Why would they sell eggs so cheap?

[erinchelsea]

Went to the farmer's market this weekend and one stand was selling farm fresh eggs. Since we aren't getting eggs yet thought I would get a dozen. I noticed the price was $1.50/dozen!!! So I asked for a dozen and they said they were sold out. They said they usually sell out in an hour or so and sometimes sell everything before they even get to the market. Geesh, people- raise your prices! DH and I have thought about selling our eggs at the market next year but how on earth can we compete with those prices?! They were the only ones there too so not like they had to mark them down due to competition. Factory eggs at the store run about that price, and "cage-free" or organic run $2.50-$3.

 

[no1hilbily]

when they sell out and people are still wanting them youll sell them
im just starting to get good egg numbers i can sell all i need to with friends and work at 2 dollars a dozen

 

[Sassafras]

My local farmers market sells them for $4/doz. The going rate for them at feed stores, etc is $3/doz. I am sure they would rather sell out than have mediocre sales but I wonder if they are breaking even?

 

[CapricornFarm]

Around here, that's what they go for. I sell my hatching eggs for more, but people still tell me they buy theirs elsewhere for less. My fridge is full of eggs. I boil lots and feed them to the chicks. I would like to charge more but I would probably sell less. Sometimes I have people buy several dozen at once, and I got a new customer that runs a restaurant so that helps.

 

[Fred's Hens]

$1.50 is likely just to be rid of them. Excess production. There are even places where folks "convert" their feed stocks into cash by feeding chickens and selling the eggs for super cheap. It may also be that they are establishing a customer base? Maybe they'll raise those prices in the future?

I don't sell eggs for that cheap. Our regions "glass ceiling" is around $2.50. I'd trim the flock, big time, before I would sell at cost which has crept up to almost $1.40, give or take.

 

[CarolJ]

At our local Saturday morning farmers' market, a dozen eggs cost $4.00 - and until my pullets start laying, I buy at least a dozen every week. The folks selling them have no trouble getting that price - and often sell out. There are probably 4 or 5 people selling eggs each week - and they all charge the same.

 

[eds500]

That's cheap. The few excess that we have are sold to a neighbor for $.25 each which equates to $3/doz. We don't have enough on a slow week to meet our own demands much less filling orders. The market in Raleigh is from $3/doz to $4/doz. There may be less expensive but I haven't seen it.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I agree. I sell my eggs at our farm. I used to sell them at a local produce market and local feed store. I sold them the eggs for $1.50 a dozen and they would resell them for $2.50/$3.00 a dozen. The owner of the feed store died so I now just sell them here at the farm. I get $2.50 a dozen. When the pullets start laying and the eggs are small, I sell them for $2.00 a dozen.

 

[yinepu]

we give our extras away for free.. so my husband will take several dozen to work any given day and just give them away to his coworkers

all i ask for in return is empty cartons if they have any

 

[dianaross77]

Did they say the eggs were free range or organic? Our farmers market sells eggs for pretty cheap but I know they're no different than the battery hen type commercial facilities, just fresher. I just started selling mine for $1.50/dozen to family but to other people it will be $2.00/dozen with a discount if they don't need a carton or bring theirs back. For me this is about breaking even with free eggs for me and my family and not supporting the industry.