The true cost of backyard eggs!

[trooper]

You bring up a good point. I reread the thread starter's post and he does start out by asking about the true monetary cost of backyard eggs, however his further comments kind of dilute the question and bring emotion and other values into the equation.
I'm working on actually making a profit from backyard eggs, and I'd love to share my results. However, it will be at least 6-9 months before I have any halfway decent numbers, and even then it will take at least a couple years to come up with a somewhat accurate assessment.

I do agree with you about the irritation of backyard eggs being undervalued. Perhaps those that sell their eggs for no profit or a loss feel pressured to sell low, temporarily have too many eggs and just want to sell them cheaply, view it as a hobby and want to "share" it with others. I don't think they realize the damage they may do, continuing the public perception that eggs should be super cheap. Factory eggs generally have a much higher "cost" than what they sell for. This often results in environmental damages, exploitation of limited resources, government subsidies, exploited workers, mistreated animals, and perhaps more. It would be nice if the public realized that responsible backyard producers are not ripping you off by selling eggs for $3 a dozen. If anything it's the other way around.

What you said may be true but it isn't anything that big business aren't doing already.They move our factories into other countries and pay them less than they do the people that live here.That takes away our jobs and economy .I guess that's alright.Look at some of the ways that big business treat their animals.Most of the people on here don't treat their animals that way.There is love and pride that goes into their hobby.Big businesses don't care about that.Look at how the poultry business does their chickens.Cramped living qters,lights on continiously so that they continue laying eggs with no rest and I could go on.This also causes a lot more of other things that you said in your statement.You will find that most of the people on here aren't out to get rich like the big businesses are.This is a hobby that they enjoy and they are trying to get a little money back to help with their expenses

.I see nothing wrong with that.This also keeps some of the money in their communities and helps their economy.I see nothing wrong with that.We don't do near the damages to the economy does.You don't get it that it isn't for the most part about making money.It's the enjoyment of having a hobby that you can enjoy

and share your prosperity with others.Something that big businesses don't do.Most of these people care about their neighbors and animals.Big businesses don't.For the record I'm not mad or irritated;Just honest and I care about the small things that God gave us to enjoy.

 

[maruadventurer]

"... excess eggs."

Well I have a small baker that from time to time places an order for duck eggs. Those times we have them comming out our ears its egg noodle makin' time!

 

[eggsellentfarms]

What you said may be true but it isn't anything that big business aren't doing already.They move our factories into other countries and pay them less than they do the people that live here.That takes away our jobs and economy .I guess that's alright.Look at some of the ways that big business treat their animals.Most of the people on here don't treat their animals that way.There is love and pride that goes into their hobby.Big businesses don't care about that.Look at how the poultry business does their chickens.Cramped living qters,lights on continiously so that they continue laying eggs with no rest and I could go on.This also causes a lot more of other things that you said in your statement.You will find that most of the people on here aren't out to get rich like the big businesses are.This is a hobby that they enjoy and they are trying to get a little money back to help with their expenses

.I see nothing wrong with that.This also keeps some of the money in their communities and helps their economy.I see nothing wrong with that.We don't do near the damages to the economy does.You don't get it that it isn't for the most part about making money.It's the enjoyment of having a hobby that you can enjoy

and share your prosperity with others.Something that big businesses don't do.Most of these people care about their neighbors and animals.Big businesses don't.For the record I'm not mad or irritated;Just honest and I care about the small things that God gave us to enjoy.

???I'm not sure if you read all my post? or maybe missed the point? because your post agrees with most of what I said.

 

[mrballance]

I get enough eggs to cover feed for the month, Plus a little extra, At $ 2.00 / Doz. I have six hens, which I give leftovers to them and anything else I don't eat. I will break even from the coop and feeders and other things in about three years. Plus the enjoyment of a hobby that gives back. I use poop for compost pile material. Love Chicken TV

 

[trooper]

???I'm not sure if you read all my post? or maybe missed the point? because your post agrees with most of what I said.

Please accept my apologies!! I had read your post and I was interpreting some of it wrong.

Hope you do well and Happy New Year

 

[eggsellentfarms]

No problem. I just couldn't figure out what you didn't like about my post because your arguments and concerns were very similar to mine.

 

[sktlmt]

cost of coup $1000
cost of 3 baby chicks $7.50
cost of 6 hatching eggs $4.00
cost of 18 months of feed $500
the look on my daughters face when she finds an egg hiding in the yard PRICELESS

 

[craftiekids]

A good est at $15 an egg when the chickens were young but as my flock matures and I can get my young pullets laying, I'll bring down my cost big time. I'm going to take the time to calculate all my numbers and it will be more than 3.00 a dozen till I've gotten my flock laying better again. I also scrounged for a huge amount of my materials to build a coop, giving my family healthy food is really worth all the work. My husband resented it at first when I started rescuing and re-homing ponies and raising and selling produce for our local farmers market but in the last 3 years I've averaged about 800 a month extra doing it. I used the money I got selling the crafts I made to buy my first 8 hens and 15 chicks to start. So when I began this chicken thing, he's the first one on board. My twins have asthma so I had to find things to do that made the extra dollars we needed without a conventional job because I needed to be available for their health treatments. My husband didn't understand at first that there's also a "sanity factor" that goes along with any happy healthy "crazy" hobby but keeping a good flock will definitely (eventually) make a profit. It was the extra 800 a month that convinced my husband that I was on the right track.

When I figure up my costs I'll post it. I know there's a lot more that I haven't thought of but I think it will do me good to write it all down. I raise Heritage Breeds, Rode Island Reds, Light Brahmas and Barred Rocks. These breeds were brought to America by the first settlers of our country about the 1600 to 1700s, when everyone had a backyard flock. Fast forward 300 plus years and almost no one even in rural towns raises chickens anymore so they have no clue how much it really takes to raise a chicken to maturity so it will lay and any extra young roosters are great in Grandma's chicken soup recipe but do they know how to "dress" that bird? I don't think so. However, if they don't even know where their "store bought" eggs or meat comes from, how can we expect them to value what we do?

When I explain to folks how much money & effort I've put into this they usually understand, so don't get discouraged. There's an old joke about a young boy who asked his farmer grandfather how much money did he make growing corn in his field every year. Grandpa said, "I've been raising corn for 50 years and I expect to raise corn the rest of my days." he laughed, "when I make some money, I'll let you know."

Susie Q

 

[waldeneffect]

To get an accurate picture you need to weigh the eggs and keep good data.

I feel for the guy who is paying 40 dollars per dozen...ouch! but I'm sure that cost will go down next year.

Here's a blog post on how much we calculated that we pay per dozen eggs.

http://www.avianaquamiser.com/posts/How_much_does_it_cost_to_raise_your_own_eggs__63__/

 

[sktlmt]

The cost of a dozen eggs now without all the start up fees figured in. My eggs cost about $2-3 a dozen. A $35 bag of feed last about 35 days and I get a dozen eggs every 2 to 3 days. They eat a minimally processed feed and free range in the yard.
My eggs range in size from medium to jumbo.