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Entrepreneurship:  The price of eggs  |
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Thistlewoodmanor
True Blue Farmgirl
51 Posts
Deb
Geneva
IA
USA
51 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 11 2011 : 09:35:53 AM
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I have a small flock of chickens that produces more than my family can use. I'd like to sell eggs at our local farmer's market, but I'm concerned on setting the price. Other vendors at the market all sell their eggs for $1 a dozen. The grocery store sells white eggs for $1.25 and brown/organic for $4 a dozen. My cost to produce a dozen eggs is about $1.80 so I want to sell them for at least $2 a dozen to break even. I don't even know how the other vendors do it for $1 a dozen, they can't be making any money. Any suggestions on how to deal with this?
www.thistlewoodmanor.typepad.com
www.thistlewoodmanor.etsy.com |
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JojoNH
True Blue Farmgirl
1984 Posts
Joanna
Dunbarton
New Hampshire
USA
1984 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2011 : 2:33:17 PM
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 First off, WaHOOO!!! Your "Girls" are doing great!! As far as setting the price, set it according to what you need to turn a profit, or at the very least, break even! The others have their goals in mind as to why they set their prices the way they do. . . so don't get into a price war with them. You know what you need to do and once you start getting your loyal customers . . . they won't want to buy anyone else's eggs but yours!
My Girl's provide me with plenty of eggs and I too sell my extras to my loyal customer group. For me $2.00 per dozen is perfect and it pays for everything to keep my Girl's in style! Chicken feed, scratch, grit, fresh greens and even the heat lamps to keep them toasty warm all winter. . while they continue to bless me with their wonderful eggs!
Joanna #566
JojoNH
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CountryCents
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www.JoannasHomeStudio.com "Keeping traditions alive a stitch at a time" |
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vegetarian farmer
True Blue Farmgirl
249 Posts
Jane
Freedom
pa
USA
249 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2011 : 3:13:18 PM
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Deb, I do not sell but my neighbor does. I live in the country and she sells white for $1/doz, brown $1.50 doz/ and easter eggers $3/doz. I am sure she doesn't break even but she is 82 and does it for fun and the social factor (and she delivers so with gas going up I KNOW she doesn't break even). That said our co-op and health food store in the city sell local, free range eggs for $3-4 a dozen and organic can go to $6/doz. I agree with Joanna, you have to get enough that you turn a little profit. Good product speaks for itself. I sell wood oven baked organic bread for $5 a pound loaf, it sounds like a lot until you taste the difference and I can't get rid of my customers if I tried.
http://hardworkhomestead.blogspot.com/ |
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chickenjanedoe
True Blue Farmgirl
96 Posts
Sandy
Claypool
Indiana
USA
96 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2011 : 08:01:22 AM
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Dear Deb,
Congrats on the eggs!! At our farmers market a few years ago we had this same issue.Everyone sold for $1 because they were afraid to rock the boat even though they weren't breaking even. I said that i had to have $2.50 dz. Some people complained but others were happy because the bar had been raised and they raised $ too. There is no reason why u should sell your fresher, higher quality product for less than fair market value. As an added incentive put up some pics of your happy hens when you go to sell. The customers like to know their 'suppliers' . :) Good Luck and Happy Egging! sandy |
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Montrose Girl
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm
1360 Posts
Laurie
Montrose
CO
1360 Posts |
Posted - Mar 14 2011 : 06:11:30 AM
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we buy them for $2.50 from the neighbor. Well worth it. Not certified, but organic non the less. Don't be afraid to ask a reasonable price.
Laurie
http://www.inntheorchardbnb.com/ |
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ChickieMama
True Blue Farmgirl
303 Posts
Angela
Banks
Oregon
USA
303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2011 : 10:38:25 PM
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I live in Oregon and I sell my rainbow of eggs for $3 dozen and I can't keep up with the demand...I have added 20 baby chicks to my flock for this reason. The free range and organic eggs sell anywhere from $4-6 dozen in our stores here. I say sell your eggs for the price that you want and need. If people like you and your eggs, they will pay the price. Good luck!
Farmgirl Sister#2808
"Happy Hens make Happy Eggs" |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Mar 26 2011 : 5:20:21 PM
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We sell ours for 2.00/dozen since I deliver. Never have gotten many objections there. I sell mostly brown and 3 white from the 3 leghorn ladies
Other folks sell theirs for the 4.00 and even 5.00 but that's certified organic with the little green seal
Our hens are free range and cage free. I don't have a cheap source for the real organic feeds |
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pleasantvalleyfarm1
Farmgirl at Heart
6 Posts
Beckyann
Tillamook
oregon
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - Mar 26 2011 : 9:27:15 PM
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Here in Oregon I sell a dozen eggs for $4.00. Always in a new clean carton, with a label on it. We have free range, cage free on 5 acres. the cost of feed and new egg cartons all play in the cost and we are doing it to make money, not to give eggs away. At times we even delivered if they live close.
A new Farmgirl Sister #2868 and loving it!
Farmgirl Forever! |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Mar 27 2011 : 4:54:35 PM
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My setup is more hobby with benefits. Around here the gardening and chicken market is saturated.
What I sell -the $$ get put into a small savings account.
It's bonus for us. Last year ou ladies helped pay for a newly remodeled kitchen.............so every penny counts.
The really crappy part is, I also see our eggs at work, and a co worker in the same section had the gall to start selling too ....withouht asking! She took a few clients, but not enough to make a huge difference
This time of year I wish I could find a local co op (like 10 miles rather than 30 or 50) to reap a bigger reward.
Kudos that you can sell yours for what you do!!
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 29 2011 : 10:46:30 AM
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I had to go up on my eggs to $3 a dozen. And no one has complained at all. I sell them as fast as they are laid. I need more hens. A few years ago they past a law where anyone selling eggs at the farmer's market had to take a candling class. I didn't do it. I can sell them from home though. In Chattanooga at the markets there, people are getting $5-6 a dozen and paople buy them.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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FG Vicki
Farmgirl in Training
27 Posts
Vicki M
Etna
CA
USA
27 Posts |
Posted - Apr 08 2011 : 4:37:12 PM
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I live in Northern CA and I sell my eggs for $3.00 a dozen. My eggs are almost all very large and we feed our chickens very well. They free range in the afternoon and we feed them organic alfalfa and corn and egg pellets. My eggs are always fresh and I have had no complaints.
Vicki
"What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything"
Vincent van Gogh |
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momdrinkstea
True Blue Farmgirl
180 Posts
Elizabeth
Ozark
AL
USA
180 Posts |
Posted - Apr 13 2011 : 07:20:33 AM
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We sell for $2 a dozen. A local farmer mixes us organic, non-certified feed.
He won't pay for the "certification" and neither will I! But my ladies free
range, eating all the grass, grubs and bugs their little tummies can hold.
(I've even seen them eat frogs, baby snakes and baby mice! Now that's protein!)
And oh boy do those eggs taste GOOD! We have New Hampshires, Barred Rocks, Ameraucanas
and Leghorns. RAINBOW EGGS! I used clean, used cartons, but I'd definitely charge
more for new cartons if they were wanted! Locals here sell for anywhere from $1 - $5 a dozen. Good luck!
Stacked Stone Farm
feel free to follow my blog: www.stackedstonefarm.blogspot.com |
Edited by - momdrinkstea on Apr 13 2011 07:21:26 AM |
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Entrepreneurship: The price of eggs |
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The price of eggs
