Should I price Spearmint Olive eggers the same as Olive Eggers?

[Alliegeiger]

I have a little flock of mostly BBS Ameraucana (my single Roo is BBS) with a couple BCM, Olive eggers and Faverolle in the mix.
I have been selling some true blue BBS Ameraucana eggs($3/egg), and the few Olive eggers I get from my BCM gals($2/egg) and Easter Eggers from my light brown layers ($1/egg).
My question is, should I be selling the Spearmint Olive Eggers (Olive EggerXAmeraucana) that I am getting from my Olive eggers girls for the same as an Olive egger egg, or the same as my Easter Eggers?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I have a little flock of mostly BBS Ameraucana (my single Roo is BBS) with a couple BCM, Olive eggers and Faverolle in the mix.
I have been selling some true blue BBS Ameraucana eggs($3/egg), and the few Olive eggers I get from my BCM gals($2/egg) and Easter Eggers from my light brown layers ($1/egg).
My question is, should I be selling the Spearmint Olive Eggers (Olive EggerXAmeraucana) that I am getting from my Olive eggers girls for the same as an Olive egger egg, or the same as my Easter Eggers?

Hi, hope you are enjoying BYC!

My personal opinion is that unless you KNOW for sure the color that the offspring will lay (if they are generation 1 of your cross), you really might not KNOW. They are crossbreed chickens... And I have gotten "olive eggers" from FBCM cross Ameracauna (true) and it laid DARKER brown eggs than the FBCM that came in the same clutch.

To ME olive eggers (mint or not, though they ARE beautiful and I do value a colorful basket) have NO greater value than Easter Eggers, which can be bought for $3 per sexed female chick all day long at feed stores, from NPIP suppliers. With no need for an incubator, 21 days of your own time and electricity, no guarantee of 100% hatch, and and guarantee of about 50% boys in the ones that do hatch. Your doing pretty good at $1 per egg considering they cost ME about $2.50/per dozen to produce. That 300-400 % mark up.

My suggestion is don't be greedy or worry too much about the $'s (I know we do put lot's of effort into breeding for certain things, but that's about our own hobby, unless you have true intent of making a living eventually. In which case I suggest looking into NPIP. That raises the value of the eggs to me with more of a guarantee that unknown disease like MC/MG might be getting spread through your hatching eggs. If you can cover your expenses that's awesome. Have fun and test your market. You can ALWAYS raise your price if you find your local market demand is high. But if you have to lower your price later.. that to me says they might not be that good or they can't sell whatever when I see people dropping prices. So I think of them as more desperate and more negotiable... if that makes sense to you.

I hope you have a great time selling hatching eggs. It covers expenses so much faster than eating eggs do. I have been doing hatched chicks... and learned that regardless of what "rare" breed I have... what sells are POPULAR breeds. I would LOVE to see an Olive Egger, that would breed true to the next generation... with beards and muffs like the Ameraucana, slate legs though I haven't decided fathered or clean yet, and olive eggs produced by all offspring. And I was thinking black... but lavender would be awesome and I love blue. This could be done by using the same color Marans and Ameraucana and selecting for a few generation, I think.

Anyways, this is MY perspective and I mean everything as friendly... so I hope it came out that way. Best wishes!

 

[Alliegeiger]

I guess I should specify that I am in Northern Canada, NPIP is not a thing here. Though we work hard to maintain the health of our birds, and the standards of the true breeds.
Feed stores here only sell White and brown leghorns.
I sell my Easter Eggers for $5/chick and Olive eggers for $8/chick. They sell fast, but my only question was whether I should group the Spearmints in with the Olives or the Easters.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Feed stores here only sell White and brown leghorns.

Interesting how things are so different from place to place. We have MANY laws governing what we can or can't do regarding selling chickens and eggs..

My answer is still yes they should be grouped together... with NO guarantee of egg color. It would be nice if you had your customers report back their egg color to see if they really are coming out olive and or mint and maybe keeping track of your results. My guess is nobody cares about the difference in $1... unless their birds lay brown eggs or just blue when they were really hoping for the mint. If indeed the market is good, sure go for the dollar extra. Or like I suggested, you can test your market and raise prices at any time.

I also work hard to maintain my flock health but realize things are carried by the wild which may not be detected when it lives among our flock but hasn't shown symptoms or taken any bird down yet. I'm starting to feel self conscious about what I don't know. But I'm a major over thinker who is ALWAYS seeking the root truth about EVERYTHING.

All really nice and fun breeds that you have! Where did you get your stock, if you don't mind me asking? Awesome that your able to share with your locals something they can't otherwise get. Pics of your babies and eggs always welcome.