Potential egg business?

[wetwetty]

I'm always looking for ways out of the corporate world. I saw a bunch of baby chicks the other day and had crazy ideas about starting a small scale egg business. I recently raised 14 and enjoyed it. Has anyone done this? Can it be profitable? Would give them scratch and peck feed, non gmo, corn and soy free to maybe hike up the price. I live in the high desert without water rights, but could irrigate a half acre of grass/pasture for them. Was thinking of building a barn to house at least 30 of them and then raise the younger ones in the current coop I have with the 14 hens. Mine have access to the whole yard which is just under 5 acres, unfortunately it's super dry and sandy with little vegetation. I'm in Oregon and people are all about local start ups. Could potentially find a market with a local co op and or a little farm stand. I would have to look into the laws and regulations on this of course. Just got excited about the idea !

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Definitely check into the legal side. Here in Maryland multiple permits and registries are required. I think a strictly egg business would not be profitable as a full time sole source of income thing. Look at what is going on in your area already, as far as egg prices, who's already selling, etc.

 

[donrae]

At that size, you're not going to be able to quit your day job.

30 hens, say 6 eggs a week each. 180 eggs a week, so 15 dozen. High end pricing to me would be $5 a dozen, so you'd be at $75 a week.

Scratch and Peck on Amazon is $37 for 25lbs. A layer hen eats between 1/4 and 1/2lb of feed a day, depending on breed, etc. 25lbs will last 30 hens about 50 days, give or take. That's the math I come up with, anyway, but it seems way short on feed from my experience. Someone check my math, please.

Anyway, I'm coming up with you bringing home under $300 a month. That's simply for feed costs. Nothing about water, electricity, egg cartons, advertising/selling, feeders or waterers, coops, runs, fencing, irrigation, etc. Not to mention your labor, costs of the birds, brooders, etc.


I'd say start small and see how you like it. Just aim to make back your feed costs at first. Lots of folks here manage to do that. Then think about expanding, or getting an incubator and raising chicks, etc. I've found my best money makers are started pullets, that might be a way to go. Folks are always, always looking for layers.

 

[wetwetty]

At that size, you're not going to be able to quit your day job. 

30 hens, say 6 eggs a week each. 180 eggs a week, so 15 dozen.  High end pricing to me would be $5 a dozen, so you'd be at $75 a week. 

Scratch and Peck on Amazon is $37 for 25lbs. A layer hen eats between 1/4 and 1/2lb of feed a day, depending on breed, etc. 25lbs will last 30 hens about 50 days, give or take. That's the math I come up with, anyway, but it seems way short on feed from my experience. Someone check my math, please. 

Anyway, I'm coming up with you bringing home under $300 a month. That's simply for feed costs. Nothing about water, electricity, egg cartons, advertising/selling, feeders or waterers, coops, runs, fencing, irrigation, etc. Not to mention your labor, costs of the birds, brooders, etc. 


I'd say start small and see how you like it. Just aim to make back your feed costs at first. Lots of folks here manage to do that. Then think about expanding, or getting an incubator and raising chicks, etc. I've found my best money makers are started pullets, that might be a way to go. Folks are always, always looking for layers. 

How much could you sell a started pullet for?

 

[donrae]

Point of lay or first year layers are $20. Price basically goes down $5 per year. 18 month molters are $15, 2 year olds are $10, etc.

This is my price point for regular hatchery birds or my barnyard mixes. When I get a solid Olive Egger project going, I may be able to ask $25 for a pullet, just cause they're so trendy now. I also have a nice flock of Marans I'm working on, I'll have to research a price point for those birds depending on how they look.

High desert in Oregon--is that Bend area, or further east? In Bend/Central Oregon I can get those same prices. Not sure if you move more rural.