Egg Value

[fldiver97]

I don’t sell mine but I’ve had people asking to buy. The things I hear that make them more appealing:
- variety of colors
- organic feed, chickens are free ranging and eat bugs, greens, produce
- people love seeing pictures of the girls, their coop and yard
- local and fresh
- customized labels, colored egg cartons, a tag with a couple of feathers are always well liked

I only have 9 hens, the neighbors, friends and some coworkers know them by name.... I couldn’t supply enough eggs for sale
Most say that they prefer my eggs even over the $6-8 per dozen organic/free range eggs they buy in store and would pay $5 or $6

 

[Perris]

I recommend the use of clear cartons made of recycled plastic bottles, so people can see the pretty colours of the eggs without needing to open the carton; mixes of blue, brown and tinted eggs attract most attention. (I also say on the label it's a recycled plastic carton; they cost more than pulp ones but I think they're worth it as a marketing tool if you have multicolour eggs.) I write the date of lay in pencil on the egg, and the initial of the hen who laid it when I know that. And I emphasise that all my eggs are laid by a small flock of heritage and rare breed hens, roaming round a garden dawn till dusk, eating natural food. I've managed to get £2.50/6, which is about twice the price of 'free range' eggs in the supermarkets here, on those relatively rare occasions when I have surplus for sale.

 

[Cyprus]

I can get as high as $4 a dozen if I want.
I have the stark advantage that nobody else around here has eggs for sale.

People are willing to pay me for my eggs because I can answer questions about feed, health, etc and the people I sell to have met my birds at least once. They know I truly free range - I have zero fencing when I let them out.
It helps even more so when I have green eggs to add to the carton.

 

[WthrLady]

#1 rule - KNOW YOUR MARKET and what it will handle

I sell the same eggs in the city farmers market as I do to my local farm and village customers. SAME EGGS.

The city customers are ready and willing to pay 6-8$ per dozen for my organic, colored from the butt, free-range eggs. The village customers max out at $3.50 a dozen.

The city customers care about buzz words; free range, organic, cage free, heritage breed, colored by the hens, new packaging (not a buzz word, but a requirement here), and state licensed (not a buzz word, but a requirement here), and recyclable or compostable packaging, and farm fresh.

The village/local customers care about freshness and price. They know that they can get a dozen factory eggs for 98 cents-2$ at the grocery, but for the taste of a farm egg will pay the extra, as the grocery charges $4 and UP for the same product. They don't care about packaging, or anything else but cost and freshness. (although they get new, clean, compostable, licensed packaging).

My regulars also get free delivery, which keeps my flock safe, and frees up my schedule to delivery on my terms (I'm not sitting around waiting for trickle in orders or visitors -who in the past have brought a slew of children who want to play with animals or they bring their dogs, who want to kill my animals). I also run accounts for my regular customers, which keeps them from having to constantly have cash on hand for each delivery- nor do they have to be home for delivery. I bill twice a year, and keep detailed delivery books for each house. I send a detailed invoice and a pre-stamped self addressed envelope with each invoice.

 

[RumneyRoost]

I don't sell eggs as I only have a small flock. SO and I don't eat that many, but I also volunteer to bring devilled eggs to potlucks, the dog gets some if the fridge looks to full, and I give some away to family and friends.

I have two cream legbars so the blue/green eggs are a big hit. One of my girls sometimes lays a brown egg with speckles, haven't figured out who yet, but I think it's my Barred Rock.

As far as marketing goes, free range or free run (my dog would kill the girls if they were truly free, but 50' x 30' isn't bad for 5 girls). Organic is hit or miss. City people are more likely to go for it. Many who have been involved in traditional farming know that it can be misleading, and isn't necessarily better.
You can order fun customized stamps on Etsy. You could also watch for photo sales at places like Walmart, get some wallet sized pictures of your girls in the garden, etc and for a few cents extra customers will feel more comfortable that they're buying from a real person who cares about her birds.

 

[MTP55]

A lot of good ideas. We keep a sign posted at every market for both eggs and produce telling customers to wash their produce and fully cook eggs. Last time I looked I believe our department of Agriculture said that was good to keep liability down. Statistically fresh LOCAL products don't cause illness. Not that it's impossible but significantly lower incidence. I'd believe mainly because the atmosphere in which the egg are produced or produce was raised/harvested keeps most problems at bay. We do have somewhat of a plan if something did happen.

We keep pictures of the birds and coop/run on our phones with us if people ask. As someone above stated, people like to see healthy, pretty birds. I agree that it helps. We snag a lot of customers on their way up north or to their lake houses. We are about a mile or less off lake Huron so summer booms with tourists.

 

[WthrLady]

Ours require the same FDA label that commercial eggs have on them. Specifies and font and a size requirement for both the font and the label and even specifies that the label have a specific border on it.

All cartons also must be new and not reused. Not even returned to same customer. So cost has to be figured into labels and cartons.

I need to raise prices this year. I haven't in 4 years, but the cost of everything from feed to cartons has gone up.

 

[New2Chicks97]

My husband sells our extras to his coworkers. They are happy got get fresh eggs for about the price of a regular dozen eggs. My husband sells them for $2 a dozen. We don’t do it to make a profit. They all save egg cartons for us so we don’t buy cartons. Everyone seems to like the different sizes and colors.

 

[Legion]

So far I get 4 eggs a day from 6 hens. Im waiting for 2 others to lay. I havent sold any yet but I have mailed a couple dozen to my mother and brother. They love the idea of knowing whats goin' into their eggs. If or when I decide to sell eggs, I may stamp them. Of course the stamp will be 100% accurate. I also wont lie, Im gona reuse store containers. Im not gona spend any more $ than I have to on these birds. "Eggs...I got em if you wana buy em." Thats all.

 

[Kat2141]

I was wondering about marking the eggs, either with a stamp or pencil? Is there any chance that whatever you use will cross through the shell and contaminate the egg? I've seen people write on them with pencil and have been wondering...