What does a dozen eggs REALLY cost to produce?

[BacktoBasicsGal]

I could reduce the costs if I did not clean the coop out every weekend but I don't like feeding flies anymore than I have to and I like to keep the coop perches and floor clean as it helps to keep my eggs clean too. I just needed to rant and felt fellow chicken keepers would understand more than others would plus I wanted to have an idea of actual costs out of curiosity. I think it is always a good idea knowing the value of what one produces.

Many of the costs to produce had to be made on a "best guess" but I think it comes fairly close to an accurate figure for producing a dozen eggs on our homestead. In figuring the costs as they stand now, I will look for ways to reduce costs without lowering my standard of care....

 

[123RedBeard]

I'm not sure of the time line of when this was said ...

Long story short, they said they would try them first to see if they were worth it ...

But if said at time of delivery ... I would have just left with my eggs!

Is that what they do at the grocery store???

I hope they choked on a shell!

 

[Spartan22]

I accidentally found an app called "Flock Plenty" on one of BYC threads, I tried it and I love the simplicity of monitoring our egg production, cost, sales (only to friends & coworkers) weekly. It breaks it down to daily, weekly and monthly for me, which I can catalog temps, photos, and all little factors that could affect decrease or increase in egg productions.
I sell dozen of eggs for $3.50 to $4 depend on the size of eggs and Marans eggs for $5.00 delivered provided they have clean egg cartons otherwise I charge extra $0.50. We come out having $1.39/doz profit after deducting all my feed & beddings cost. We average $55/monthly profit that goes toward chicken coop rent (been a year and the coop is half paid off). We don't sell unless they understand the benefits of backyard chicken eggs and make sure to emphasize they can get it cheaper somewhere else. We didn't intended to sell either matter of fact we just want to have our own eggs but friends became weekly regular that just added bonus for our new hobby.

 

[BacktoBasicsGal]

Had I any idea that they did not think farm fresh eggs from actual free-ranging chickens weren't any different than those nasty old eggs they buy for a couple of dollars at the grocery store, I would never have finally given in and "sold" them a dozen - Secondly they would not have had any eggs had they said that to my face. It doesn't matter now if they think they are worth $4 bucks or not, I would not sell them a dozen for $30 but that's just me.

LOL Never again that's for sure!

 

[123RedBeard]

When I buy eggs from the local farm I drive by on my way home from work every month ... They charge (and I happly pay!) $3 med, $4 lg, $5 XL

 

[ShawnsChick]

1st off, I'd never deliver eggs, if they want them, they'd have to come & get them. 2ndly, they'd have to pay for them @ the time of purchase. 3rdly, Never 4get, someone always wants something for free in this world: I'd never let them pay later, for what they can pay for @ the time of purchase.

 

[CoocoChik]

wow !! if only any one around my area would pay those $4.00 ! from I was told by others who do buy farm eggs (not from me) -- ie some neighbors, they pay $1.50 for the dozen!!
so i say, the people who are selling for that amount.. well they probably not feeding the poor chics!!!

yes i does cost much much more to produce great healthy eggs- i feed my flock 99 % organic since not of the 100% organic producers around here (for 1 they charge too much and second my chics and rooters don't like it )
talking about how really smart they are....

 

[Mutt Farm]

Hi! Interesting thread. You're clearly "honked off"! I would be too! I'm going to ditto everything @aart already said. I understand you're need to justify, but your cost estimates seem really exaggerated. You forgot to include your salary for answering the phone, your laundry for changing clothes after you collect eggs?

I've never had anyone "beg" and repeatedly pester me to sell them eggs. It got close here in Ca when we had a shortage though...I'm not trying to make a living selling eggs. It's nice to sell the extras to pay the FEED bill. I'd have the chickens anyway. XL just plain eggs at the market are $4.69. I give eggs away or sell for $4.00/dz to friends or swap for garden veggies or fruit. We have a community FB BST page It's frustrating when other BYC sell for $3.00. I just won't. I may "think" mine are worth $6.00 but will your market bear what you thing your eggs are worth? Here's a rant: My eggs are far healthier, fresher and more nutritious than factory eggs. I will not insult myself by being bartered down on price. I'd give them away first. Ca has such a high cost of living. I too am just out of town on 1.5ac R1AG zoned. Just my water bill is +300 per month. The 15 hens use maybe a nickle a piece?
I deal with folks like that all the time as I board and train dogs, work from home. Some folks are just like that. I suggest you set a price you don't find insulting, within the range of your market and let this one instance go.
In your anger, how many hours did you spend proving to yourself that these folks are jerks? Add that time to the price of your next dozen? And waste of quality time and enjoyment? You can wallow in it and prove to yourself that they are jerks, but they were jerks before you allowed them to upset you! I'm sorry this upset you so badly.

BTW, where in Mi? I'm from Brighton.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

I know that i dont use electricity for my coop i have a porch light on at night but i would have that on anyways. The coop i dont calulate for neither the cleaning i would do it with or with out eggs i love my girls they arm ham bones and the help me with gardening and protect my daughter from scorpions, frogs(she scared of frogs) and keep the snake population down to none in the area. In my book they pay for them selfs i just calutate feed for my eggs not water as i watered more with out the hens then i do with since they help with weeding as well. My eggs end up being .08 a peice. We free range and give out scraps along with feed. All that probaly is why mine is so cheap in my book. Plus they are healther for my family so i am happy all the way around. That price being with 23 hens, we use lawn clippings for the beding so thats free (lawn clipping are actually hay that grows in a yard from past planting the fields)

 

[song of joy]

I considered doing these types of calculations, but I'd be horrified at the results. Once the cost of the coop, fencing, birds, feeders, waterers, incubators, etc. are all factored in, I'm thinking it's around $75 per dozen.

But seriously, for me, it's about the hobby and having fresh, healthy eggs from happy, free-ranging hens. If I were selling eggs, I'd probably charge about $4/dozen, as this seems reasonable based on market prices and the quality of the eggs. For now, I'm more content giving them away to people who really appreciate them.