Selling Eggs?

[me&thegals]

So, here is what I am thinking about doing. Bring in the eggs, wash them lightly. Nothing major like scrubbing and bleaching and stuff. Then, into the fridge. Make a sign that says " Fresh Eggs 2.00 " and maybe raise the price later ?

It's hard to raise prices. I'd start out where you think they should be. Research what your type of egg (free range, pastured, etc.) is selling for at farms and stores around you to give you a range to work in. I let my customers know what similar eggs go for, high and low, and then put my price in the middle. Just my opinion, though

 

[FarmerChick]

NO don't raise the price later

if you are JUST starting pick a higher fair price

then leave that price while you start collecting your customers and then you DON"T have to go up on price later on them


get your fair market value on fresh eggs in your area YOURS are quality fresh and get that price

no one wants to find a good source for product and then in a little while go back and find that price hiked up again.......so go in knowing that your price can hold ya for a while

 

[~gd]

NO don't raise the price later

if you are JUST starting pick a higher fair price

then leave that price while you start collecting your customers and then you DON"T have to go up on price later on them


get your fair market value on fresh eggs in your area YOURS are quality fresh and get that price

no one wants to find a good source for product and then in a little while go back and find that price hiked up again.......so go in knowing that your price can hold ya for a while

Of course you are going to miss all the cheap customers like me that say an egg is an egg, why should I pay twice as much for some unproven claim? (which is exactly the way that the factory farms captured most of the egg market in the first place) The most secessful marketing I have seen on eggs was a woman that took a hot plate and a fry pan to a 'farmers market' and gave away free samples cooked to order(Most won't allow you to sell prepared food but never had rules on samples) Once customers saw, smelled and tasted truly fresh eggs they were willing to spend a little extra for quality! (i am still her customer and I am still cheap)

 

[FarmerChick]

lol I know, but some customers are going to be missed regardless of "whatever u do or how good u are" lol

seriously, if there are "only a few" leftover dozen eggs, I would get top dollar and those people are out there to pay.

the ones who say an egg is an egg usually shop the grocery anyway lol

 

[rhoda_bruce]

A few months ago, someone across the bayou from me started selling their eggs for 2.00/doz....one dollar less than me. I refused to go down on my price. Some customers stayed with me. I learned that my eggs tasted better. I figured it was because they had more grass and bugs. I kept the customers, but had to do more trading than selling for a while, which was fine with me. Less selling, but also less buying. We ate a lot of seafood and deer for a while.
I will not have a price war. If I go down on my prices, I am just selling eggs because I love raising chickens and GIVING eggs away, because @ 2.00/doz, I won't even be able to replace my chickens when they stop laying. I need to be paid for what I do.
As to washing in very hot water; some of my customers have bought my eggs as hatching eggs. Also, I don't always put the eggs straight in the fridge. I might want to incubate, so I can sell chicks and raise my own meat birds. Thats how you really come out ahead; by looking at the big picture. Eggs alone and you might not make it, but when you consider the free fertilizer, lack of need for a lawnmower, very cheap or even free meat, you have a very profitable project.
Check what you have to do, but I can't see very many people will go around and enforce it. Maybe things are different where you are from. Since 1986, no one has ever inspected me or questioned any aspect of my operation.

 

[Emerald]

A few months ago, someone across the bayou from me started selling their eggs for 2.00/doz....one dollar less than me. I refused to go down on my price. Some customers stayed with me. I learned that my eggs tasted better. I figured it was because they had more grass and bugs. I kept the customers, but had to do more trading than selling for a while, which was fine with me. Less selling, but also less buying. We ate a lot of seafood and deer for a while.
I will not have a price war. If I go down on my prices, I am just selling eggs because I love raising chickens and GIVING eggs away, because @ 2.00/doz, I won't even be able to replace my chickens when they stop laying. I need to be paid for what I do.
As to washing in very hot water; some of my customers have bought my eggs as hatching eggs. Also, I don't always put the eggs straight in the fridge. I might want to incubate, so I can sell chicks and raise my own meat birds. Thats how you really come out ahead; by looking at the big picture. Eggs alone and you might not make it, but when you consider the free fertilizer, lack of need for a lawnmower, very cheap or even free meat, you have a very profitable project.
Check what you have to do, but I can't see very many people will go around and enforce it. Maybe things are different where you are from. Since 1986, no one has ever inspected me or questioned any aspect of my operation.

Now I have had a few folks want to buy eggs for hatching since i have roo's and they wanted to see how they liked chickens before putting out the big bucks for "true breeds"(their words not mine) and so if they ask ahead of time I will put by a couple dozen for their incubators for $3 a dozen(I mean I have to put them aside in a nice temp. regulated area and pick only clean ones lol) but most folks just like that I keep them like I would a pet and that I love them and that the eggs come in every shade of tan, brown, white, and green to turquoise blue! I do get a $1 extra if they only want brown or blue/green or white..

But some of the stories that I have heard, myself and from others!! eggs with brown egg shell are from chickens that eat only poop to "they are too eggy tasting" ? TOO EGGY TASTING? What????? they want eggs that don't taste eggy?

 

[Farmfresh]

As to washing in very hot water; some of my customers have bought my eggs as hatching eggs. Also, I don't always put the eggs straight in the fridge. I might want to incubate, so I can sell chicks and raise my own meat birds.

Now I have had a few folks want to buy eggs for hatching since i have roo's and they wanted to see how they liked chickens before putting out the big bucks for "true breeds"(their words not mine) and so if they ask ahead of time I will put by a couple dozen for their incubators for $3 a dozen(I mean I have to put them aside in a nice temp. regulated area and pick only clean ones lol) but most folks just like that I keep them like I would a pet and that I love them and that the eggs come in every shade of tan, brown, white, and green to turquoise blue! I do get a $1 extra if they only want brown or blue/green or white..

But some of the stories that I have heard, myself and from others!! eggs with brown egg shell are from chickens that eat only poop to "they are too eggy tasting" ? TOO EGGY TASTING? What????? they want eggs that don't taste eggy?

I have sold hatching eggs, egg shells, chicks and even started pullets. You have to maximize your sales if possible. I always refrigerated all of my eggs unless I had an order for hatching eggs. I would save the eggs AFTER I had the order to keep them as fresh as possible the fresher the egg the higher the hatch rate.

I liked to sell mixed colors in my egg cartons as well. People really seemed to enjoy the colorful eggs.

The too eggy thing is just par for the course. People in this country have been separated from real food for so long they think that fast food is tasty!

 

[mandieg4]

My DH had a guy at work that wanted to buy eggs from us, but his wife wouldn't let them because "brown eggs come from the butt of a chicken". When he asked her where she thought the white eggs come from she said "a factory". I am continually shocked by the ignorance of some people.

 

[savingdogs]

I only wash the eggs when they are dirty and I use warm water only. Except with the duck eggs sometimes, they need a little scrubby. Just explain to people these are real, unwashed eggs.

I sell my chicken eggs for 3.00 a dozen and duck eggs for 4.00. If customers are regular and return the carton I lower the price 50 cents because I like dealing with them as opposed to others. One person I sell to for 3.00 for duck eggs because I owe her a huge debt of gratitude for saving my dog (she is a vet). Makes me feel good I can do something a little nice for her.

I only have about 25 chickens but support them with my egg sales and then some. Plus we have the free eggs and it pays for some of our other livestock food as well.

I put them all on the counter until I have a dozen and then I refridgerate them.

I can peel my eggs fine and tell people how to boil eggs so that they can peel them. There are whole threads about this, but PM me if you have trouble peeling fresh eggs, it can be done, really!

 

[Rebecka]

Okay.. Lots and Lots of good points! So, I think we have decided 3.00 a dozen. What do you think about Not putting a price on the sign? I hadn't even considered someone would want to hatch the eggs. By spring all we will have is buffs and RIR's and they will be separated. I will be able to ensure breed.

We have also decided to go ahead and wash the ones we are selling. We don't intend to sell small or misshapen eggs. Those we will keep for our use. So, I think they will look much nicer in the cartons.

I went to a place about 10 miles up the road and bought some 1.50 a dozen eggs. I could not see the coop, but I could smell it. I asked the guy if I could have todays eggs. He disappeared and was gone for some time. Then returned with a carton and told me that these were the ones he just took out of the coop and some of them might be yesterdays if that was okay. I took that to mean he does not collect eggs daily. I found that very odd. I collect eggs several times a day. Am I odd?

Anyway, the yolks were pale , the shells were thin and brittle and the carton he gave me had dried egg yuck in the bottom. If he is getting 1.50 for that, I can surely get 3.00 for mine, I think. It wasn't my intent to stalk the competition or anything, I just wanted to see what one gets for 1.50 around here and maybe talk with him a bit about how his sales are. I had intended to asking him about breeds and maybe seeing the chickens. I even brought a few pints of jam and apple butter to give him in trade for the anticipated friendly conversation. That didn't happen. Am I being overly picky about this guy? I know I am a bit on the obsessive side about my girls and it would be unreasonable to expect everyone to be that way.