# Upcoming egg prices for resale



## crazydave (Feb 14, 2015)

How much do you think this bird flu is going to affect your price of eggs for resale? I'm thinking it will probably go up 50% !


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## FarmerKat (Jul 3, 2014)

Our friend who owns a produce stand said the eggs he sells went up 40 cents last week. He normally sells a dozen for $2. I am not sure what his price is now.


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## crazydave (Feb 14, 2015)

I'm starting to hear and see quite a bit of media coverage, warning people of the coming prices, just hope it doesn't get blown out of proportion and cause mass hysteria! !


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

Haven't bought store eggs for so long I don't even know what they're going for. The cheapest farm eggs I've seen lately is $2.75/doz and that was a little farm in PA Amish country. Back here in TN, most of the places where we buy are somewhere between $4 and $5.50 a dozen. We do have some friends with a flock of chickens that wander freely around their place and we sometimes get some wonderful eggs from them... at a much lesser price because of the friendship... 

But that's about what we expect to pay for eggs. And I am glad to pay that when I know where the eggs come from and how those chickens live. 

Now having chicken (meat) from true pastured birds... oh, it's delicious... but that smarts in the ol' pocket book. A chicken or turkey breast (my favorite part) goes for around $1/ounce. Whole chickens start around $25 for a smaller one. Whole turkeys start just under $100. Makes one savor the small pieces when they happen.


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## Alder (Aug 18, 2014)

I don't know, but here I was thinking, with my soon to be delivered chick order, I would end up with too many laying pullets this fall. 

Maybe it's a good thing after all.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

I pay $2.00 a dozen from someone in the next town over -- free range during the day, locked up at night. I asked her if she was going to raise the price due to the egg shortage, and she said only if feed goes up any more.


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## Show-Me-Stater (Dec 16, 2005)

few folks around here are really driving down the farm fresh prices. $1.50/doz from two of them, and they drive into town & sit in Walmart parking lot for a couple hrs two mornings a week. Hardly seems worth it? I dunno though.


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## Jennifer L. (May 10, 2002)

Prices in the stores around here are about $3 a dozen. But then I walked into Aldis the other day and there they were at $1.25 a dozen. I don't know how they do it, even if the milk and eggs are loss leaders for the store.


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## crazydave (Feb 14, 2015)

If I found them for a $1 a dozen, I'd freeze some for omelets


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## sniper69 (Sep 23, 2007)

Kroger has sales (once maybe twice in the last month) where one can get 4 dozen large eggs for $5 (4 one dozen containers). Regular price is around $2 a dozen. In April, Meijer ran a sale on eggland's best brown eggs, 2 dozen for $5 (regular price around $3.29/dozen). One local farm I've bought eggs from sells a dozen for $2.50 (free range chickens. One can see the chickens walking around.). 

I try to keep an eye on food prices. So far, around here - egg prices haven't increased. Will have to wait and see when they do, and by how much.


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## collegeboundgal (Jul 17, 2005)

I don't have a clue what store prices are right now, but I sell my eggs for $2/doz. I could raise my price, but most everyone else around here sells for $2 and I can sell them fast this way.


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

Just outta curiosity... Does anyone else notice the difference in taste between the eggs they get at the store and eggs they get from a neighbor with chickens running around? I really do taste a difference. Sometimes it's more pronounced than others. 

I had an uncle that was very particular about his eggs and he was also very fussy about where they came from. That was when I was just a kid and I kinda chucked a little bit and thought maybe that was kind of odd. But now, I kinda understand. 

Maybe others aren't quite as aware, that that's ok. I just wondered.


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## Guest (May 25, 2015)

Bellyman said:


> Just outta curiosity... Does anyone else notice the difference in taste between the eggs they get at the store and eggs they get from a neighbor with chickens running around? I really do taste a difference. Sometimes it's more pronounced than others.


That's the first thing people notice the first time they eat a "real" egg.


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## Adirondackgal (Aug 8, 2013)

Around here Aldi's eggs are $1.95 a dozen, but there is someone near our property that sells their own for $2.00 a dozen. Hannaford gets $2.95 a dozen. I think I will go with the "real eggs" from the stand near our property.


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## lamina1982 (Jan 14, 2013)

0.99$ a dozen at aldis here, seems crazy to pay 4-5$ a dozen,maybe a little difference but unless your an egg connoiseur do you really notice a difference at that much of a price difference? aldis are non horomone eggs and seem good. i also eat my quail eggs and couldnt say really that much difference except more yolk in a quail egg. 
i guess ill see this fall when start getting eggs from my chickens. 
can't relly gowrong at .99$ a dozen though


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

Alaskan prices are five dollars a dozen for local farmed eggs.
Store egg....we're over three in January...I was shocked.

And the shelves were low...none in the back claimed a sign now the shelves look fuller but...... the area for shelving the eggs is forty percent smaller... the lunch meat right next to it grew.


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## Wild_Bill (Aug 4, 2014)

I don't sell any myself but $2 seems to be the going price around here. In winter it gets a little crazy. Up around $4. I personally don't notice a taste difference between my eggs and store eggs, but the only time I eat store eggs is at a restaurant or if I'm eating at someone's house.


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## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

We sell for $2.50 a dozen, eggs from pastured chickens but we sell to repeat customers only, or we'd be out of eggs in a heart beat. Neighbors have signs up for $2.50 and $3.00 a dozen. One neighbor had a sign up for organic eggs but when out of sincere curiosity, I asked them how much they were paying for their organic feed, the sign changed to free range eggs (oops).

We up our price when feed prices go up.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Unless the Bird Flu gets a lot worse, egg prices in the store should rise for about 6 to 8 weeks, long enough to grow out replacements. Turkey supplies will be a lot tighter.
For some products, a slight shortage leads to hoarding and that results in further shortages. If the price of eggs climbs, folks will just eat other stuff. Most of today's families don't bake much and can cut back on the occasional omelet.


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## nchobbyfarm (Apr 10, 2011)

Getting $3.50 here and never have enough.


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## TheFarmerMommy (Mar 21, 2014)

$5 a doz at the farmers markets I go to. And not a single complaint about prices.


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## m3acrehomestead (Mar 25, 2015)

A local egg farmer biggest dealer that lives in NYS said that eggs will go up by 70%..


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## woodsman14 (Oct 6, 2014)

We don't advertise or sit out anywhere, in fact we only keep about a dozen hens now. Family and neighbors always appreciate a dozen or two eggs now and again. There are so many small egg farmers around here they end up selling eggs for less than their feed costs. We aren't replacing any hens, it cost more to feed layers than it cost to raise pork and it takes just about as long to raise a laying hen from a chick. We do free range in months warm enough for bugs basically, if they are out there is also green vegetation, only then is it cost effective in our area to keep laying hens.

Its just my wife and I now, and she won't eat eggs (makes her fart). :hysterical: So for two dozen eggs a week... I'll buy them when our small flock is gone.


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## Truckinguy (Mar 8, 2008)

I sell mine for $3/large and 3.50/xlarge which is comparable to store bought eggs here. I also sell 18 packs of smaller-then-large for $3 and I tell people that I don't guarantee any size except they are smaller than large. It's a good deal because a lot of them are bordering on large but not quite but some are also quite small coming from younger birds that are starting to lay. Some people like to pickle the smaller eggs and it works for me because I can actually sell all my eggs regardless of size. I sell mostly to family and friends so I would never raise prices because supply is low but I might if feed costs go much higher. I would make any price decision based on financial considerations but not on supply and demand. I understand the principle behind it but I kind of feel like it's gouging.


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## gibbsgirl (May 1, 2013)

Okay, could anyone with experience tell me how this plan sounds. Got a bunch of ladies for a heck of a deal. Come July they were going to go into the freezer. But now I'm seriously considering selling eggs.

Looks like I don't need to do anything for at law compliance in western ky. I'll have about 360 eggs a week for sale, I think.

I'm thinking of putting a sign along the road. Maybe doing a delivery to our Homeschool coop friends, we have about 15 meetups a year, and seeing if hubby wants to take some to work. I also thinking of putting it up on Craigslist.

I thought I'd sell for $2 for 18 if people return their cartons, and $2.50 if they want a new carton with the eggs.

Feed should be at most about $1000 a year, if its all store bought. Looks like egg cartons are about $0.70 from what I've seen.

I may need to get a second fridge of some size to hold eggs, so that would be a cost. Our house fridge is only about 7 square feet, so not much spare room there.

Looks like if I sold out regularly I might pull in about$2000 a year which would cover my chicken feed and bedding, and likely my goat hay and grain, maybe even the sugar for my bees and some of our gardening seed costs.

Was even considering a small bar fridge and money jar out on the porch for people to pick up and pay if I'm not home, although usually there's always someone here. I'm a little bit of a coward about strangers though. So that's kind of making me nervous, although we're in a very rural county and there's not a ton of wierdos here. Most of them, I doubt would want fresh eggs anyway. And, I definitely would not advertise that i,'d leave a money jar on the porch on Craigslist.

Anyway, what do you think?


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

gibbsgirl said:


> Okay, could anyone with experience tell me how this plan sounds. Got a bunch of ladies for a heck of a deal. Come July they were going to go into the freezer. But now I'm seriously considering selling eggs.
> 
> Looks like I don't need to do anything for at law compliance in western ky. I'll have about 360 eggs a week for sale, I think.
> 
> ...


 
How many girls you going to have?
You must be just planning to free-range mainly?


Without free-ranging it cost close $2 per dozen to produce the eggs in just feed on a yearly average(some breeds will do a little better, some a little worse). Plus the cost of the flock, housing, supplies, forget your time.


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## Cv123 (May 12, 2015)

I can tell you this, restaurant wholesale went from $16 for 15 dozen medium to $31.


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## gibbsgirl (May 1, 2013)

Fire-Man said:


> How many girls you going to have?
> You must be just planning to free-range mainly?
> 
> 
> Without free-ranging it cost close $2 per dozen to produce the eggs in just feed on a yearly average(some breeds will do a little better, some a little worse). Plus the cost of the flock, housing, supplies, forget your time.


I should have at least 60. Maybe more cause I've got at least 40 straight run.

The coop is already there with 24 nesting boxes. Have feeder that hold about 50-69 lbs which does about once a week feeding. 4 waterers do about 20 gallons per fill up with a pond behind it that's got about 4 million gallons. Waterers have automatic heat in winter.

Auto coop door shuts them in safe at night so they can roost and let's them out in the day. They have 7 acres to roam. More actually cause I'm surrounded by fields, but they don't wander far. 

We glean the fields in the fall. Last year we put up 700+ lbs of corn. We could get more if we wanted. That's why my feed should stay within $1000 for the year. If we glean it goes down, and the birds eat out a lot during the day. They get scraps and there's a compost pile behind their coop too.

I'm just super people shy in real life. So, I think that's what I'm most nervous about. I'm just wanting to price them, so I make a decent profit and don't have people wanting to haggle with me. If I get myself into doing this and it feels chaotic, I'll wish I just put them in the freezer. (The birds, not the people. Lol)

I've never sold like this before or bought from others, so I have no idea what prices should be or what to expect.


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## gibbsgirl (May 1, 2013)

We have our own grinder to so I'm no stuck with just premix options from the store.


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## OakHollowBoers (Jun 26, 2013)

For egg cartons, check jeffers and premier1. IIRC, they are about 45-50 cents.


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## gibbsgirl (May 1, 2013)

OakHollowBoers said:


> For egg cartons, check jeffers and premier1. IIRC, they are about 45-50 cents.


K thanks, what's iirc?


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## gibbsgirl (May 1, 2013)

One of my neighbors does a pretty good hair shop business behind her house. I was hoping a road sign would drum up interest from some of her customers. Though her hubby is the manager of the grocery store in town, so I don't know....


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

gibbsgirl said:


> I should have at least 60. Maybe more cause I've got at least 40 straight run.
> 
> 
> I've never sold like this before or bought from others, so I have no idea what prices should be or what to expect.


Well its according to where you live and the going price on eggs-----look on craigslist for egg sales, etc---you will find out what they sale for. All I can get is $2 per dozen. I know a lady down the road that went to $3----her sales dropped----she came back down to $2.50, but she kept calling me to see if I needed some eggs---so I know she was having a problem selling them. Sure some Farmers Market sellers get $5, but the eggs have to be inspected and graded----According to someone I know that sells them there.

You have to keep in mind with 50 layers, you will probably never get 50 eggs in a day, then there will be times that you might only get 20, But you still have to tend them and make sure they got food. You will just have to try it and see what happens!! Good Luck!!!


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## idigbeets (Sep 3, 2011)

Dang ya'll sell cheap eggs.... How are you making any money raising hens and selling eggs for $1-2/dz? Details please.

We raised our prices this year from 5 to $6/dozen, and they still sell. getting about 100 eggs a day...


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## TheFarmerMommy (Mar 21, 2014)

idigbeets said:


> Dang ya'll sell cheap eggs.... How are you making any money raising hens and selling eggs for $1-2/dz? Details please.
> 
> We raised our prices this year from 5 to $6/dozen, and they still sell. getting about 100 eggs a day...


You're near me, I see. (Waves from the Northern Shenandoah!) I sell mine at $5 at farm markets. I've had one person complain about the price. After I explained I wasn't in the business of producing a grocery store
quality product, even she bought them. . I get a lot more angst from people when i sell out than I do over price


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

the today show just said egg prices bubbled today.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

idigbeets said:


> Dang ya'll sell cheap eggs.... How are you making any money raising hens and selling eggs for $1-2/dz? Details please.
> 
> We raised our prices this year from 5 to $6/dozen, and they still sell. getting about 100 eggs a day...


 
I know people do sell high and get it-----Not in my area that I know of. I do not make any money selling eggs at $2 per dozen, because from my records it cost about $2 per dozen in feed alone(no free-ranging) to produce the eggs. I do make some money hatching the eggs, but hatching is somewhat seasonal---so I need a outlet to recoop some feed cost----so I let them go for that price. I wish I could find someone that sells them for $5/6 per dozen and could sell them all mine for $3---LOL.


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## gibbsgirl (May 1, 2013)

That's why I came on here to ask about prices and actual sales volume. I wanted to see what was realistically happening. When I've seen ads for people selling eggs, I have no idea how many they're successfully selling, or even if they really get the prices they advertised.

The only numbers I could work with are what I expect my costs to be to maintain the flock. With more freeranging space at our new place and the coop already built and getting maintained for the birds we want, I'm not worried about that cost.

I grabbed the abundance of birds on a last minute chance from a local store who wanted them all gone. They were all between 2 1/2 - 5 1/2 weeks old. And, I think my hubby negotiated them down to $3 a bird.

We already had a bunch of leftover feed we didn't finish using this winter. So we figured we'd just butcher them in a few months.

But, now realizing that a huge chunk of them are layers....well, the whole question has come up about if it'd be more worthwhile to sell the eggs.

I'd rather count on what people on HT say about their real numbers than some google search or what my friends who have no clue about this stuff think.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

dozen eggs from the back yards are selling $2.00 a doz dont know what they are in the grocery store haven't bought store eggs in a year.


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## OakHollowBoers (Jun 26, 2013)

IIRC = If I Remember Correctly


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## kbaldridge06 (Nov 20, 2006)

Jennifer L. said:


> Prices in the stores around here are about $3 a dozen. But then I walked into Aldis the other day and there they were at $1.25 a dozen. I don't know how they do it, even if the milk and eggs are loss leaders for the store.


Our Aldi normally sells eggs for $1.29dz but 3 days ago they were $2.09! I was wondering why the price increase...


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## idigbeets (Sep 3, 2011)

What I don't understand are the people who have a small flock (I'm in that category with under 200 hens IMO) who have "extra" eggs that their family cannot eat. They then sell those eggs for a really low price "just to get rid of them". I'm sorry, but you're ruining it for everyone by not charging a fair price for feed, labor, reseeding pastures, depreciation, coop construction, flock replacement, etc etc etc... 

If you have extra eggs and want to get rid of them, get some pigs. Don't uphold the notion that eggs are cheap. They aren't.


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

gibbsgirl said:


> That's why I came on here to ask about prices and actual sales volume. I wanted to see what was realistically happening. When I've seen ads for people selling eggs, I have no idea how many they're successfully selling, or even if they really get the prices they advertised.
> 
> The only numbers I could work with are what I expect my costs to be to maintain the flock. With more freeranging space at our new place and the coop already built and getting maintained for the birds we want, I'm not worried about that cost.
> 
> ...


Price is _highly _dependent on your location, and more specifically and importantly, the market you are selling to.

I sell for $3.50 to folks who want to know where their food came from and are supporting my efforts on that front. They compared my price to the store where they bought 'free range', 'cage free' etcblahblahblah...once I explained what the real meaning (gov't regs) behind those marketing terms are, they were more than happy to pay me about the same and in some cases a bit less.

I have a very small flock (10-15 layers & 8-10 non layers) and only 3-6 customers, who are also friends/acquaintances...tho some of my friends who don't give a darn about food sources only want them if they're free. I live in a a sparsely populated, economically depressed, rural area. I don't work full time (co-workers can be an 'easy' captive market), and any significant farmers markets are 30 miles away...and I don't have or want the volume that would require to be efficient.

So far I have been able to cover feed costs and sometimes other supplies(bedding), I do not calculate in my time or the cost of infrastructure, over the past 20 months using commercial (non-organic) crumble and local mill scratch grains. I butcher and eat my old layers and extra cockerels(and have actually sold one of them) and hatch my replacement layers. Birds are totally confined so no predator losses.

Given your situation, you might be able to come out ahead....only way to find out is give it a try for a year or so, record your costs closely, and see what you think.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

I'm just super people shy in real life. So, I think that's what I'm most nervous about. I'm just wanting to price them, so I make a decent profit and don't have people wanting to haggle with me. If I get myself into doing this and it feels chaotic, I'll wish I just put them in the freezer. (The birds, not the people. Lol)

I've never sold like this before or bought from others, so I have no idea what prices should be or what to expect.

I understand this totally! People are always my problem be it selling eggs or chicks or birds.


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## Truckinguy (Mar 8, 2008)

It really does matter where you live. Here in Southern Ontario I'm not far from the Golden Horseshoe including the Greater Toronto Area which has a huge population base. I have a large family who each have a strong social group. I can sell my eggs and rabbits without really trying and I just mention that I have some and somebody knows somebody who knows somebody who is interested. I got a dozen turkeys this year and everyone who I mention it to wants one. 

In a sparsely populated area with a small economic base it would be a lot more difficult, specially in an area where many people grow much of the same products. 

What I did was look at the grocery store prices and price mine about the same. Most of my sales are through friends and family so as long as I'm covering my costs I'm not going to jack up the price on them.

I'm pretty friendly but not really socially comfortable and I get nervous dealing with new people so if I can deal with people I know for the most part I'm ok.


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## Sandysdream (Jan 14, 2013)

I haven't sold any eggs yet. only have 7 hens. But give to family and a few friends. But the selling rate for fresh eggs are running $2.00 per dozen. Might have to start selling as they are laying more than I can use and give away.


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## crazydave (Feb 14, 2015)

Don't forget - you can always freeze any extras for future use !!


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Well, looks like prices won't be up for long:

 U.S. approves eggs from Netherlands to ease shortage
By Krissa Welshans
Feedstuffs
June 9, 2015


Though emerging cases of avian influenza have slowed in recent days, the disease's impact has continued to take a toll on the U.S. egg supply, particularly the breaker market which supplies eggs to be broken for use in processed foods like cake and pancake mixes. To help alleviate the shortage, U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) announced June 1 that The Netherlands had been reinstated to export pasteurized egg products to the U.S.

FSIS said The Netherlands was first deemed safe to export pasteurized egg products to the U.S. in 1987, but stopped exporting for several years. Last year, however, The Netherlands requested reinstatement in order to export pasteurized egg products to the U.S. 

To ensure that the government inspection system was still capable of meeting U.S. standards, FSIS performed a rigorous process of verification of the laws, regulations, and inspection procedures maintained by The Netherlands, and conducted an on-site audit June 2-26, 2014. Upon completion, FSIS determined that the country's food safety system was still equivalent to the U.S.

Egg processors in The Netherlands were expected to begin exporting as soon as export certificate language details were finalized.


Full text: 
http://feedstuffs.com/story-approves-eggs-netherlands-ease-shortage-45-128598


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## Raiz (Apr 22, 2015)

Prices will stay slightly higher though, because it's more expensive to import eggs rather than have them provided domestically.


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## jockeyeba (May 1, 2015)

I sell at our local farmers market for $5.00/doz. & I'm not making any money with the cost of the non GMO no soy feed that I use.


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## idigbeets (Sep 3, 2011)

Then raise your price, or stop selling eggs to lose money.


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## aart (Oct 20, 2012)

I sell my eggs for enough to be in line with similarly raised local eggs and to cover my feed costs. Everyone's been asking if I'll raise my prices, but feed hasn't gone up so, nope.


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## A-K-A (Apr 5, 2015)

Farm fresh eggs here are $3.50 to 5.00 doz. egglands best at walmart 2.79 doz. 

Yesterday at the chicken forum a report avian flu has hit a large producer in Alexander La. That may show increases in this area.

I have read many speculate, that this flu outbreak is man induced. To push prices up. All i know for real is i am happy with my little brood of hens. Further more won't be buying any more from mail order or unknown sources.


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## BSFarmer (Jun 13, 2015)

idigbeets said:


> What I don't understand are the people who have a small flock (I'm in that category with under 200 hens IMO) who have "extra" eggs that their family cannot eat. They then sell those eggs for a really low price "just to get rid of them". I'm sorry, but you're ruining it for everyone by not charging a fair price for feed, labor, reseeding pastures, depreciation, coop construction, flock replacement, etc etc etc...
> 
> If you have extra eggs and want to get rid of them, get some pigs. Don't uphold the notion that eggs are cheap. They aren't.


I totally agree. We gather more than 150 eggs a day and sell them for $3.50-$5.00/dozen depending on the market. If you can't buy eggs at the grocery store for $2.00, then don't sell them for $2.00. I hate it when a customer tells me they have a friend that selling eggs for $2.00. Lol. I do have a very good friend that has a family of 5 and they maybe use a dozen eggs a week and they sell like 10 a week for $2.00. Make me want to pull my hair out, if I had any. If we gave extra, they go to the pigs and they love them.


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## LisaMJ (May 4, 2014)

I feel if you people are buying the eggs for 1$ a dozen in the store they would likely be very poor quality eggs.............chickens raised in poor conditions etc

the organic, free ranging chicken eggs are a different product........so comparing the two dozens is very different.

in stores near me you can get 1$ eggs and up to $4 eggs depending upon the labeling re: organic etc

for backyard chicken flocks............eggs are often given to friends and family for free or sold around 3$ a dozen .

just some thoughts!
Lisa


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## Ranchermom (Oct 25, 2005)

I sell mine for $5.25 for 18 pack here in South Texas no special organic feed just regular feed they are free range so they get a lot of extra food from my fallen mulberrys, pecans, and other stuff on the farm. I am not going to rise my prices to my current customers I want to keep them I would lose them if I got greedy the only time I raise prices is when the feed goes up, eventually new chickens will be hatched and the prices will go down a bit at the stores but it will never be the same as before I think.


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## nikkers (Feb 3, 2007)

I don't sell my eggs. They go to my family. Prices around here are 3-5 dollars a dozen for those who sell from backyard flocks.
I heard on the news last night that that total nationwide egg supply has fallen by 10%. With that in mind, I wonder why there is talk of egg rationing and how does our local chain grocery justify a $5.50 charge for 18 large eggs. It just does not add up. I fear the media has stirred things up to sound like you will be lucky to get eggs at all.


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## gwest (Oct 9, 2008)

You all find those cheap eggs, you can bet your bottom dollar they ain't free range eggs.


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## gwest (Oct 9, 2008)

Lisa,
You're right about cheap eggs. I live in GA. The eggs from Wally World (WAL MART) are like plopping a yoke in water into your fry pan. :Bawling:


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## gibbsgirl (May 1, 2013)

It feels like I'm watching egg prices in the store the same way we watch gas prices.

I wonder if it will pass, or if this will be the new way of things?


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## BSFarmer (Jun 13, 2015)

gibbsgirl said:


> It feels like I'm watching egg prices in the store the same way we watch gas prices.
> 
> I wonder if it will pass, or if this will be the new way of things?


If we keep polluting our food supply with man made chemicals, this will be the way of the future.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

nikkers said:


> I don't sell my eggs. They go to my family.


 

They are your eggs and its great to do with them what you want-----Me, My Mother is my biggest single Customer---she pays full price just as any customer. My Sisters buy my eggs-----------Now before jumping on me---lets talk-------My mother came to me about 2/3 years ago and said she wanted to sell her chickens----I Told her to sell them--that I would give her some eggs----She Said NO WAY--she want to know if I would get more hens so she could get all the eggs she needed----she said she knew what it cost to feed them and the time it takes as well as housing etc and She was going to pay me for every dozen she gets---End Of conversation! She also said "if you can not sell your eggs to your Family and friends-----your enemies sure will not buy them from you". I sell my Mother all the eggs she wants-----most of the time 6 to 8 dozen every 2 weeks. Step sister 8 to 10 dozen every 2 weeks etc. Sure giving a family member a dozen eggs every so often it not problem, but when they want you to increase your chicken numbers so they can be assured they can get their many dozen per week----I just take the money and buy more feed---Thank them----I got some Good Customers----alot are My Family.


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## sniper69 (Sep 23, 2007)

Today at Kroger - I saw that they raised prices on their Kroger brand eggs to $2.49/dozen for large size and $2.69 for large size brown eggs. Ironic as it was - the Egglands best were priced at $2.49/dozen for both the large and Xlarge size (in the white styrofoam egglands best containers. The free range and organic were more, but still the same price as before). I find it interesting that one can get a "better quality" store bought egg for the same price per dozen as the "cheaper" brand. The egglands best do seem to taste better than the regular store bought eggs.


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## gibbsgirl (May 1, 2013)

5 dozen box pack at Walmart used to be about $7, today about $14. Been creeping up for weeks, in west ky.

The prices are nuts. Selling eggs might still be a good idea. But, at this point, I need our girls to just get started laying for our own personal use!

Prices are crazy. And, with eggs, I would think prices for all the store bought baked goods are jumping. Although to be honest, the last five years or so, it feels like all the food prices have been climbing up steadily. And, when they aren't, the package sizes are getting smaller. Or both those things happen.

I guess eggs can't be packaged smaller, unless it's the egg count, so maybe that's why the price jumps feel more pronounced.

I'm still weighing the options for prices to sell. For our set up, I think I can make a decent profit for $2 for 18. But, egg cartons will cost a pretty penny if I have to regularly supply them myself. I'm considering going as high as $3.50. Still not sure, if I'll do a dozen or 18 or both.

I don't want want to try and sell at any type of farmer's market. I just want to make enough to cover some chicken and other homestead expenses. And, I'm fairly certain, people won't be willing to pay the higher end prices if they have to take the time to drive over to our place.

There's a lot of welfare people in our county to I think from stuff I read in the papers, so I don't even know how many folks will be interested.

If it's a bust, I guess we'll just put the extras into the freezer for meat like we were originally planning to.


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## Lady89 (Feb 22, 2014)

how are u all getting $3-5 for a dozen i charge $1.75 and keep being told how they cost 2 much


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

Lady89 said:


> how are u all getting $3-5 for a dozen i charge $1.75 and keep being told how they cost 2 much


It must be peculiar to your local area. Where I am, the farms that sell true pasture style free range eggs are getting from about $4 to over $5 a dozen. And people are happy to pay it for the kind of eggs they want. 

There are a number of places around here that also have "farm eggs" that run maybe $2 to $2.50 a dozen that aren't really "free range" in the sense I think of it. They're more like having a few dozen chickens that get out into a small dirt run that's devoid of anything like grass but yet they're still outside. Better than store bought usually, but still not quite what we like. And yes, we really can taste the difference. 

It is interesting that those higher prices are happening here, and the eggs are selling. This is a relatively poor area where a $10/hr job is a pretty good job.


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## A-K-A (Apr 5, 2015)

Lady89 said:


> how are u all getting $3-5 for a dozen i charge $1.75 and keep being told how they cost 2 much


Don't be insulted by that, stand by your efforts. Tell them to buy them there. Any one half a brain knows you get what you pay for- or don't pay for. 


What i would hate to see is the egg prices get gouged and eggs hoarded like .22 ammo did/does.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

I don't have a crystal ball, but am hoping that since eggs are perishable, there won't be much of a run on eggs like there has been in the past.
Some shortages are self-supporting. I remember when it was reported that canning jar lids would be in short supply. Everyone grabbed a few boxes, creating a shortage. Then the hording began. I'll bet some of those horded lids are still sitting in many cupboards. Then the rumor sugar prices would rise. People stocked up, creating a temporary shortage. To slow the sale of limited supply, grocers raised the price. But fears that the price would climb pushed many to stockpile more sugar. This created more shortages. The same amount of sugar was produced that year as in other years, but the product was stockpiled in homes instead of wholesale warehouses. 

We all remember gasoline shortages. If we take a million cars that generally operate on about a half a tank of fuel, then rush into a filling station and top off the tank, that is 10 million gallons of fuel not available on the open market, creating a shortage. 

Eggs are a common product the small farmer or rural hobbyist can market. Marketing any product requires salesmanship. That salesmanship includes lots of things. 

I love to watch the city shoppers standing at the eggs section of the grocery store. So many choices, each good sounding in their own way, most meaningless. "Oh, I want the eggs with the EB stamped on them, they must be good." " I think brown eggs are better tasting." "I see they offer eggs from vegetarian hens, that must be good." " I prefer cage free eggs, cages are mean and I won't support cruelty." "Free-range must be more healthy and surely more humane." But in reality, most of this isn't what you think it is and there isn't the difference you might suspect.

So build a relationship with your customers, tell them why yours are better.


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## A-K-A (Apr 5, 2015)

The Daily Egg FB stated this morning a Texas Grocery chain is rationing Eggs.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

A-K-A said:


> The Daily Egg FB stated this morning a Texas Grocery chain is rationing Eggs.


Well, that'll create a run on eggs, driving up the prices.


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## catinhat (Aug 26, 2010)

I would hope that feed would go down since there is less demand, but I'm guessing it will just get sold overseas to 'keep prices stable'. I sell eggs for $3 a dozen - that is the going rate here.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

catinhat said:


> I would hope that feed would go down since there is less demand, but I'm guessing it will just get sold overseas to 'keep prices stable'. I sell eggs for $3 a dozen - that is the going rate here.


I agree, world prices for grain and beans keep the prices stable. I doubt 40 million killed poultry would show up as a noticeable feed surplus.


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## farmmaid (Jan 13, 2003)

The rate here for free range, nice big brown eggs is $4.00 a dozen............no complaints!


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## A-K-A (Apr 5, 2015)

Mrs AKA corrected me the source was The Fresh Eggs Daily site


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## A-K-A (Apr 5, 2015)

haypoint said:


> Well, that'll create a run on eggs, driving up the prices.



our local Walmart this afternoon about half the egg section was empty. The high end and cage free eggs mostly left.. The more expensive selections.


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

There might be a bit of extra buying but for the most part, once people have maybe 2 or 3 dozen in reserve, they don't usually have the space to deal with them and are not likely to buy any more until they've used some. 

With the way the general population deals with eggs, they're "perishable" and not typically preserved other than just sitting in the refrigerator.


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## gibbsgirl (May 1, 2013)

About two years ago, ruler foods opened stores in our old town. For months they ran eggs for $0.29 a dozen and milk for $0.99 a gallon. Man, those were the days!

I've gotten to the point where so much food sold in the stores (Including eggs) just doesn't even taste like food anymore that the list of what we want to even spend money on in the store is getting smaller and smaller.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Bellyman said:


> There might be a bit of extra buying but for the most part, once people have maybe 2 or 3 dozen in reserve, they don't usually have the space to deal with them and are not likely to buy any more until they've used some.
> 
> With the way the general population deals with eggs, they're "perishable" and not typically preserved other than just sitting in the refrigerator.


If only half of the households "stock up" on an extra 2 or 3 dozen eggs, that would wipe out store supplies for a few weeks. The resulting empty shelves will spur panic. "Well, I don't really need eggs, but while I was shopping, they got a fresh shipment in, so I bought a few dozen for us, 2 dozen for my mother-in-law, a dozen for each neighbor....."


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## sniper69 (Sep 23, 2007)

haypoint said:


> If only half of the households "stock up" on an extra 2 or 3 dozen eggs, that would wipe out store supplies for a few weeks. The resulting empty shelves will spur panic. "Well, I don't really need eggs, but while I was shopping, they got a fresh shipment in, so I bought a few dozen for us, 2 dozen for my mother-in-law, a dozen for each neighbor....."


I generally go through 2 sometimes 3 dozen eggs a week (and some weeks only a dozen). I've just been buying eggs as usual - no need to "stock up" or to buy for others (unless my neighbors ask me to grab something for them at the store - which hasn't happened in about 5 years). 
If I have more than my usual amount of eggs in the icebox, I might go on an egg salad sandwich binge....:grin:


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

sniper69 said:


> I generally go through 2 sometimes 3 dozen eggs a week (and some weeks only a dozen). I've just been buying eggs as usual - no need to "stock up" or to buy for others (unless my neighbors ask me to grab something for them at the store - which hasn't happened in about 5 years).
> If I have more than my usual amount of eggs in the icebox, I might go on an egg salad sandwich binge....:grin:


You sound like a consumer that goes through more eggs than average. If you thought that next week, there wouldn't be any eggs to buy, would you buy an extra supply, while supplies lasted? I think most people would. My point is that if half of the people bought 2 dozen beyond their normal weekly shopping, the supply would be wiped out. Others would not be able to buy eggs. Soon everyone is talking about not getting any eggs. So, when eggs are available, instead of your normal 3 dozen, you buy an extra 3 dozen. You want to be in your mother-in-law's good graces, so you pick up eggs for her, assuming she hasn't been able to find eggs for sale.


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## sniper69 (Sep 23, 2007)

haypoint said:


> You sound like a consumer that goes through more eggs than average. If you thought that next week, there wouldn't be any eggs to buy, would you buy an extra supply, while supplies lasted? I think most people would. My point is that if half of the people bought 2 dozen beyond their normal weekly shopping, the supply would be wiped out. Others would not be able to buy eggs. Soon everyone is talking about not getting any eggs. So, when eggs are available, instead of your normal 3 dozen, you buy an extra 3 dozen. You want to be in your mother-in-law's good graces, so you pick up eggs for her, assuming she hasn't been able to find eggs for sale.


With a family of 7 - it is easy to go through more than an "average" amount of eggs.  Plus they taste good, lol. 


*IF*, and that is a big *IF* - I knew for a *FACT* that there wouldn't be any eggs to buy at the store next week, I would probably buy some extra when at the store. That is human nature. However, with that said - I try to buy my eggs from a local farmer whenever I can. It would be my hope that I could work out some kind of deal with them (local farmer) to be able to buy some eggs (even if less than usual or at a higher price). If not, I would have to curtail making some recipes that call for eggs, or where possible make substitutions. My family and I would be able to still eat eggs for breakfast (as long as they're scrambled, lol). That would be do to my having bought some #10 cans of powdered whole eggs last year as part of the supplies I wanted to have on hand.

As for keeping in my MIL's good graces (or any of my relatives good graces) - they all live in different states - so I wouldn't be buying eggs for them (those would be some expensive eggs when factoring in the cost of gas to drive the eggs to them :gaptooth: ). Plus with my MIL, she only eats maybe 3 eggs a week - so when she buys a dozen at the store, they last her about a month.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

sniper69 said:


> With a family of 7 - it is easy to go through more than an "average" amount of eggs.  Plus they taste good, lol.
> 
> 
> *IF*, and that is a big *IF* - I knew for a *FACT* that there wouldn't be any eggs to buy at the store next week, I would probably buy some extra when at the store. That is human nature. However, with that said - I try to buy my eggs from a local farmer whenever I can. It would be my hope that I could work out some kind of deal with them (local farmer) to be able to buy some eggs (even if less than usual or at a higher price). If not, I would have to curtail making some recipes that call for eggs, or where possible make substitutions. My family and I would be able to still eat eggs for breakfast (as long as they're scrambled, lol). That would be do to my having bought some #10 cans of powdered whole eggs last year as part of the supplies I wanted to have on hand.
> ...


Google self-fulfilling prophecy. Preparing for a shortage creates a shortage.


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## sniper69 (Sep 23, 2007)

haypoint said:


> Google self-fulfilling prophecy. Preparing for a shortage creates a shortage.


Let's see -you wanted me to google self fulfilling prophecy. So here are some links and light reading. 

From Oxford: http://users.ox.ac.uk/~sfos0060/prophecies.shtml
"The term &#8220;self-fulfilling prophecy&#8221; (SFP) was coined in 1948 by Robert Merton to describe &#8220;a false definition of the situation evoking a new behavior which makes the originally false conception come true&#8221; (Merton 1968: 477). He illustrated the concept with a run on a bank (a fictitious &#8220;parable&#8221; his main application was to racial discrimination. The term has since entered social science and even everyday English, a rare feat for a sociological neologism. The concept has been subsequently rediscovered or renamed as the &#8220;Oedipus effect&#8221; (Popper 1957), &#8220;bootstrapped induction&#8221; (Barnes 1983), or &#8220;Barnesian performativity&#8221; (MacKenzie 2006). SFP has been discerned in a congeries of processes (e.g. Henschel 1978): within an individual, as with placebo response; in relations between individuals, such as teacher and student; in relations between collective actors, like states; underlying institutions, such as banks and financial markets; and, most provocatively, between social theory and social reality. "

and from University of Michigan: http://www.umich.edu/~psychol/380sek/Week3.html
"*Self-Fulfilling Prophecy*: 
Process by which one&#65533;s expectations about another person eventually lead the other person to behave in ways that confirm these expectations 
NOTE: Self-fulfilling prophecies must involve at least two people-- you cannot have a self-fulfilling prophecy with yourself 
4 Steps to Self-Fulfilling Prophecy 
1. Perceiver has expectations about how target will behave 
2. Perceiver then behaves in a way that is likely to elicit the expected target behavior 
3. Target indeed behaves in a way that confirms perceiver&#65533;s expectations 
4. Perceiver (Objective Perceiver) sees predicted behavior"


How is what I wrote in my previous post a self fulfilling prophecy? 

I didn't buy any extra eggs at the store because of a *perceived* shortage due to this mess going on.

I mentioned in my previous post that my family and I would still be able to eat eggs for breakfast because I have some #10 cans of powdered eggs that were bought *Last Year* as part of the supplies I wanted to have on hand. Were those bought because of this perceived shortage? That's easy - NO! Having supplies on hand isn't a self fulfilling prophecy. Trying to say that is the biggest load of crap I've ever heard.

So I buy my regular amount of eggs like I always do. I'm not buying extras (and only mentioned in my previous post in response to your post that I would *probably* buy some extras *IF* I knew for a *FACT* that there wouldn't be any eggs to buy at the store next week). 
So since I don't know for fact if there will be eggs or not next week, I just buy my regular amount - so again, how is this a self fulfilling prophecy???????


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Maybe I'm not explaining it clearly, perhaps you are taking it too literally. I'll just let you watch it happen. Any rumor of a price hike or shortage stimulates purchases. Rumors of fuel shortages drove people to top off their vehicle gas tanks and fill the fuel cans in the garage. This moved millions of extra gallons from the retailer to the consumer. With a fixed supply, this increase in demand/purchases, depleted retailer's supply. Unable to increase their supply, retailers increased prices to slow demand. This gave credibility to rumors that prices were going up. The reaction was hording. 

Prior to that was the rumored sugar shortage. Most of the sugar in this country is beet sugar. Supply is limited by factory capacity and crop yield. After about June 15, no increases in the year's production of sugar is possible. Slight increases in purchases skewed retailers on shelf supplies. The run on sugar was tempered by slight cost increases. But consumers made additional purchases based on fear of running out, not on actual need, wiping out most store's storage supply. Manufacturers did not have the capacity to increase bagging and distributing demand. Shortages occurred. 

In the late 1970s, the birth of the Back to the Land movement saw many folks canning their garden bounty. This gave a great feeling of independence from the grocery stores specifically and "The Man" in general. While you could buy canning jars at any farm auction or flea market, canning jar lids were an essential part of this process. Near life and death importance. Supplies were wiped out far ahead of harvest season. Networks of buyers were set up, " When ever you go to the store, see if they have any canning jar lids, I'll buy all you can get." Limits on purchases were established. But there was no real shortage. Just people stocking up. I believe that there are canning jar lids dated 1978, still in cupboards across the country.

Watch this egg shortage play out. The previous runs on products were mostly non-perishable. But I doubt this will be different. The stores just need an empty display case for a day or two. Let the hording begin.


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## crazydave (Feb 14, 2015)

Store price today in SW Michigan - 1 dozen large brown eggs $3.69 - at least $1.50 higher than normal. A notice to customers claims 8% loss of layer flock nationwide due to bird flu is the cause


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## A-K-A (Apr 5, 2015)

This may actual be benefital to the small family farms if you can keep big business and even bigger government out of it.


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## illinoisguy (Sep 4, 2011)

Cheap walmart white eggs went from 2.97 to 3.17 the last couple days....


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Stock up folks, the end is near. Egg prices rising faster than gold. Buy as many as you can, freeze them and fill your freezer.


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## dfr1973 (Apr 19, 2012)

haypoint said:


> Stock up folks, the end is near. Egg prices rising faster than gold. Buy as many as you can, freeze them and fill your freezer.


Some of us in this subforum have laying hens. Right now, I have 3 broodies, 9 layers, and 11 more that should start laying very soon. It's a good thing I found someone to sell eggs to. I'll likely have about another dozen pullets come into lay in the September-October time frame.

Since feed prices are still holding steady, neither of us have raised the price.


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

No panic around here about eggs. Best way to 'stock up' is to hay laying hens. Extra eggs can be stored by turning them into pork - cook and feed to pigs, especially young ones.

-Walter


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## gibbsgirl (May 1, 2013)

The whole are we creating the shortage or is the bird flu creating is reminds me of which came first, the chicken or egg, lol.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

dfr1973 said:


> Some of us in this subforum have laying hens. Right now, I have 3 broodies, 9 layers, and 11 more that should start laying very soon. It's a good thing I found someone to sell eggs to. I'll likely have about another dozen pullets come into lay in the September-October time frame.
> 
> Since feed prices are still holding steady, neither of us have raised the price.


While normal economics follows strict supply demand relationships, many back yard hobbyists don't price according to cost or demand. What will you do if demand increases beyond what your few birds can supply? Ration them, giving an equal amount to each customer? Perhaps raise prices to match the increases in store-bought eggs? Do you set your prices for eggs to cover the cost of feed?


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## dfr1973 (Apr 19, 2012)

haypoint said:


> While normal economics follows strict supply demand relationships, *many back yard hobbyists don't price according to cost or demand*.


You answered your own questions right here. I am selling eggs to a friend of mine up the highway who has egg customers along with her commercial nursery mainly because I don't have enough room in the extra refrigerator, and we just weren't able to give them away fast enough. Oh, and I really don't like dealing with the general public - it's much more accurate to say I am wholesaling to my friend.

I would suggest adding a clarifying adjective in there: "normal _money-based_ economics," as there are other economic systems outside of a money-based system.

I should probably go back and refresh my memory of what the OP was asking when starting this thread. We kind of wandered off-topic. I recall the question being about whether folks were raising their prices just because the grocery prices are going up.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

dfr1973 said:


> You answered your own questions right here. I am selling eggs to a friend of mine up the highway who has egg customers along with her commercial nursery mainly because I don't have enough room in the extra refrigerator, and we just weren't able to give them away fast enough. Oh, and I really don't like dealing with the general public - it's much more accurate to say I am wholesaling to my friend.
> 
> I would suggest adding a clarifying adjective in there: "normal _money-based_ economics," as there are other economic systems outside of a money-based system.
> 
> I should probably go back and refresh my memory of what the OP was asking when starting this thread. We kind of wandered off-topic. I recall the question being about whether folks were raising their prices just because the grocery prices are going up.


No, I wasn't answering my own question, I was prefacing my following question. Now that I understand that it isn't a money making business and you are wholesaling the eggs you weren't "able to give away fast enough", please let me reframe my questions. If the storefront where you wholesale your eggs doubled the price they charge, would you expect to receive a share of this additional income? 

Also, money based economics follow the same supply and demand as most other economics. If there is an egg shortage and a glut in the butter supply, the barter value between these two commodities follow supply/demand economics and it will take more butter to buy a dozen eggs. Same for labor. In the summer I could get my lawn mowed for an apple pie, but when school is in session, fewer laborers, the job might require a pie and a plate of cookies. The only system I can think of where supply and demand does not change the value is strict socialism. A loaf of unavailable bread always has the same value.


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## COWS (Dec 23, 2012)

From article in paper Sunday: resturants are concerned about higher egg prices causing them to have to restrict eggs in recipes and increase prices for meals, especially breakfasts.

COWS


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

COWS said:


> From article in paper Sunday: resturants are concerned about higher egg prices causing them to have to restrict eggs in recipes and increase prices for meals, especially breakfasts.
> 
> COWS


Well that seals it. The price of gasoline will be going up if the truckers that haul fuel have to pay more for their truck stop breakfasts.:cowboy:


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## A-K-A (Apr 5, 2015)

Local wal mart. What eggs they have were a dollar a dozen higher.


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Irony is that during the warm months the pastured chickens are laying up a great storm of eggs. We're collecting hundreds of eggs. Free. No chicken feed. Free bugs to eat. Organic pest control is the primary job of our hens. The eggs are a bonus. Get chickens.


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## Lady89 (Feb 22, 2014)

I am getting hardly any eggs right now my hens are on strike. They don't like that the temp keeps changing so much. One week it was in the low 70 the next it was around 100 all week.


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