Today, I gave away some eggs

Well, The neighbors behind us get a dozen a week. They are the people that get the first available eggs. The coop is against the fence between our house and theres. Then the Boys's babysitter gets the next dozen. Then Grandpa and Grandma. Any after that are up for grabs.

 

We give them to family and friends if we are going to see them. Otherwise extras go to the food bank.

 

I give eggs away all the time. I have my birds mainly for the companionship and the eggs are just an extra bonus. We have 7 hens who are laying pretty consistantly, even though its winter, so it is hard to keep up with all the eggs. I love being able to bring fresh eggs to my friends and family, they all enjoy it so much that I dont mind not getting money for them. We do have some friends who sell eggs and since their girls arent laying so well we occasionally pass on some of ours. We tried to just give the eggs to them but our friends insist on paying for them since they get money when they resell them.

 

The homeless shelter loves them, too.

 

The family who lives on our property and helps us always gets the eggs, 1/2 dozen at a time, in cute cartons. I love collecting them, and I put them in the cartons, but we don't use too many eggs - maybe a once-a-week breakfast - so I give them away. The two little girls are always excited, and can identify which eggs come from which hen. They are a great help with the chickens, and their dad cleans the coop (bless him much!) and built the run, keeps everything neat and tidy, and really loves the chickens. If we get any extra eggs, they go to the neighbor next door.

 

My 5 girls just started laying in December and I'm still in a kind of "hoarding" mode

It's all so new and exciting! I hope the thrill of going out to the coop and finding warm eggs in the nest box never wears off.

But I have given my next door neighbor eggs because they are nice and like my chickens.
I know the other neighbors probably have a problem with my keeping hens, as they are generally busy-bodies who think they own the block...I should be giving them eggs, in an attempt to win them over, but I doubt it would work.

I've also brought some eggs into work. They make a nice gift for someone who has helped you out or gone above and beyond their job description.
I have fun with different ways of packaging my egg giveaways. I've got a supply of break-apart egg cartons (6 and 6) and specially made labels, so that I can make up cute little 6-egg "gift packs".
Other ways I've given them out: In cute little baskets or packed into chinese food-type containers (they sell decorative ones in craft stores) with shredded paper. I'm always on the lookout for cute little containers to use for giving out a few eggs.

 

Our chickens have become my 14 yr old sons "project". We can't afford to give him pocket money so he cares for the chickens and we keep the bantam eggs and he's allowed to sell the hens eggs. He re-labels egg cartons (it's illegal here to sell eggs in someone else's branded carton) using stickers, and puts all his earnings in the bank. Says he's saving for the deposit on his first house!! He sells to family first then neighbours. He spends time each day in the coop, which we call Cluckingham Palace, lol, just sitting and chatting to the chooks, stroking them etc. Some of them come up and sit on his lap, they feed from his hands, and mob him when he arrives. I think they just think he's the Chief Chicken. He is developing a real passion and I'm very happy to have him involved with something outside and healthy.