Is it just me or are some people taking advantage of this new trend?

[chikadeedoodah]

I just went to a farmer's market. I raise my own hens and charge $2 a dozen (don't sell at the farmer's market). This pays for the feed, and really nothing more. But, I just went to a farmer's market and they were charging and GETTING $5 a dozen for eggs! Is it just me, or are some people taking advantage of others and preying on the fear that Food Inc and other sources have put in us. The fear is rightfully so, I would NEVER eat a store-bought commercial laid egg again, but still $5 a dozen sounds like a lot of overhead. Plus they were saying you had to bring your own cartons. I'm all for recycling, but no discount was given for those that did. I couldn't believe that. I could be rich if I could stomach taking advantage of people like that! I do live in an area that is considered high-income, but for reals, if people are going to charge THAT much, then they are going to price a lot of folks that should be eating healthy right back to the commercial layers.

So am I cheap, or are the people selling at this price being greedy?

I have to say, that in winter when supplies are down I may consider that a reasonable price, but not when there are this many eggs. I guess people will charge what the market will bear, but to me it is quite an argument of really making eating local a more elitist thing than it needs to be. Oh and at the same place they were charging $10 a pound for chicken breast.

My chickens are pets but I'm considering getting some meaties just so I could afford healthy meat!

 

[SillyChicken]

the price reflects what the market will bear I guess.
I probably wouldn't sell for that much cause most people sell for $2-3 a doz. around here.

 

[werecatrising]

Yeah, I think it depends on your area. I am in the sierra foothills. Everyone up here has chickens. When I can sell eggs, I get 2 dollars a dozen. A doctor I work with comes up from San Diego one week a month. People from down there offered to give me 5 dollars a dozen if I send eggs with her.

 

[squeakyballs]

I was paying $3.75 a dozen (and bringing my own carton, no discount) before we got chickens.

We went to one of the Farmer's Markets and the guy was charging $5.00 a dozen. I think we bought one just to be polite, since I'd been chatting with him. After that we avoided his stand.

Although, I must admit, I'd occasionally pick up a dozen of Hickman's Eggs at Trader Joes. You can't beat $1.70 a dozen. I read an article by a vegetarian who did a tour there, and they said Hickman's wasn't great, but wasn't as bad as expected (except for the "Free Range" chickens... that was a disaster).

 

[chics in the sun]

And here in the most densly populated county in Florida, fresh eggs at the market are $4. I think you do get a 25cent discount if you bring her cartons. I can't believe you sell them for $2!! What a deal! For that price I may not have gotten my own flock!.......

 

[sparkles2307]

They are $1.85/doz at the store, I charge $2.00 and get jaws dropping in disgust at my prices...

 

[doubled]

it's an age old truth, you can sell eggs for more in the city than you can in the country...

 

[WriterofWords]

I sell mine for $3 a doz or $4 for an 18 pack and they sell like hot cakes! If I get a doz duck eggs together I can get up to $15 a doz for them,, for eating not hatching! I won't sell them for that, I feel like a crook,, they go for $7 but I don't have a bunch of hens since they were all stolen with my roosters.....

 

[BlackBart]

I sell mine for $3.50, free range but some others sell for $4.50 some are free range some are not.
One guy sells for $4.95 and his eggs are not free range or cleaned properly. He still sells out.
Farmer's Markets seem to be high priced for eggs and vegetables too. $6.99 a pound for organic green beans, wow!

Organic free range brown eggs from the big egg producers sell in the grocery stores for $6.99 a dozen. Somebody is buying them because they leave the empty cartons on my farm stand.

I think what you can charge depends on the area you live in, clientèle and how much profit you want to make.
I could raise my price to $4.00 and I might next year to offset the feed price increase but I think $4.95 for dirty eggs is scandalous.

 

[sparkles2307]

I am learning that I can sell them for more if I mention the flax seed in the diet to add omega fatty's to the eggs...if you start with nutritional info people open up a bit to the prices. I think I should be selling for more, but $2 is a happy place for me and the customer's right now.