“Tried to start a dating site for chickens, but it didn’t work out. It was hard to make hens meet”

Many businesses “try to make ends meet,” but what if it’s a chicken business? “This Malkin is a very punny man. He described a poultry farmer as a man just trying to make hens meet” was published in a 1974 newspaper. A riddle was printed in a 1978 joke book:
 
Q: Why is it silly to hold a party for chickens?
A: Because these days it’s difficult to make hens meet.
   
The pun often involves a failed chicken dating service. “Did you hear about the dating agency for chickens? It went bankrupt. They couldn’t make hens meet” was published in a 1990 joke book.
 
Other “make ends meet” sayings include “About the time we think we can make both ends meet, somebody moves the ends,” “If you can’t make both ends meet, make one end a vegetable,” “Times are hard. A friend of mine had to get a second job as a butcher just to make meat ends” and “You have to be a contortionist in this economy to make ends meet.”
 
         
21 April 1974, Santa Cruz (CA)

, “Wally Trabing’s Mostly about People,” pg. 23, col. 1:
“This Malkin is a very punny man. He described a poultry farmer as a man just trying to make hens meet.”
   
Google Books
The Crack-a-Joke Book
Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin Books
1978
Pg. 116:
Why is it silly to hold a party for chickens?
Because these days it’s difficult to make hens meet.
 
28 December 1984, Chicago (IL) Tribune, “How many jokes can you tell in 48 hours?” by Phyllis Magida, sec. 7, pg. H, col. 5:
Why is it difficult to have a party for chicken? It’s hard to make hens meet.
     
Google Books 
The All-New Clean Joke Book
By Bob Phillips
Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers
1990
Pg. 11:
BANKRUPT
Did you hear about the dating agency for chickens? It went bankrupt. They couldn’t make hens meet.
 
21 October 1990, Newsday (Long Island, NY), “Smiles,” Kidsday sec., pg. ?:
Why is it you will never see farmers give a party for their chickens?
It’s hard to make hens meet.
       
10 October 1991, Santa Cruz (CA) Sentinel, “Eavesdropping over cocktails” by Wally Trabing, pg. D1, col. 4:
“Ju ever hear about the poultry farmer who went broke trying to make hens meet?”
“Oh, you.”
 
20 October 1992, Chicago (IL) Tribune, sec. 7, pg. 11, right masthead:
Why did the dating agency for chickens go bankrupt?
They couldn’t make hens meet.
   
1 August 1999, Rockford (IL) Register Star, pg. 14E, col. 9:
THAT FAMOUS DATING AGENCY FOR CHICKENS HAS DECLARED BANKRUPTCY. IT PROBABLY COULDN’T MAKE HENS MEET.
 
Twitter
sandy blair‏
@sandyblair
Joke I didn’t tell on the call: a guy tried to make a living running a dating service for chickens, but he found it hard to make hens meet.
8:27 AM - 27 Aug 2008
 
Twitter
NeilF‏
@neilfranklin
My friend’s chicken farm has gone bust. He just couldn’t make hens meet
3:07 AM - 14 Dec 2008
 
Twitter
David Hughes‏
@_davidhughes
I hear the UK’s only chicken dating agency has closed down.  Apparently in this difficult economic climate they just couldn’t make hens meet
2:17 AM - 9 Apr 2009
     
Google Books
Extremely Embarrassing Dad Jokes:
Because Dads don’t know when to stop
By Ian Allen
London, UK: Pavilion Books
2015
Pg. ?:
Why did the world’s first dating agency for chickens go bust?
They couldn’t make hens meet!
 
Reddit—Dad Jokes
Tried to start a dating site for chickens, it didn’t work out. It was hard to make hens meet. (self.dadjokes)
submitted March 28, 2016 by Porridgeandpeas
   
Reddit—Jokes
I started a chicken dating site to make some much needed money
submitted August 15, 2017 by PM_ME_UR_ZOIDBERG
I was just trying to make hens meet.
 
Reddit—Oneliners
I’ve just started up a dating site for chickens, I mean, it’s not my main job, I’m just doing it to make hens meet.
submitted January 21, 2018 by madazzahatter