selling chicken eggs

[D1]

Long story short.........I have been approached by a convience store wa nting to purchase fresh free range chicken eggs.......at first they mentioned 5 dozen a week to start now wanting half dozen/6 count size as well about 4 of them per week to see how they sell......I sell eggs for $2.00 a dozen just to people I work with and they provide the carton...... I understand thet they are in business to make a profit, as well I am too.......those who sell comerically,how much, approximately, does it cost to package 1 dozen eggs and get them in the store WITHOUT your profit?



just trying to figure out how much I should charge per dozen





also what, if any, regulations by the states(MS hopefully) should I be aware of(licenses/permits are involved) and any other cost I may not be thinking of?



thanks

 

[pridegoethb4thefall]

Don't know what state you are in, but in Ca, you now have to have a 'egg handlers' license to sell eggs commercially, even to a local feed store that is going to re-sell them.

That said.. Normal retail procedure is to mark up any item by at least 50% from what they paid for it, so if they sell eggs for 4 dollars a dz, you should be getting about 2 per dz from the store. Consider your cost to produce the eggs, cost for cartons, maybe the store will provide those since I imagine they want some kind of label with their name on it?

Also, cost depends on your marketing hook- are you selling as organic, free range, farm fresh, or just regular eggs? Is size a claim you want to make?

Free Range, organic, farm fresh, jumbo eggs should retail around 5 to 6 dollars a dozen, especially in a small shop, IF they can legally claim all those items, so you should get about 2.50 to 3.50 a dz.

If your eggs are from hens fed store bought feed, kept in a tractor and are usually medium in size, the retailer might sell for 2.50 to 4.50, you should get about half of the retail price.

Just ask the guy how much they are going to sell them for retail, then charge them about half that, with maybe a discount for bigger orders. Also ask to have your email info on the label so people can order from you directly.

And CONGRATS on getting your eggs to retail!! Thats not so easy these days!

 

[Royd Wood]

We sell our free range eggs for $6.50 per dozen and sold out every day. Do the maths to purchase chickens, feed, bedding materials, preditor kill replacement, processor costs, new replacements, feeders and wateres (not cheap) then your time and effort. Why should someone be able to rape and pillage you for 2/3 bucks per doz when they are the best eggs in the world and the big stores are charging at least $6 for free range eggies which might be free range (if you know what I mean wink wink)
I really wish everyone would stop selling them for $2

 

[pridegoethb4thefall]

We sell our free range eggs for $6.50 per dozen and sold out every day. Do the maths to purchase chickens, feed, bedding materials, preditor kill replacement, processor costs, new replacements, feeders and wateres (not cheap) then your time and effort. Why should someone be able to rape and pillage you for 2/3 bucks per doz when they are the best eggs in the world and the big stores are charging at least $6 for free range eggies which might be free range (if you know what I mean wink wink)
I really wish everyone would stop selling them for $2

I think a lot of people sell them for around 2 because-

A. They are selling to friends and family and don't want to feel like they are 'over-charging' friends and family. F&F can get eggs from store around that price, they (F&F) don't usually know or understand the cost and effort involved. A simple case of being mentally divorced from where our food comes from kind of thing (IMO), therefore, they don't see a reason to pay more.

B. The market is flooded with people selling their eggs already. A quick check on Craigslist will show what people are selling eggs for on a private party level in any given area.

I personally think people with more than, say, 25 egg laying,TRULY free ranging hens, is over charging for eggs at $6.00 per dozen. But thats just me. Its not been my experience that keeping a backyard flock of egg layers is all that costly. I think its the initial investment that can be pricey, but not too pricey.
I mean, how often do you have to buy feeders and waterers? Even plastic ones will last years if cared for properly. Clean habits lead to healthy poultry and reduced costs of production. Hens are often self-replicating, so you don't HAVE to always buy new stock, and laying age hens can be found and bought fairly inexpensively if you don't want to raise chicks. Feed costs are easily reduced with true free ranging, table scraps and occasional use of coupons and sales and feed mills for bulk purchases. Egg cartons can even be re-used, cutting costs again. (Ive found them free on CL as well)
Deep litter methods in coops, frequent moving of tractors or just true free ranging, reduces bedding costs.

I find having less than 25 hens is not cost efficient when selling eggs though. Seems like I can never have enough eggs to meet my own use, fill orders and have those orders pay me for my time, efforts, gas if I deliver, or even supplement my feed costs. It can be a delicate balance.


Royd Wood- Im curious about your selling market. Are you selling from home, farmers market, retail, word of mouth, F&F? What area? Is there little competition, or is that the price the market is bearing where you live? I would LOVE to be able to sell my flocks eggs for that price, but everyone out here that isn't at a farmers market sells for 3.00 a dozen (feed store only pays 2.50, then re-sells for 3.50 a dozen) Maybe you can give us some pointers on up-selling a bit?

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

We sell our free range eggs for $6.50 per dozen and sold out every day. Do the maths to purchase chickens, feed, bedding materials, preditor kill replacement, processor costs, new replacements, feeders and wateres (not cheap) then your time and effort. Why should someone be able to rape and pillage you for 2/3 bucks per doz when they are the best eggs in the world and the big stores are charging at least $6 for free range eggies which might be free range (if you know what I mean wink wink)
I really wish everyone would stop selling them for $2

I agree 100%

I see eggs in the store for 2.50-2.75 a doz and for the "free-range" and "cage-free" it's 5.00 or up. Those are might be called that but really, they aren't or at least are not even close to an egg from mine or your chickens. I hate to see people selling these great eggs for these low prices too because it hurts everyone in the end. Selling eggs can be a great way to at least offset the price of chickens and the feed. A see real farm eggs down to as low as 1.50 which is CRAZY!!

Also, sure, if selling to friends then why not sell at a lower price. We actually give away alot of eggs to friends and family and that's great, but selling them to others....no....the price goes up for sure.

btw PGB4TF
We have 200 or so chickens here so not just a little 25 laying birds. lol

 

[Royd Wood]

We sell our free range eggs for $6.50 per dozen and sold out every day. Do the maths to purchase chickens, feed, bedding materials, preditor kill replacement, processor costs, new replacements, feeders and wateres (not cheap) then your time and effort. Why should someone be able to rape and pillage you for 2/3 bucks per doz when they are the best eggs in the world and the big stores are charging at least $6 for free range eggies which might be free range (if you know what I mean wink wink)
I really wish everyone would stop selling them for $2

I think a lot of people sell them for around 2 because-

A. They are selling to friends and family and don't want to feel like they are 'over-charging' friends and family. F&F can get eggs from store around that price, they (F&F) don't usually know or understand the cost and effort involved. A simple case of being mentally divorced from where our food comes from kind of thing (IMO), therefore, they don't see a reason to pay more.

B. The market is flooded with people selling their eggs already. A quick check on Craigslist will show what people are selling eggs for on a private party level in any given area.

I personally think people with more than, say, 25 egg laying,TRULY free ranging hens, is over charging for eggs at $6.00 per dozen. But thats just me. Its not been my experience that keeping a backyard flock of egg layers is all that costly. I think its the initial investment that can be pricey, but not too pricey.
I mean, how often do you have to buy feeders and waterers? Even plastic ones will last years if cared for properly. Clean habits lead to healthy poultry and reduced costs of production. Hens are often self-replicating, so you don't HAVE to always buy new stock, and laying age hens can be found and bought fairly inexpensively if you don't want to raise chicks. Feed costs are easily reduced with true free ranging, table scraps and occasional use of coupons and sales and feed mills for bulk purchases. Egg cartons can even be re-used, cutting costs again. (Ive found them free on CL as well)
Deep litter methods in coops, frequent moving of tractors or just true free ranging, reduces bedding costs.

I find having less than 25 hens is not cost efficient when selling eggs though. Seems like I can never have enough eggs to meet my own use, fill orders and have those orders pay me for my time, efforts, gas if I deliver, or even supplement my feed costs. It can be a delicate balance.


Royd Wood- Im curious about your selling market. Are you selling from home, farmers market, retail, word of mouth, F&F? What area? Is there little competition, or is that the price the market is bearing where you live? I would LOVE to be able to sell my flocks eggs for that price, but everyone out here that isn't at a farmers market sells for 3.00 a dozen (feed store only pays 2.50, then re-sells for 3.50 a dozen) Maybe you can give us some pointers on up-selling a bit?

A / Thats fine to buddies and brothers as long as they understand the eggs are hevily subsidised

B / Selling eggs on craiglist can also allow someone to buy lots of eggs from you and then they resell around 5 to 6 bucks a dozen Trust me this happens around here on kijiji

C / We are full time farmers (yes thats no day job in the city) so please fogive me for trying to make a living and charging a realistic price for a extreamly good healthy product

We have a farm store with a full range of meats, eggs, jams, bread and baking. All our products are grown / made / laid right here in a old fasioned way. Location is important so yes living within 5 minutes of a prosperous town with a population of 30,000 really does help

 

[pridegoethb4thefall]

We sell our free range eggs for $6.50 per dozen and sold out every day. Do the maths to purchase chickens, feed, bedding materials, preditor kill replacement, processor costs, new replacements, feeders and wateres (not cheap) then your time and effort. Why should someone be able to rape and pillage you for 2/3 bucks per doz when they are the best eggs in the world and the big stores are charging at least $6 for free range eggies which might be free range (if you know what I mean wink wink)
I really wish everyone would stop selling them for $2

I think a lot of people sell them for around 2 because-

A. They are selling to friends and family and don't want to feel like they are 'over-charging' friends and family. F&F can get eggs from store around that price, they (F&F) don't usually know or understand the cost and effort involved. A simple case of being mentally divorced from where our food comes from kind of thing (IMO), therefore, they don't see a reason to pay more.

B. The market is flooded with people selling their eggs already. A quick check on Craigslist will show what people are selling eggs for on a private party level in any given area.

I personally think people with more than, say, 25 egg laying,TRULY free ranging hens, is over charging for eggs at $6.00 per dozen. But thats just me. Its not been my experience that keeping a backyard flock of egg layers is all that costly. I think its the initial investment that can be pricey, but not too pricey.
I mean, how often do you have to buy feeders and waterers? Even plastic ones will last years if cared for properly. Clean habits lead to healthy poultry and reduced costs of production. Hens are often self-replicating, so you don't HAVE to always buy new stock, and laying age hens can be found and bought fairly inexpensively if you don't want to raise chicks. Feed costs are easily reduced with true free ranging, table scraps and occasional use of coupons and sales and feed mills for bulk purchases. Egg cartons can even be re-used, cutting costs again. (Ive found them free on CL as well)
Deep litter methods in coops, frequent moving of tractors or just true free ranging, reduces bedding costs.

I find having less than 25 hens is not cost efficient when selling eggs though. Seems like I can never have enough eggs to meet my own use, fill orders and have those orders pay me for my time, efforts, gas if I deliver, or even supplement my feed costs. It can be a delicate balance.


Royd Wood- Im curious about your selling market. Are you selling from home, farmers market, retail, word of mouth, F&F? What area? Is there little competition, or is that the price the market is bearing where you live? I would LOVE to be able to sell my flocks eggs for that price, but everyone out here that isn't at a farmers market sells for 3.00 a dozen (feed store only pays 2.50, then re-sells for 3.50 a dozen) Maybe you can give us some pointers on up-selling a bit?

A / Thats fine to buddies and brothers as long as they understand the eggs are hevily subsidised

B / Selling eggs on craiglist can also allow someone to buy lots of eggs from you and then they resell around 5 to 6 bucks a dozen Trust me this happens around here on kijiji

C / We are full time farmers (yes thats no day job in the city) so please fogive me for trying to make a living and charging a realistic price for a extreamly good healthy product

We have a farm store with a full range of meats, eggs, jams, bread and baking. All our products are grown / made / laid right here in a old fasioned way. Location is important so yes living within 5 minutes of a prosperous town with a population of 30,000 really does help

Sorry if I offended you- sure didn't mean too! I have nothing but the utmost respect for good farmers, and I would never begrudge them the right to make a decent profit. I do understand the *reasons* for charging 6 per doz for eggs for most bigger farms that are doing things exactly as they claim, it just hasn't been my experience that its so expensive to raise chickens, plus Im not into that big scale farming so I don't have a total cost picture.
And yes, farm eggs are better- No argument there. But I think the general (uninformed) public is totally unaware of that fact, thus they are not so willing to pay such amounts for eggs they can buy in the store for 1/3 of that 6.00 price. It takes time and a real effort by many people to make a change in public opinion. And there will ALWAYS be someone who will under-cut you price wise , and ruin the pricing for others. So I think we smaller guys sometimes underprice just to get the eggs sold and to compete with stores that are everywhere. There are still a lot of folks out there that think farm eggs are dirty somehow, unsafe... Sometimes price can be a way to change someones mind (especially when money is tight)

I didn't even account for people buying cheap and then re-selling... Would these be people who sell at Farmers Markets? No one on our CraigsList sells for more than 3.00 per dozen, and 4.00 per half dozen of duck eggs. No one that Ive ever found. Cant say Im happy to even think people would do that. Seems kinda wrong somehow? Maybe thats just part of being in a 'free market'?

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

I work in an area where people are joining CSA's and paying $5 an $6/ dozen for eggs. No wonder they are all jumping to purchase my eggs at $3 / dozen.

For me, laying pellets is $15 for a 50 lb bag. This time of year, the girls are not producing as much as they do in the summer, so I have considered raising the price. I have friends that sell their eggs for $6.50 per dozen and have no problem selling them.

I say, what the market will bear. Isn't that economics.

 

[FahrendorfFarms]

I sell for 2.00 a dozen, and dont make a profit but the chickens pay for there own feed and there electricity, not to say if i went up over 30 hen i wouldnt make a profit, but we dont free range for longer than 2 hours due to predators. I have trouble selling eggs sometimes, then others i dont have enough.

 

[pridegoethb4thefall]

I work in an area where people are joining CSA's and paying $5 an $6/ dozen for eggs. No wonder they are all jumping to purchase my eggs at $3 / dozen.

For me, laying pellets is $15 for a 50 lb bag. This time of year, the girls are not producing as much as they do in the summer, so I have considered raising the price. I have friends that sell their eggs for $6.50 per dozen and have no problem selling them.

I say, what the market will bear. Isn't that economics.

What is a CSA?

I agree- those sold by small, private backyard hobbyists sell at the price market will bear. Where I live, if you aren't selling at an established Farmers Market, you are getting 3.00 per dozen. Thats our local economics... not everyone else's, just ours.

Its even more of a hassle now that Calif has required ANYONE selling eggs must have an Egg Handlers Permit, and MUST have label on their cartons, and Must classify their eggs by size/weight, and you can get in trouble if you sell eggs under the wrong weight/class label. Most PP's don't get the permit though, they risk the fine.

I think I almost want to get my permit and TRY to sell our eggs at the 6.00 price point and see what happens. Don't have enough to supply a distributor even at Farmers Market level, but purely private party CL. I for one wouldn't mind getting a few more bucks per dozen (even though I still think for my size operation, I would be slightly over charging. But Im no farmer, just a hobbyist doing it for my own eggs and the love of poultry. $Bottom line is not as important as it could, and maybe should, be) Be interesting to see if my market would accept it, maybe even start a trend amongst the other sellers.

At this point for me, selling chicks is far more lucrative. I raise and LOVE my pure bred, non-hatchery, Blue, Black and Splash Jersey Giants. VERY hard to come by around here (at this quality) so I get 5 to 8 per chick, and up to 60 for a laying hen. 4 H is big out here too, so chicks tend to sell well. Even with people buying hatchery stock to re-sell, private breeders are still able to keep their higher quality stock selling for better prices than the hatchery chick re-sellers.