I stopped short of adding this to my comment because I don't want to feel like I'm gatekeeping, but you're absolutely right. That said, it applies to most animals people buy, sadly.

I think it's awesome people are getting into raising chickens - if they do it for the right reasons. Egg prices aren't one of them! But they're rewarding, generally really easy to care for, and depending on your land can eat for free.

Treat them as a pet that just happens to provide. Not as a resource to use.