So if insects are so great, why do they cost more than chicken? A lot of it is to do with labor. In the time we’ve been farming chickens, we’ve got incredibly good at automation. While a backyard farmer has to feed and water their chickens by hand, an industrial chicken farm uses countless mechanical and electronic systems to manage their flock. In addition to automation, poultry farmers know a lot about their birds; based on years of knowledge they’re able to tell immediately when something is amiss.