I do not understand the mathematics behind the dilemma. I'm assuming only the firts chicks cost money, because down the line they will breed.
But feeding them, housing them - vitamins and doctoring costs a lot of money.
So anyone with couple or more chickens - how much does it cost to have them on the table? And realistically how many eggs do you get?
The old breeds you just release around your home, that’s it.
I was vauge, but the ones I was referencing don't even use coops, they have their nests up in trees. And they're quick to go to tree when they see a predator. Hawks also can't see thru trees to know chickens are under them. I can't stress enough how important trees are in this scenario...
Some may get eaten by predators, but that's also one of the main reasons they stay by your property.
A hawk/eagle will 100% go to town on fenced in modern chickens. It'll just look like a chicken exploded, some feathers and blood and that's it.