Interested in selling eggs

We had our very first egg sell today. We sold 5 dozen to a good friend @ $3.00 per dozen. That is the going price here for free range eggs. Up til today we were giving some to family or friends as we didn't really have enough to attempt selling, but had too many for our household. My son wants to sell eggs, and chicks when he gets his drivers license. We have quite a few swaps in our area, and he really enjoys them. You will not likely turn a profit if you are small scale, as most others have said. It just doesn't work out after you build a coop and run and so forth. But you can make it pay for there food, and maybe get a little extra. But hey it's so much fun! We currently have 3 coops and then a bachelor pad for the roo and our turkey. You will need multiple coops, if you want it to go easy on you. At least that is what works for us. Our flocks are by age.
Also I found an awesome app that really helps me track the eggs laid, feed cost, sells, etc. It is called FlockPlenty. Maybe you can take a look at it and see if you could use it. I love it, I find it very useful.
Good luck to you on selling your eggs, and chicks also. By the way what kind of chicks would you have?
 
We have 22 laying hens right now, with ten more that should start laying by spring. They are various breeds that I bought for my granddaughter as newborn chicks. The collection rate has been as high as 21 and is still averaging about 14 or so, even though it is winter. A few folks had bought eggs from us, but most of them were given to family and friends. About three weeks ago, my brother and I pulled my pickup off the main highway through our small town and set up a bale of straw and a couple of signs, "Farm Fresh Eggs." We sold twelve dozen in about an hour and a half and met some great people. One man bought three dozen and has since bought six dozen more, three at a time. Him and his wife live close enough that I have been delivering to them. Now I agree with most of the contributors here; making a profit is rare or non-existent with a small flock, but selling enough to at least cover feed costs is great. As far as selling to grocery stores and markets, there are several areas that I believe would prohibit it being worthwhile, especially with mixed breed flocks such as ours. The inconsistency of size and color would be a factor. Apparently, from my research, eggs do not have to be "graded," though most of those in grocery stores are. Sizing can be accomplished with a weight scale if you were to package and label them for resale. Our sales to the public are packaged in both new and clean used cartons. If they are packaged in a company's printed carton, we place labels identifying our mini-farm. These labels are usually put on the new cartons, also, but not always. They are an added expense, but in my case, it is more of a hobby than a profit maker, so I do it anyway. I am sure that there are various laws and regulations that pertain to different areas. One small label that we attach to every carton reads: "Ungraded" and "Unclassified." These are printed 33 to a sheet, black ink, on standard address label sheets. This is a low-cost disclaimer that says the eggs are not a particular weight or size and have not been graded. A few weeks ago we purchased ten pullets about three months of age from a couple who incubate and have a great farm, raising various animals and birds. The man gave me one tip: he said "If you are going to sell eggs, make sure you take care of your best customers first. Egg production will vary and usually decreases during the winter months. If you promise too many people that you will have eggs and then you don't, they will go elsewhere. Take care of your primary customers and tell the others that you may or may not have eggs at any particular time." The couple I referred to early on here are the first of our "primary customers" and we will continue to do our best to have eggs for them when they want them. I don't know if I have provided any worthwhile information in this post, but hopefully it will give beginning egg producers some points to ponder.
 
You did give me some good info, I have 13 I raised from a few days old all within about 2 months time just getting old enough to lay. My coop is a 17ft diameter geodesic dome in theory I can have 16 birds and will probably increase my flock in the spring so I can be more reliable in selling eggs to a few. spacing them in age I also will have more reliable egg productions at all times.
 
The man that gave you "tip" was very wise. Do take care of your best customers, don't over spread yourself.
We have 21 layers but since its winter, we only have 15 laying right now averaging dozen of eggs a day, around 6-7 dozen a week. We have 4 families that has standing orders of 2 doz/wk. We somehow fill those out first sometimes few days late + our own consumptions. We have standby orders that wanted eggs but we can't really fill those up unless one of our regulars skip a wk.
our hens bring in an average $100/monthly, 60% are the cost of feeds and remaining goes to pay for the coop rent expense.
 
I officially put my egg sign out this morning as a dangle from the halfway ranch one, I have 2 dozen in the fridge working on #3 carton
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today
 
nothing yet but the sign will go in back tomorrow morning so keeping the finger crossed be nice if the chickens could pay for there food.
 

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