08/03/2026
This is going to be a long one... Buckle up.
28 dozen eggs sitting on a table.
What it could be; $140 in sales -- to buy -- 7 bags of feed -- to feed the ladies (and only the ladies) for -- 33 days (roughly).
It seems like simple math. The ladies lay more than 28 dozen eggs a month. However, eggs have to sell to be turned into cash. That's the hold up.
When conventional eggs at the supermarket were expensive, our sales were great. If you're going to pay a premium anyways, you should at least get a premium product.
Now, conventional eggs are $1.50/dozen and sales have mostly halted. We don't raise conventional chickens. Our chickens spend their days roaming our 53 acres eating bugs, seeds, and grass as nature intended. They don't live in a production barn or worse, a cage, never seeing real sunlight.
Our chickens and therefore the eggs, fall into the category of "Pasture Raised". Pasture raised eggs can be found in the grocery store from brands like Vital Farms. However, this term isn't legally defined or enforced in the US. These "pastured" birds can still be living in a production barn with a door to outside that they never use... or "chicken tractors" on fresh grass. Tractors are a better option, no hate there. Those chickens live good lives. However in my opinion, cages with amenities are still cages.
Here is where your local chicken farmer comes in. Our birds actually live on pasture. They swarm the door first thing in the morning and cannot wait to go outside and be chickens. They start the day by destroying any sign of chickory growing in the fields and then move on to eating plantain, dandelions, grass, seeds, and whatever poor bug, toad, or mouse that is too slow to escape. Occassionally, the kids leave a box of cereal open, and they get some cheerios and fruit loops.
The result is that the eggs you buy from your local farmer with pastured birds will be better. Even if by some miracle, the commercial pastured eggs, were just as good... We're still cheaper at $5/dozen than commercial pastured eggs.
Yes, $5/dozen for eggs is "expensive". You will ***NEVER*** hear us advocate for anything other than feeding your family what you can reasonably afford. I remember the days when our small family of 4 ate close to 15 dozen eggs a month because it was what we could afford. Back then 5 dozen conventional eggs were $8 at our local Walmart. It was affordable protien and the kids loved it. We eat considerably less eggs now.
Out of the 28 dozen eggs pictured, 23 dozen eggs made the cut to go to auction. Some were dirtier than we care to sell, others just didn't fit in the cartons.
To breakeven on feed costs on those 23 dozen eggs, the auction check in the mail needs to read at least $46. That is the average daily feed cost to produce those eggs. Based on my past experiences at the auction, we won't be anywhere close.
For those of you who like math, that breaks down to $2 per dozen in feed. Leaving $3/dozen left from our normal sales price.
So, what does that $3/dozen cover? Each of the kids get $1/dozen for every dozen we sell. It works out to roughly minimum wage every week for the hours they spend taking care of the layers. The kids work hard to care for the birds. The husband and I may sweat our butts off for free, but our kids won't. We don't believe in child slave labor here.
If the kids contributed to a sale, they get paid. Meat, eggs, syrups, all paid. That is a hill I am willing to die on. If they don't want to help, they don't have to, but they won't get paid. 'Tis how life works.
If you're keeping track, that leaves about $1/dozen remaining. Realistically, what does that $1/dozen cover? Honestly, not much. The total profit from eggs sales this year, will likely cover the new silo feeders and waterers that we purchased, the spring bedding for all the coops, the nesting pads, and maybe my next bulk carton order. That's about it. If a chicken dies, feed is ruined, something breaks, that goes into the red.
Most of the money we make comes from our meat birds. The nugget sales keep the layers fed through winter. The layers provide bug reduction, comedic relief, and eggs when they feel like it.
We gave away 20 dozen eggs to the community this month. I LOVE that we are able to do that when needed. However, the ladies still need to eat. So, unfortunately, we do have to sell something on occassion. 😆
In a dream world, we would sell enough eggs, that donating 20 dozen eggs/month would be the standard. That's a lie. In a real dream world, facebook would pay our feed bill, and all of the eggs would find a home at a food bank. Our goal, in everything we do, is to feed people. We donate almost as much as we sell right now. We're not getting rich on farm sales, but if the animals are fed, my freezer is your freezer. We will work things out in the wash.
Here is where everyone else comes in. Do you love our products? Buy more. :P Recommend us to your friends. We have 7 family packs, 7 roasters, and a few billion eggs left.
Would you like to try them, but can't justify the expense? Hit the follow button. Life is expensive, we get it. Which is why we will be doing giveaways soon to help extend our reach. Free beats cheap everyday. Followers will be tagged on the giveaways so they don't miss them.
I could list a hundred more reasons as to why we're a great option, but this is already too long, and my soap box needs a break.
Anywho, thanks for reading my book. We are getting prepared to start purchasing feed for the rest of this year. Right now, I am anticipating needing another 125 bags -- 6,250lbs -- to make it until January 1st. $2,500 in feed. There's 10 bags in my trunk to get us started. 😆
Wish us luck.
