Egg Sellers--How's Your Business?

[chicksgalore]

More great ideas. And thanks for the clarity on "free-range"--I am happy to know my girls can still be considered free-range. I currently have 2 green egg-layers and am excited to build those quantities so I can add green eggs to my offering.

I often wished I had started out selling at $2 instead of $1.50 because I didn't want to raise prices once I started selling, but at this point, being that I really don't seem to have any "regulars" at the moment, I may start advertising (via fliers, craigslist) at $2.00 and just take my price off my sign out front.

I just hope if anyone who's stopped here before stops again they won't mind paying $0.50 extra. Oh well, it's not like they were "reliable" customers. I haven't seen them in ages.

 

[chicksgalore]

I have 40 laying hens. I get $1.50 a doz. Some weeks I sell everything I have and the next week nothing! I think I might start freezing some for my own use when the girls decide to moult.

What do you mean by "freezing"--surely you can't actually freeze eggs??​

 

[Wifezilla]

Sure you can. You beat them lightly and put them in a baggie.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I know what you mean about not wanting to raise prices for folks who have bought before. But everyone should be accustomed to price increases, we deal with it ourselves in stores & gas stations. Blame it on rising feed costs, blame it on need for increased care, blame it on the chickens themselves.

I like to make it seem it is the chickens who are running the business, telling customers that my hens must pay for their own feed and so they sell their eggs to raise the money. I am just their delivery person, because they get in trouble when they try to drive. Tell any former customers that your hens said they won't lay for less than $2 a dozen any more.

Maybe you don't need to place a price on your ads or flyers. What you want to attract are not folks looking for a bargain on their grocery bill, but people who desire fresh eggs from free-ranged hens. They will respond to your ad anyway, and then you can tell them what the current price is.

Don't feel you must beat or match the price of factory-farmed eggs at the grocery store. See what the specialty eggs are selling for, and use that as a guide. Nothing can beat backyard eggs for freshness unless you keep laying hens for yourself.

We need feed!

Buy our eggs!

 

[chicksgalore]

Okay, so I gave away about 20 dozen eggs yesterday at church. That cleaned me out and who pulls in the driveway this morning but one of my "sometimes" customers.

Not that I wasn't glad to have a customer but I had given all the eggs away except 1 dozen (which I had gotten already this morning) (he wanted 4) and a dozen pullet eggs which I sold him for $1. Anyway, last week I kept a few around just in case and didn't need them so I figured I was going to start out fresh this week...

That's the way it goes sometimes I guess. Anyway, so I completely took my sign down and am currently working on a flier to post around and see if I can get enough business that way. I may wait a few weeks and then put my home sign back up without the price. I'm stressing "fresh" and free range/cage-free. I want to check the stores tonight but I think I'll go with $2.

So, all your ideas and all really have me thinking and I have one to add: I've thought about offering little slips for folks to fill out and join my e-mailing list for periodic egg-sy newsletters and/or contests (I really liked the idea about whoever gets the banty egg gets a free dozen--you could do all kinds of things like that), etc.

 

[ausamerican33]

This is such an interesting thread!! I'm just starting to try to "talk up" my eggs and sell them. I made up flyers, and labels for the egg cartons. This weekend, I'm going to try to sell them at my daughter's school garage sale. I put a flyer up at work, but someone (ie management) took it down - I was not happy about that. I might put one up again, with a big basket of free samples in the paper bags - that is a brilliant idea. Would people be willing to share the wording of their flyers/adds? This is ours:

_________________________________________________

Countrywood Farm Fresh Eggs

Are you looking for fresh eggs from a small backyard flock? Our hens are free-ranging and live on a diet of grass, bugs, grains, and antibiotic free feed. Our 14 happy and healthy hens live on 10 acres of pasture, and lay extra-large brown eggs and green eggs. The breeds we currently have are: Araucanas, Rhode Island Reds, Red Stars, White Rocks, and Black Australorps.

One dozen eggs: $3.00
Free local delivery or pick up from our farm (please call ahead)

Paul and Tracey Collins
our address
our email

2 cute pictures of our chickens in the pasture

_______________________________________________

I would love to do the little inserts in the cartons - that's a really nice personal touch.

 

[briteday]

The Hen House

Our hens live like queens and they produce only the best eggs! The girls spend their days playing and foraging in the sunshine and fresh air of our pasture where no chemicals or fertilizers are ever used. They also have a continuous supply of clean water, XYZ premium chicken food, organic greens, and a wee bit of flax seed to enhance omega fatty acids.

If you enjoy fresh eggs as much as we do please give us a call. You're welcome to see the hens and ask any questions. Buy local, you'll be glad you did. Large eggs are $2 per dozen.

xxx-xxxx

 

[ausamerican33]

That's a great one! Thx for sharing!

 

[Country Gal]

Awesome thread! So many great ideas to increase egg sales!!!

I've been tracking my egg sales for a few months now... I sold 28 dozen in the month of March and only got to keep about 4 dozen for ourselves (and I'll admit that the 4 doz that we kept were the smallest eggs laid each day). I currently just sell to people that I work with at $2/doz, and I deliver them to the office once or twice a week. Business has been booming, and I'm glad I have another 25 chicks on the way so I can start expanding more into the local community!

I can't wait to try some of these ideas...

 

[mistylady]

We have more eggs than customers. I hardboiled 18 eggs the other day that I couldn't sell. I get 1.25 a carton unless they bring a carton then its 1.00. But its partially my hubbys fault that I have too many eggs since he 'forgets" to ask at work to see if anyone wants eggs.

I give eggs to a family that needs them once a week but the hens are still making to many eggs! I smashed some hardboiled ones and gave them to the hens the other day. They liked it but I felt kinda wierd giving them their own eggs! And where we live a sign on the road might get ten people driving by a day and they probably own chickens! Ahhhh the joy of living in the sticks!