Egg pricing for profit

[User635240]

Hello, my little egg business is taking off; everything is sold to a few local stores; I raised my wholesale prices to $4.50/doz for chicken eggs, $6/doz for duck eggs, and $3/doz for quail eggs. Customers did not flinch even with the new retail prices ($5.50 / $8 / $4). The revenue is enough to cover their grain cost and some gas for deliveries. Still not covering the cost of my labor or utilities. I mean, with such a big demand for 'farm fresh' and so few suppliers, one would think this would be very profitable. Any ideas how to make this business profitable, if possible?
I do have several specialty breed chicken mating pairs (including Icelandic chickens, and fly-tie (genetic hackle) chickens), but no separate pens for them. I'd have to invest some time and materials into building separate pens in order to sell their hatching eggs or chicks.

 

[BDutch]

If you want to get paid directly with the price the supermarket ask, you probably need to sell them yourself.
Where I live small scale farmers who sell eggs at the farm often have a vending machine for eggs where people can buy eggs at the entrance of their property. Some farmers sell fruits and veggies too this way.

Other income can be from hatchery eggs. Hatchery eggs from popular breeds are worth around $1.50 - $2 each where I live. And I believe the prices are higher in the US.

 

[killmak]

What kind of profit are you looking for? Do you make your own chicken food? I sell my eggs to my neighbour for $3 a dozen and it costs me $1 per dozen in food during the summer and $2 a dozen in the winter. And that is with buying the food not making it. You could diversify and sell hatching eggs during the spring or sell chicks in the spring.

 

[teddyjames]

You are NPIP certified, no? If you are not certified, you may be in violation of some federal laws. I was going to get into selling eggs and chicks, but the regulations killed it for me. Yearly inspections, blood draws, no junk piled up, no vermin, and here in WV, not allowed to touch the ground, no eating of insects or mice, and basically wear a hazmat suit when entering/exiting coop area.

 

[Susan Skylark]

I hope npip certification varies by state, that’s ridiculous! I could maybe understand those precautions for something like African swine fever but. Salmonella pullorum?

 

[BDutch]

I hope npip certification varies by state, that’s ridiculous! I could maybe understand those precautions for something like African swine fever but. Salmonella pullorum?

The established factory farmers in my country don’t like competition from smallholders. The lobbyists made governments to put up several rules.

Poultry keepers have worse problems with HPAI than with salmonella.

 

[teddyjames]

The established factory farmers in my country don’t like competition from smallholders. The lobbyists made governments to put up several rules.

Poultry keepers have worse problems with HPAI than with salmonella.

same way here exactly. not to promote anything "illegal" but my aunt says she will trade me a sack of corn for two dozen eggs. On a side note, I totally understand, as my uncle medicates his flock constantly for no reason, most of the "medicine" says not to eat the eggs or meat for a period of time, but yet he eats them right on, gives them to the neighbors etc, and then they wonder why their blood count is off, liver enzymes elevated, etc.

 

[BDutch]

On a side note, I totally understand, as my uncle medicates his flock constantly for no reason, most of the "medicine" says not to eat the eggs or meat for a period of time, but yet he eats them right on, gives them to the neighbors etc, and then they wonder why their blood count is off, liver enzymes elevated, etc.

This is awful. That he wants to poison his chickens and himself is strange. But IMHO he should be reported if he’s not honest about it to his neighbours.

I know that eating poisoned eggs, especially with insecticides, can cause health problems on the longer term too. And there is proof now that birds who eat insects and predators higher on the food chain die indirectly from insecticides too. Especially in areas where farmers use a lot of them (like in the flower growing industry). In these areas more people are getting Parkinson’s disease. There is proof for a relation to the use of poisons too.

Using poisons on a regular basis must be unhealthy for the chickens too. And a reason why I avoid using bug killers or medication for my chickens. Good food, partly free ranging and enough run space if they can’t free range, make happy and healthy chickens and no need to use poisons or antibiotics (knock on wood). I rather have a death chicken now and then, than an unhealthy flock all the time.

 

[teddyjames]

This is awful. That he wants to poison his chickens and himself is strange. But IMHO he should be reported if he’s not honest about it to his neighbours.

I know that eating poisoned eggs, especially with insecticides, can cause health problems on the longer term too. And there is proof now that birds who eat insects and predators higher on the food chain die indirectly from insecticides too. Especially in areas where farmers use a lot of them (like in the flower growing industry). In these areas more people are getting Parkinson’s disease. There is proof for a relation to the use of poisons too.

Using poisons on a regular basis must be unhealthy for the chickens too. And a reason why I avoid using bug killers or medication for my chickens. Good food, partly free ranging and enough run space if they can’t free range, make happy and healthy chickens and no need to use poisons or antibiotics (knock on wood). I rather have a death chicken now and then, than an unhealthy flock all the time.

I agree. He falls for every miracle drug you see on tv as well and complains when he don't feel so good. He is a very irresponsible chicken owner for sure. He calls a few times a week, lately its been kind of a regular subject. I lost two more birds today. "Really? Why?"... I left the door open again. :-/ He just one of those people. But he should have a label on his eggs, "Heavily medicated, eat at own risk".