you need to be tutored by someone who as the knowledge or just buy point of lay, at this stage the risk in minimal.

I forgot to mention, he is an expert though. Almost a decade in the game.