How do I get started on selling eggs?

cowhlb

Songster
5 Years
Apr 4, 2014
2,590
15
148
Virginia
We have about 14 hens and the eggs are plentiful! I need some help and advice on selling them.

What should I do?
What type of cartons should I use?
Do I need to clean them?
Basics?


Thanks ahead for the help!
 
You can advertise on craigslist or better yet, just tell all your friends and co-workers.
If you get used cartons, clean them if your can. Some places, it's illegal to reuse cartons.
Clear plastic cartons are more expensive than others. Search websites that sell cartons. There's a big disparity in prices. The more you buy, the cheaper they are. With 14 hens you probably can't justify buying in bulk.
Buying cartons at places like TSC is out. They're about 50 cents a piece which eliminates your profit.
 
You can advertise on craigslist or better yet, just tell all your friends and co-workers.
If you get used cartons, clean them if your can. Some places, it's illegal to reuse cartons.
Clear plastic cartons are more expensive than others. Search websites that sell cartons. There's a big disparity in prices. The more you buy, the cheaper they are. With 14 hens you probably can't justify buying in bulk.
Buying cartons at places like TSC is out. They're about 50 cents a piece which eliminates your profit.
I wasn't going to put them online. But thanks!
 
What I meant to add is that the clear plastic cartons are attractive if you have multi-color eggs but in my experience doesn't make a big difference in sales. If people get them home, eat them and like them, they'll buy more.
 
Contact your state's Dept of Ag - the specifics vary from state to state with some that have special licensing/permitting involved if YOU take the eggs off your property to sell vs. having people come to your home to purchase the eggs (I know this sounds crazy) - or based on volume, etc. They can also tell you about things such as regulation of containers, etc.
From there-if you want/can use "used" cartons, once you get a customer base built you can have them bring their own carton back - either filling it when they come or as an "exchange" for a full carton, have friends/family/neighbors save you their old cartons, etc. Best case scenario you have one of *those* friends who can't bring themselves to eat eggs that are not from a store so they are buying a steady supply of cartons to pass on to you -- friends who like fresh eggs become useless as a source for cartons once they are hooked on your eggs, lol.
 
That depends largely on where you are. If you're in an area where a lot of people sell eggs, $2 is the approximate going price. If you live in a more urban setting it will go up dramatically. I was selling for $3 but now I'm feeding exclusively organic so I'll probably go up to 4 soon. Whatever eggs at the local grocer sell for is a good guide. I've seen organic pastured eggs at the grocer as high as $6 but mine would still be fresher.
 
What is a good price per dozen?

It really depends on what you feed your birds, how your birds are housed, what other people in your area are charging for a similar egg, what extras you offer, and what your potential customer base might be.

I recently called my local premium grocery store. They have a big variety of eggs. "Pastured" eggs at that store start at about $6.50/dozen, they have several choices of pastured eggs going up to more like $9.00, and they didn't have any eggs that compare to mine in terms of diet (locally sourced nutrition-rich, flavor-packed, non-GMO, corn-free, soy-free, canola-free custom feed from a small local mill). However, I don't believe the people who buy my eggs want to pay $6.50 per dozen, so I currently charge a little more than half that.

I agree with everyone who suggests anyone who sells eggs should first look into their local regulations.
 
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We have about 14 hens and the eggs are plentiful! I need some help and advice on selling them.

What should I do?
What type of cartons should I use?
Do I need to clean them?
Basics?


Thanks ahead for the help!

Most states will allow you to sell while you are on your own property... Like a yard stand. Word of mouth like the others sugested too.

I researched this for California about two years ago. In order to sell at Farmers Markets you have to have a Shell Egg permit or license. Its pretty regulated if you go over three hundred eggs per week. But under three hundred its doable.

You can buy new cartons online... include that with the price. discount that price if they bring their own. Online price I have found some at http://www.eggcartonsonline.com/ who were around 33 cents a piece. They do have bulk pricing but the quantity will approach a lifetime buy before you can bring the price down Like say 4200 cartons brings the price down to 23 cents.

One of the issues with using used cartons is they come already labled. If that package says Grade A jumbo there better be Grade A jumbo Eggs in there. So you have to grade your own eggs according to the standard required by your permit. You have to candle them too looking for spots rings and other different objectionable things.


As far as pricing them.... What the others said. It depends on what your market will stand how you advertise them and what your costs are.

For what its worth you cant just switch to organic feed and call the eggs organic. There are very specific rules for that....

So bottom line. Unless you find someone from your state that knows the Regs... You need to do research that applies to you. Most states will allow you to sell on your own property and do casual sales like for a donation in the office. You need to verify that with your local agency.

Oh and there are washes out there that dont disturb the bloom too much. But its best if you can build some roll out nests to keep the eggs as clean as possible
I gave up on it all. for other reasons.

Good luck.
deb
 
Most states will allow you to sell while you are on your own property... Like a yard stand. Word of mouth like the others sugested too.

I researched this for California about two years ago. In order to sell at Farmers Markets you have to have a Shell Egg permit or license. Its pretty regulated if you go over three hundred eggs per week. But under three hundred its doable.

You can buy new cartons online... include that with the price. discount that price if they bring their own. Online price I have found some at http://www.eggcartonsonline.com/ who were around 33 cents a piece. They do have bulk pricing but the quantity will approach a lifetime buy before you can bring the price down Like say 4200 cartons brings the price down to 23 cents.

One of the issues with using used cartons is they come already labled. If that package says Grade A jumbo there better be Grade A jumbo Eggs in there. So you have to grade your own eggs according to the standard required by your permit. You have to candle them too looking for spots rings and other different objectionable things.


For what its worth you cant just switch to organic feed and call the eggs organic. There are very specific rules for that....
...
Good luck.
deb
Good point. I switched to organic late last year. The forage is organic. I don't advertise them as organic eggs. I say they are on organic feed.
 

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