Payback formula
upgrade cost ÷ (after-upgrade hourly rate − current hourly rate)A positive difference gives an estimated payback time. No increase is reported neutrally; a lower modeled rate is not converted into a false payback result.
Scenario tool · same basis required
Steal a Chicken Upgrade Payback Calculator
Enter an upgrade cost and two comparable hourly income rates. The calculator divides the cost by the increase in modeled hourly income; it never invents treadmill, pen, or boost effects.
Compare two scenarios
Use the same unit, conditions, and gross or net basis for both rates. Treadmill speed is never converted into egg income automatically.
Model boundaries
- Payback = cost ÷ (Scenario B rate − Scenario A rate).
- Movement speed and pen capacity are not assumed to change egg production.
- This is a modeled break-even point, not an upgrade recommendation.
Use the same basis on both sides
What to compare
Use rates measured or calculated under matching assumptions: the same price basis, boosts, costs, duration, and production conditions. If those conditions differ, the result is not a clean upgrade comparison.