My brown layers are producing several dozen extra large eggs per day beyond our needs.
Friends have asked to purchase the extra eggs.
Hens are free range and grain fed. Any ideas of what to charge for a dozen eggs?
Thanks.
Price for eggs?
What do free range or organic eggs sell for in your area at the local grocery store? Generally they are 3.00 to 5.00 a dozen. We have friends buy our eggs and right now we charge 2.00 a dozen.
remember, it is easier to come downon your prices later than to go up. we astarted at 2,.50 and went up to 3.00 without complaints.
consider if you only have a little extra, it is better given to a family who needs and appreicates, esp a shut in. also good to feed back to your chickens now and then.
including delivery in your price [at YOUR convenience] and requesting they "save the cartons" is a good selling point...
factory eggs start at 2.79 a dozen here, and health food store eggs 4-5.00. "veg-fed" eggs at the store are 3.99 and up.
if your yolks are orange and your shells thick, your friends will be quite happy indeed!
do you know how to float test and properly wash? if not, then DON'T wash, better that way. keep any quesitonable eggs for yourself, and don't sell more than 50 dozen a week or you may have the gov't tellign you how to do it...
Our area stores are getting $2.00 or more per dozen. I just raised my prices to 2.00 from 1.50. My customers aren't saying a word of complaint, so I guess that's a pretty good price. Of course, since we aren't the only ones selling eggs around here, our prices are competitive.
GG
We get $2.00/dozen here in MN for xlarge and large eggs. We sell light brown and EE right now mixed in the carton. I noticed you can buy brown eggs in Walmart now. They are 3.15/dozen there, non-organic.
Egg prices have gone up along with everything else. I heard a report on the news the other day that said eggs were one of the things that went up the most.
We also have our friends return the egg cartons. My 13yo son keeps up with all the chicken and egg stuff. He has it all on a spreadsheet. Every chicken, what we buy, how many eggs we get a day and how many we sell and if we are gaining or loosing money. We do give some eggs away. Like to my family and to an elderly lady that doesn't eat much protien other than eggs. We are getting more and more friends asking for eggs though. Better have a talk with the girls. No breaking off laying and being lazy.
We have to buy them (at least till late this year!) and we're paying from $1.50 to $2.00 /dz. Varies by who we can get them from.
MollyD
Some of our customers are still paying 1.50 for them as we decided we would keep them at that price for them. All others are paying 2.00.
Our neighbor sells for $2.50 dz. It's serve yourself-refrigerator is in the front part of the barn-leave $ take a dz.
That sounds like the good ole days when there was still trust and for the most part people didn't steal.
I lived in an area like that for 20 years. Towards the end things were changing and some folk were being ripped off. They'd find the money and the product gone. Sometimes money already in the box was stolen too.
MollyD
Even though I live in a poor rural area, eggs in the stores are around $2.50+ for factory eggs, and $3.95 and up for so-called 'better' store organic eggs (still factory eggs!). Our farmer's market hasn't opened yet but last year eggs were averaging $3.50.
I am lucky enough to buy free-range eggs locally for $1.50 but I wonder if the woman has figured her actual cost?
I get $2 from one neighbor and my new customer is paying $2.50. I will be raising the other one to $2.50 in a month or so.
We used to be able to let people come into our garage and take their eggs out and leave the money in a can on the dryer. Unfortunately, we, too have had people ripped off with both the produce or eggs and the money taken. It's too bad that the world has come to this. I would like to trust people, but have learned that just isn't going to work any more. So, if we aren't home, we lock the garage and they have to come back when we are home.
As long as I am able to keep my expenses down low enough to be able to ask 1.50 from the 3 customers we are doing that for, I will do so. Most of them are on fixed incomes and things are kind of hard for them. All the others will be paying at least 2.00 and it will make up for those three.
Thanks, Everyone.
I will probably run off to Walmart to see their brown eggs .. and go from there. lol
Our extra large eggs are a good rich deep brown/reddish brown.
Yolks large, deep colour, and sit high.
Our hens are grain fed and free range both. Eggs collected fresh that day.
Probably a little better than Walmart ... : -)
It's been alot of fun raising these brown egg hens. I well recommend them.
Alice
I was very interested in this thread especially after we figured out our costs this month. Our layer crumbles went up $2/50# and the chick starter went up $3/50#.
When it showed that we sold almost every dozen eggs(It takes 4#/doz eggs) we have and we came out $40 short of the egg money...we had to raise our prices. So May 1 we are charging the following: Med (1.75oz)-$2.00, Large (2oz)-2.25; XL (2.25oz)-2.50; Jumbo(2.50oz)-2.75 and XJumbo (2.75-3.75oz)3.00. This isn't even covering the electric, equipment, labor, gas, chicks, etc. The grains are so expensive that we can't even get from our neighbor to crack in our flour mill. They have all contracted to sell their crops at an outragous price (that they deserve but I can't afford). It will soon be too difficult to feed our gals to lay. Our customers didn't flinch when we told them we would have to increase the prices...they just said they expected it...Only lost one person...and gained another 20 people that want our eggs when the new pullets start to lay this summer! It will be interesting to see how the rest of you fare over the next few months. I know we aren't the only ones selling our eggs to suppliment our income (or is it the other way around)
Our gals are free ranging within limitation due to preditory neighbors(bear, bobcats, weasels, skunk, raccoon, eagles, hawks, etc) They also get garden goods (1 row is ours, 2 rows are theirs) and household scraps, butchering soups.
Anyone else finding this is a problem?
Jeri of Sandbox Farm in Wisconsin
I raise free range eggs and sell to the local health food stores for $2.50 a doz. Mixed colors blue/green/brown/pink etc.
The folks can't get enough of them.
Jcomy
feed has gone up here in ALAbama too.
my girls are producing enough eggs to pay for their keep and that's about it. I do the labor for free and make egg delivery runs when I do other errands to try to keep gas(outragous) prices down.
I just got an additional 125 chicks to try to meet the demand for the eggs.
I have been feeding cotten seed meal for addtional protein and the eggs have really gotten rich. 61% protein. It's a good addive to the feed mix and gives a lot of bang for the buck. If you can get it where you live? It's pretty common here.
Abutilon, We have been selling eggs for years. This past year we raised our prices to $3.50 for large and $4.00 for jumbo. I do, on occasion, have small eggs and I just bought small egg cartons, so will probably sell those for $3.25. The feed has become out of this world, and the cartons and labels are expensive. Our state law says we have to use new cartons (we sell at the farmers market) and we have to have labels according to their direction i.e. processing date, sell by date. size/grade or we must put ungraded if we have mixtures. Also, we can sell up to 59 dozen here per week in KY without and egg handler's license.
One rule of thumb in farmers marketing, never, ever lower your price unless you mark it as a particular sale and never ever cross out one price and put a lower price on your signs. When you lower your price, people think that your product is either old or something wrong with it. In all of the marketing seminars I've ever been to, everyone agrees on this and so do I.
I noticed last week in the supermarket (which I rarely go to) that eggs that are "organic" or "free range" are selling for $4.00 dozen now. Please don't cut yourself short, you can make money on eggs. And there is a lot of work and money involved. Also, our state law requires that we wash the eggs. All rules change when you sell from your farm though.
Happy Day,
Kathy
This conversation always interests me!
I just started selling eggs last year. I started at $2.00 a dozen and people balked so I dropped to $1.50. They told me the people down the road sold theirs for $1.00 forever and had recently raised them to $1.25. Then they had to stop selling for a bit because they were having problems with skunks (I was told). I noticed they had their sign back up and it clearly says $1.50. So far as I know, they've done this for years, been here for years.
If I sell mine for more, I see one of two things happening. People won't buy from me because they are cheaper down the road OR they will start buying from me (doubtful) thinking higher price means better eggs and I'd feel bad for the folks down the road.
At Easter time, the church preschool needed eggs to dye so I went through and picked out all white eggs. Then a few days later, I needed more eggs for the Easter egg hunt but I was out of white ones. Hubby had to pay $2.09 a dozen for plain old white store eggs. GRRR. My daughter helped boil them, suffered a brain lapse and DUMPED them in a collander cracking 15 of the 24. OMG!! So I ended up taking a dozen white and a dozen brown. The little boys were thrilled with the brown ones and tossed the white ones aside. LOL
Last I looked, organic or "cage free" (who knows for sure what that means??) were $2.99 a dozen. So why do people flip out if you ask for $2.00? Really, only one lady was upset and about to leave and I told her I prefer them because they are drug free, free range birds, living the life they should have and not crammed in a cage. She bought some but did not come back. Her daughter or SIL buy 4 dozen at a time from me.
How do you please everyone, including yourself? I tell people $2.00 or $1.50 if they bring their own container but still sell them for $1.50. LOL But, it's time to put up a sign with a solid number on it. I'm trying to work up the nerve to talk to the lady down the road...LOL She's actually very nice. I'm just a big baby!
Chele, You can't please everyone and you must hold your own. Only you know the cost involved in what you do and do not cut yourself short. There will always be people that argue with you, but there will always be others to come along and pay your price.
Now, a few things to ask...
1) Are you using new cartons? If not, you can hold your costs down that way, although I don't think it's good practice to use an old carton for different customers (it's a sanitary issue with me). I appreciate that our state law requires new cartons at the farmers market? Egg cartons are not cheap. I just drove to Ohio yesterday and picked up 16 cases of them and saved almost $400 on shipping charges!!!!
2) Are you printing out labels and required to label your eggs? We must, again, if we sell at farmers markets or off the farm. Labels and ink have gotten very expensive. And the time to print them.
3) Are you washing your eggs? I hand wash every one of my eggs (again, state law). This is exceptionally time consuming when one has as many eggs as I do. And then I have to candle every one as well. More time...
4) Are you selling right from your house? If you are, then you don't have the fuel issue to bring them to the market and sell them. Generally, I charge about 25 cents less per dozen if they come to the farm and pick them up, but everything else is the same.
All these are factors. Some people are stuck in the 60s with prices and, come on folks, it's pretty expensive to live. Unless your doing this because you really, really, really like doing this and "giving" things away, then put some value on what you do!
If the shoe were on the other foot and these people knew how much time was involved in eggs, their tunes might change.
I think you should have a talk with this lady down the street and let her know that she is of value too and she should consider all aspects when pricing. $1.00 dozen eggs are and should be out the window folks. It's called supply and demand.
:) Kathy
Hi Kathy,
I bought egg cartons but I'm almost out again. I know I told you I paid about .50 a piece for them including shipping which you said was high. I can't afford to buy a lot at once. We are getting about 2 dozen eggs per day. The cartons already have nutrition info on them. We date the eggs ourselves and also wash the eggs by hand. They are collected many times a day as the girls lay in spurts. We also sell from home. I do take them to people, who will be where I am going, no special deliveries.
We pay $10 a bag for food and I think 3 bags last about 2 weeks. I let the birds roam the yard as much as possible. They can't be out when the herd dog is as she insists they go to their pen. I cannot imagine my neighbor pays any less for food but maybe so as they have other animals, a large farm and possibly get a better deal on food.
Get in touch with Brenda at Falcon Packaging. Seriously they are so much cheaper and you don't have to get 250 of them. The shipping is the killer no matter who you get them from.
My cartons cost $28.44 for case of 250 smalls or No grade or 200 jumbos. The shipping per case is about $28 each. So we were in Springfield OH yesterday picking up our market trailer and bee bopped over to Covington to pick up our egg cartons. I think we figured 14 cents a piece from them. Bernie has started buying from them as well. He gets the corrugated (we get the styrofoam) and the corrugated (pulp) are almost $35.00 for 250 of them. So about 19 cents a piece. they have all sizes and even 18s and flats. They have boxes and I'm thinking they might have 6 packs, but I can't remember.
Their number again is 1-800-833-2832. How many do you buy at a time? I think you told me 50, but you might want to just buy one case and have on hand; they don't take up much room. They ship them in a nifty egg box. :)
I think our feed is up to $10.55 a bag, yes, up $2 from the beginning of the year. We also buy oyster shell for ours as it aids in their digestion. (fiber) ha, ha.
And when I'm at the farmers market and people say to me "why are there tomatoes cheaper than yours?" I say "I know the cost involved in mine, I don't know the cost involved in theirs." So perhaps you and your neighbor may have to charge varying prices. Do you have that eggs for sale sign hanging out there yet?
I bring eggs to church and don't give the discount because I still had to pack them up and bring them to them. It's a convenience thing too. You have made it convenient for them to purchase your items by bringing it to them. Just food for thought.
I'm so happy that you finally have the things you've been wanting for so long. :) Have a great day, Kathy
Edited to say I just figured out the styrofoam cartons with shipping are approximately 22 cents each. The corrugated with shipping are approximately 25 cents each.
This message was edited Apr 22, 2008 10:12 AM
The people at the farmer's market that I have joined try hard not to undercut each other's prices. A lot of us make recipe cards and give those with eggs or veggies as a value added.
I have to start washing my eggs, since I'm going to be selling at the market starting in May - is there a special way to do it? When I use my eggs at home, I wash them quickly right before I use them with soap and water. I also candle them all, but my eggs are so brown, it's very hard to see anything much.
Hi beth,
I soak mine in very warm water and wash with a soft cloth and Palmolive antibacterial dish detergent. Rinse, set on towel on carton and I have a small countertop fan that I turn on to dry them. Then my candler is right there and I do candle each one of them. My eggs are brown too, but after many years I know what to look for or when something is not right. When in doubt, keep it out (for yourself). Usually there is nothing, but best to not sell if you're worried.
I keep mine in my egg basket and put it in the sink and cover them with warm water. It won't cook the eggs as the water cools down real quick.
:) Kathy
I can understand the washing part but why are you required to candle them? Here people sell their eggs from home. They use recycled cartons, eggs are not washed and I'm pretty sure not candled. They get from $1.25 to $2.00 a dz for them depending on who you go to. I actually like the $2. eggs better than the $1.25 ones. More flavor, stronger color to the egg yolk and the shells are harder.
Hopefully this will be our last year of buying eggs.
MollyD
Molly, I don't think that candling is a requirement, but I have had some experience with opening an egg and finding something there I didn't expect. We won't go into it! I am a farmgirl, so I can handle it, but if one my city customers were to open an egg and see that, that would be all she wrote!!!
I get by with the recycling of cartons by having people bring me back theirs and I put their name on it. When they need eggs, I pull out their carton and refill it :) Then someone else doesn't get their carton :) and it is legal that way.
I would be mortified sometimes to sell my eggs that have not been washed. When we get the rain season around here and the fact that our chickens are free-range, they can get pretty dirty.
OH that's another reason to give them oyster shell as it makes their shells harder.
What do you think the difference is in the $1.25 eggs as opposed to the $2.00 eggs that you like better? Could be the ones at $1.25 are not feeding them enough protein or enough feed to make them paler and thus the cheaper eggs?
I don't know what they're basing their prices on but the $1.25 place is a large farm. The $2.00 guy only has a small flock of chickens. His eggs do taste much better so they're worth the money to me when I can get them. Unfortunately he lives over an hour from us so it's hard to get them on a regular basis.
MollyD
Yea for you, keeping the small farmer going :) Sometimes it's not about the money. Thank you. Kathy
^_^
The small farmer is important ..
Though most of the world don't realize how important they are.
Thanks for all this imput on the eggs :-)
I have raised hens a long time, but have never sold the eggs.
Too many eggs right now, I pretty much have to.
I decided $2.50.
Free range, grain and feed .. they are producing some very nice eggs.
Even got some double yolkers :-)
Alice
I have learned so much I needed to know from
this thread. Thanks to all of you. We have to keep
our eggs at 40* or less to sell them, and I wanted
to know what works best for all of you? Yes, a fridge
at home, but when you go to farmer's market, what
works best?
Truest, we are getting ready to go to the farmers market today and I just filled up coolers with over 70 dozen eggs, yippee! We put blue ice packs (in baggies because they do tend to leak) and they keep them at a good temp. We get these really good coolers at Sam's club that can hold things cold for 5 days. Expensive, but worth it. I believe they are Igloos. Check them out.
Good luck all.
:) Kathy
Woohoo! Have a great market day, Kathy!
And, thanks- coolers are on my agenda, but wasn't
sure if there was an especially good one or not.
DH and I have a refridgerator that plugs into the car
lighter socket that wouldn't hold that much, but sure is
cold. I think it's an igloo.
Not a bad starting day. Came home with eggs though, not sure how many yet. Today's eggs will be okay for next week.
After reading all this I went to my local grocery store, a Safeway, and priced their eggs--Brown, Large, Grade A, Organic eggs:
"Judy's Family Farm Cage Free Organic Eggs" (Judy's is actually a subsidary of Petaluma Eggs sort of the West Coast version of Tyson and Perdue) are going for $4.99.
There was another organic brand of Large Brown Grade A eggs for $5.99!
These are not small farm eggs, nor are they what anyone would truly recognize as free range.
Earlier in the day my colleague and I stopped at a roadside distribution site for a local egg producer (sort of like the "day old bread stores") and bought Jumbo Grade A Brown Eggs for $2.79 for 2 dozen. They aren't organic or free range, but they are not old eggs, in fact they are as nice and certainly fresher than supermarket eggs, but some have speckles which don't sell well.
Amazing what marketing will do. I would certainly consider going for Organic Certification.
my customers originally paid 2.50 per dozen for pullet eggs. then one gave me a TON of 18 count cartons. so unless someone returned their cartons, they got 18 for 3.50.
then i had no chickens for a while = no eggs. then i was able to sell to just a few customers, very limited, and raised my price LAST FALL to 3.00...
now the local health food store gave me their cartons. i still don't have many eggs, or ANY complaints. and it is nice to deliver them in a carton which has a price of 4 something on it.
i don't like what the USDA has done with labeling. i have an Elliot Coleman attittude. if they want good food, they should know the first name of the person responsible for growing it. and be willing to pay for it.
Our local health food market was getting $3 for a dozen
6 years ago! They could not keep them on the shelves.
I told them I was interested in providing, but had a lot
of work to do before that happened- yeah, I needed
chickens first! LOL They offered to give me all their
organic scraps from their daytime cafe crowd. I don't
know if I want to go the organic route as far as selling
yet, need to get up to speed on that. I think I would
rather start with just free range and limited liability for
the labelling. Go organic, and you have to jump through
hoops. I think it would be easier to make a step up to
that after selling in a mor erelaxed environment.
good discussion to re-open...
I agree, TF. Maybe we could get some feedback since the
last round about how sales and such are doing? I haven't
done any recent research on egg carton prices or the
ag requirements to sell eggs. It will be a while yet, for me,
and I had to have something to do while I waited for chicks
to get here! Being gifted with a ton of egg cartons sure
makes your cost to produce improve a lot.