HENS IN BAD CONDITIONS!!!!

[frustratedearthmother]

People want to be fooled into thinking a bigger price means better eggs but it's not always the case and all the work done to produce one's own eggs is being done anyway, whether the excess eggs are sold to customers or not, so why are we~as backyard growers~feeling like the customer should absorb the costs? When I was selling for $2 a doz. I was more than clearing a profit on feed and the labor was going to happen anyway, so why charge other folks for it? Takes just as much time to feed 40 hens as it does 15.

No argument, but definitely a difference of opinions.

I don't make a profit on $3 eggs. And, it does take more time at my place to feed 40 chickens than 15 and more importantly it takes more feed. I spend more time to clean a lot more waterers. I spend more time cleaning a lot more feeders. I spend more time and more effort moving a lot more feed. I pick up my hens to check them for parasites. Takes much longer to catch more hens than fewer hens. I hatch more chicks that take more feed, time, electricity. MY time and effort has value.

First, I have no way of knowing what those people are feeding or how they care for their chickens~giving meds and wormers ? Might as well buy commercially grown. Chickens confined to the same small patch soil all the time? Might as well buy commercial. Feeding commercially prepared feeds? Might as well buy commercial.

My customers tell me that is EXACTLY why they will pay more for a quality product from someone they trust. Also when egg prices were UP a while back - my eggs were cheaper than commercial eggs.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Perhaps it's the New England prices but my eggs are cheaper than store bought eggs. Except the very pathetic tiny ones, which only go down to $2/dozen. Cage free eggs at the grocery store are nearly $5/dozen. So $3 is fair for me. Especially when feed costs $15/50lbs.

 

[FarmerJamie]

The male chick culling may be ending...
(Article from last year)

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/p...20--male-chicks-could-avoid-death-by-grinder/

 

[NH Homesteader]

Yeah I posted that a couple pages ago. Isn't it cool?

 

[FarmerJamie]

Interesting viewpoints, I would sell my eggs for $2 per dozen at work. I had 25 hens and couldn't keep up with demand. Current prices locally are about $2.50 per dozen, but then again, we live in a rural area.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

HI FJ! Great article! Sure hope they can make that happen!

 

[FarmerJamie]

Yeah I posted that a couple pages ago. Isn't it cool?

Oops. Missed that. My bad.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Well, hang around more, lol!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Lol you're fine. I couldn't add a link (darn cell phone), just said it was happening. Thanks for adding one!

We live in a semi-rural area but eggs sell for $4/dozen at the farmer's market.

 

[FarmerJamie]

This thread is reminding me how much we need to get out of this apartment. Lol. 2 years, 2 years