Inquiring about prices for hatching eggs

[samcountrygirl]

We had a lady contact us and wanted 30 chick eggs for hatching. Not a problem took us a couple of day to collect them. She informed us she is only willing to pay $1.00/doz. We have not sold eggs for hatching before.

 

[mtnviewfarms]

First, you need to do your research to see what hatcheries are getting for a dozen hatching eggs
of whatever breed of chickens you are raising.

Set your price and then if someone calls and wants to purchase your hatching eggs then you will
inform them of the price and they can take it or leave it.

I sell my hatching eggs ( Plymouth Barred Rocks - nice utility stock definitely Not showbirds - I selectively breed for vigor and high egg production ) for $24 per dozen - I include two extra eggs
with every dozen sold in case a couple are not fertile. My 'minimum' is one dozen. I do not ship my hatching eggs - I sell them as 'local pickup only'.

I was 'awestruck and dumbfounded' reading the nerve of that woman telling you she was only willing to
pay $1 per dozen for your hatching eggs. I get $4 per dozen for my free range 'eating' eggs!

Collecting and maintaining / turning - keeping at right temperature, etc. is a hassle so if someone
wants my time and energy AS WELL AS THAT OF MY HENS AND ROOSTERS! They are going
to pay for it and do. I have absolutely no problem getting the $24 per dozen for my hatching eggs.

 

[samcountrygirl]

THANK YOU! I am keeping my eggs!! I checked a few sites most are out of stock for 2012 so didn't show prices.
THANK YOU again now i have a ball park and wasn't taken for a fool. She wanted something for nothing gave my husband hell.

 

[cmfarm]

Really $1 a dozen is ridiculous. Eating eggs cost more than that. When I buy fertile, run of the mill pure breed hatching eggs on CL they usually run around $4-5 a dozen.

 

[mstricer]

There are places to get inexpensive hatching eggs if one wants them, When I had some folks that wanted heavy production chicks, I went around to the local Amish farms and ask if they had roosters running with their hens, If they say yes I ask what the price is for fresh eggs, (Most hold there eggs longer then would know) and I always tell them I want them for hatching, I get them cheap

1$ to 2$ a dozen. Would I sell mine for that NEVER. But the eggs I buy are for hatching for area farms that sell a lot of eggs. I take orders, collect the eggs, up to 180 eggs. Hatch them out and sell the chicks. Everyone is happy. I would stand your ground and like mtnviewfarms said, set a price. If you would sell you eggs for eating, at 3$ then essentially expect some to think they can get them for that.
I would have said, Oh wait a minute these aren't the 1$ eggs I have to get them from the layer coop no roosters, these eggs will be XX$.

 

[Dylan Haley]

its really based on you. if your trying to make a profit by selling them then you have to take into account each egg aand how much food you had to feed your hen until she laid it, then you have to figure out what that cost. usually i figure about 1 to 1.50 an egg would be good if your trying to make a profit, if your just doing it for a hobby and want to make some feed money back then i think any where from 6-10 a dozen is fair. i normallly pay about 5 a dozen for standard breeds and anywhere up to 13 for rare or show breeds. hope this was helpful.

 

[what did I do]

Wow, that is cheep. I bought fertil eggs at Trader Joe's grocery store this summerfor $2.75. They had everything done to them that hatching eggs shouldn't have done. At the very least charge the same as the grocery store charges for the same type of egg. It costs us money to have our chickens so don't be afraid to charge for them. You could also make a deal for chicks.

 

[Dylan Haley]

yeah trades are always good too!

 

[Vicky2479]

Wow you guys have got it good, I went looking for some eggs for my broody and the cheapest turned out to be the guy I got my silkies from, he charged me $15 for 6, he gave me 7. Most of the others were asking $45 - $55 per dozen delivered, some even more for "rare" breeds.

 

[Dylan Haley]

wow thats a little ridicolus.