Why are people so weird?

[AquaDuck]

I don't sell chicken eggs, but can give them away as gifts on special occasions. If someone came to me and expected to get eggs for free, I'd tell them a story of how much backyard chickens actually costs...

The suggestion of getting your kids to sell is great! I sold eggs as a teen, and everyone payed, no questions asked. And it's a good way to teach the kids about business. Collect eggs and do other chicken-chores, and get pocket money.

 

[coach723]

Most of my customers are perfectly happy paying $3 for a dozen eggs. I have a few neighbors that drop heavy hints that they'd love to 'take' some if I have extra. I have a bad attitude about it, I find that those same people tend to always want free stuff, want help without returning the favor EVER, etc. If they don't want to pay $3 then I will feed them back to the chickens. Win-win in my opinion. Once you start talking about the work involved with raising, hatching, feeding, taking care of, nursing, culling, processing etc. They tend to be surprised, I think they think you just throw them in the back yard and magically they deposit eggs for you forever. I don't charge for cartons (yet), when I run low I let them know, most people return my cartons, they know if I run out I will have to charge for them. Some of those that buy elsewhere since they can't get mine for free will bring me their empty egg cartons. I think they feel they are sending me a message, but it saves me money so I just take them and smile. I HONESTLY don't care where anyone gets their eggs!! I have mine, that's all that matters to me.

 

[IamRainey]

You know, if you sell your eggs and you expect your family and friends to pay as well you might say something like "I get $_ a dozen for those when I sell them but if I give them to you it will cost me that $_. How about we split the difference and you give me $_ for a dozen every (week/2 weeks/month) because the feed that costs me $___ for the same period is what turns into those eggs?"

Maybe they'll resent it, but you seem to resent giving away free eggs so maybe that makes it a push anyway.

 

[Flickster5]

I gather around 6 dozen eggs a week now that temps are going up. Of those I keep a dozen for us if needed, keep 2 dozen on hand in case someone drops by wanting to buy eggs (happens more often than you'd think, people see the chickens in the yard and even without a Farm Fresh Eggs sign they know what that means) and the others are given away. If someone comes by and wants to buy more than the 2 dozen I keep on hand, I sell them. Those who get free eggs can't complain because they don't pay for them
As far as cartons go, one of my coworkers who I give eggs to routinely has a son who is both diabetic and celiac. One of the few foods he can eat nearly without restriction is eggs...he loves them and may go though a dozen eggs a day. Obviously that means a lot of cartons and she just gives me all of them. I'm lucky from that and she's happy with the free eggs too so it works out.

If you don't want to buy cartons, making good friends with a baker, someone on a diet like keto or with similar restrictions as my coworker's son, or really anyone who goes through a lot of eggs is very worthwhile. If they buy from you, yay money! Plus big buyers are more likely to want a discount you might offer for returned cartons. If they don't, it's easy enough to require the cartons back because hey, ya'know, I'm giving you all these eggs and they cost money so it's actually costing me to give you eggs.

In my experience, the people worst about returning cartons are family or those that just get a dozen every once in a while. But between that coworker and my boss, who is basically a hoarder and just gave me 40 cartons he's been saving just because lol, I never have to buy cartons despite the people who don't return them.

 

[Acre4Me]

Overall, I would say that many I know would expect them for free. However, I don't offer eggs very often. As @IamRainey indicated, they can be used in-kind like for the electrician. Funny, I do this with an electrician friend - he has a home improvement business, but he's been a commercial electrician, and has done electrical work at our house. He likes chickens and is appreciative of the free eggs. If I were to ask for cartons back, I'm pretty confident he would make the effort to return them. Others - not likely. But, if a parent has gone out of their way to pick up my kids, take them here or there, then I will offer up a dozen eggs if I have them.

In general, people like rewards, so in the case of selling eggs and wanting your cartons back, then a note inside indicating a discount on next dozen eggs for a returned carton in good (re-usable) condition would result in more cartons back. If you are giving away your eggs, but would like the carton back, then I would say adding a cute/catchy/pithy saying or quote inside the carton would also increase the carton returns or at least they might think about you when they have a store carton or two that they might think to give to you.

Only other thing that comes to mind is that each state has differing requirements for egg sales. Often limited to no real regulation selling from doorstep/own property, but increasing rules as you extend your reach farther, for example farmers market sales to selling to grocery or to a restaurant (with the highest rules/ requirements). I recall when reading through OH rules, at some point in the sales process, the cartons must be NEW, unused (but, I don't think this is for sales from your own doorstep). Re-using cartons from say a grocery store and there are rules around what needs to be covered up and what information needs to be provided (like number of eggs and "ungraded" statement). Anyway, all this to say that eggs do cost time and money, so you certainly can feel justified in asking for some cash!

 

[IamRainey]

I just had another thought. If being blunt and asking for money outright is uncomfortable how about asking them for feed? They won't have any, of course, but then you could say in a cheery way, "OK, give me $_ and I'll buy my own feed." Maybe that would make the point in a more lighthearted way.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

I have had this problem with my siblings but not my father. I charge my siblings the same amount I charge my normal customers. My father though...parents are free. That rule only started because my SO gave his parents a dozen for free. It doesnt matter though because my Dad pays full price anyway. He calls it my "tip". Im not gonna argue because if he wants to pay for it he can. My siblings complain I charge too much. I tell them "you must not like eggs too much".

 

[21hens-incharge]

I confess to not having read every post.

I give free eggs to only 2 people. One is a very good neighbor. I ask nothing in return but he is awesome! He brings me homemade jerky from his elk hunting and even deer steaks.

The other is my elderly neighbor across the street. They are nice people and living on SS isn't easy.

For those that ask to buy eggs from me I charge an extra dollar the first carton and make sure they know it is to cover the cost of the carton. I make sure they understand that so long as they bring me back that carton future eggs are a dollar less.








I am personally a bit offended by those who rarely but mine but bring me big stacks of dirty cardboard cartons thinking I should just give them eggs in exchange.
The eggs aren't free to me so won't be free to them.

I should charge for disposing of those dirty cartons.

 

[Fur-N-Fowl]

We have chickens, ducks and Quail eggs here and we just ask for a donation from people that live local if they would like any eggs.

The duck eggs are most popular and we end up having people 'waiting' for them. The hen eggs second best then no one wants Quail eggs. Poor Quails...

Whenever someone gives us a decent donation, we say then can have the Quail eggs as a bonus.

Even though we just ask for a donation towards feed, some people like to take the lend of that. We've had people take 24 eggs and donated nothing, saying they'll give money later but don't.

We did used to give people eggs for free when we just had a couple of hens. We now have about 20 currently laying and more that also need feeding. Even though donations are sometimes just £1.50 for 6 eggs, it still really helps us out.

People think that little donation won't make any difference but it really does. We don't ask for much, but getting absolutely nothing isn't great. Feed isn't free.

As for cartons, we get quite a few from people so we aren't that fussed about them. We also just use tubs for family. Some people also just bring their own containers incase we are out when they call.

We sort of work on a honesty way of buying eggs. Sadly, not everyone is very honest!

 

[baby-blue]

My girls aren’t laying yet, but with the many hens and female guineas that we have, I’ll have to start selling and/or giving away. I have family that will get some for free - I don’t eat eggs since I’m allergic - and I’m going to be feeding some to the dogs. We have some neighbors and family friends already asking for ‘free’ eggs.. little do they know how much it costs to feed all of my buggers, the guineas especially! I’m not sure how much to charge for the guinea eggs, but the chicken eggs will end up going for $4-$5 a dozen just to help cover the cost of their feed and maintenance.