Pricing eggs for hatching vs. eating

[mtma]

Hi all,
So far I have only given for free or sold our eggs for $3/dozen. However now that so many people locally are hatching their own, there is a demand for hatching eggs. I haven't really ever understood why you can buy a dozen fertile eggs for eating for $3, yet to buy fertile eggs for hatching it usually costs $1-5 per egg. I did just collect and am incubating a batch of my own, so I realize that there is more TLC that goes into selecting and prepping the eggs for an incubator. I also chose to incubate the breeds that lay more colorful eggs (marans, olive eggers, and easter eggers), while my eating eggs are various shades of brown. What do you think? Given my current batch in incubation is successful, should I continue to sell a dozen for hatching or eating at $3, or should hatching eggs sell for more? Thank you in advance.

 

[Geckolady]

Hi all,
So far I have only given for free or sold our eggs for $3/dozen. However now that so many people locally are hatching their own, there is a demand for hatching eggs. I haven't really ever understood why you can buy a dozen fertile eggs for eating for $3, yet to buy fertile eggs for hatching it usually costs $1-5 per egg. I did just collect and am incubating a batch of my own, so I realize that there is more TLC that goes into selecting and prepping the eggs for an incubator. I also chose to incubate the breeds that lay more colorful eggs (marans, olive eggers, and easter eggers), while my eating eggs are various shades of brown. What do you think? Given my current batch in incubation is successful, should I continue to sell a dozen for hatching or eating at $3, or should hatching eggs sell for more? Thank you in advance.

The more expensive hatching eggs tend to be breeds that are not as easy to find. People don't usually put as high of price on barnyard mix chickens. But with all the things currently going on and more people wanting chicks, the price might go a little higher this year because of supply/demand. I guess it depends on the type of chickens you have and the demand in your area.

 

[Cassandra Lana]

i would sell the hatching eggs as
10 per mix dozen
20 per specific breed dozen
20 per mix two dozen
30 per specific breed two dozen

 

[aart]

so I realize that there is more TLC that goes into selecting and prepping the eggs for an incubator.

There can also be the added 'work' of keeping breeds separate, bolstering their nutrition prior to collecting hatching eggs, etc.

It's a fine line of marketing.

 

[Cassandra Lana]

There can also be the added 'work' of keeping breeds separate, bolstering their nutrition prior to collecting hatching eggs, etc.

It's a fine line of marketing.

There’s also the keeping of males.