Cost of an Egg

[silkiepjsg]

I wanted to search the files to see if anyone has ever posted as to how much it costs to feed a chicken and get one egg (or a dozen.)
I can't figure out how to search the files. I thought that I could do that before.
I also read the post: How much does a 50 lb bag of organic feed cost, and I can see that there is a wide range of prices, depending on what part of the country you are from. So an egg price would vary widely then too.
I guess then next thing to figure out then, is how much feed does a chicken eat per day; then figure out how much that cost me.
All of this, because I am trying to figure out how much to charge for a dozen eggs!
They are organicly feed, free range!
I'd love to hear comments on any of these thoughts of mine!
Thanks!

 

[silkiechicken]

That will depend on your individulal basis. If you really wanted to get techinal you'd have to factor housing for how long you think it will last, how much your new laying stock each year will last and so on...

I get lazy and don't cull my layers so right now on feed alone, it is coting me $3+ a dozen of eggs. Non organic feed. I make no profit and break even, so raising them is for joy more than anything else.

 

[schmoo]

I would say look in your area for organicly fed free range eggs and charge whatever they are. Its unlikely you will be able to get more than other places in your area. The egg prices vary so much from state to state. Do a search on How much to charge for eggs. There are several threads on the subject.


Heres a good one I found.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=138

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

There is also a really good thread somewhere on the forum where people discuss how much feed chickens eat (varies wildly) and using that info you could work to back into a CPE (cost per egg).

 

[McGoo]

I would think that the cost of the housing adds a big factor. I course that's because we're just building the coop. I guess we'll re-coop

our cost over time.

Where you live is also very relative.

 

[speckledhen]

In some ways, it does not matter what it costs you to feed them, people will only pay so much in a certain area, I think. You won't get rich selling eating eggs, believe me. As the egg prices in the stores increase, you can raise yours and people will be more likely to pay a higher price.

 

[buc]

Quote:
ah yes, chicken humor.


There are a few other returns that my chickens give me that adds value to them being raised.

1, chicken poop as a fertilizer, roses love it, after composting.
2, bug control, ever since I brought them to my ranch and let them range freely in the garden and about the house, the bugs that bug me have dropped.

now to the emotional side (sort of)

the pure pleasure of collecting an egg and then feeding them to the family knowning oh so well were it came from and the safe enviroment it was raised in, that is priceless.

 

[FutureChickenMan]

Checking your local store prices for organic free range is probably the best bet. I looked last night in our walmart and the organic free range ranges from $2.49-$3.49.

 

[speckledhen]

The value of an egg is not the whole story, as buc pointed out. I save lots of money on fertilizers and insecticides by having my crew. They are "value-added", for sure.

 

[buc]

Quote:
thanks


I understand her question is an economic one, and I attempted to address it from that stand point.

The chickens we raise are have either come from eggs we hatched or from some one else that raised them on their ranch and we bartered with them.

I really like the eggs that my new Orphingtons are producing, I understand they will continue to lay thru the winter, unlike the SilverLaced WY.