Cinnamon Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 (edited) In anticipation of all the lovely eggs we will have later in the year I am thinking about putting a sign up outside the house selling some of my spares. We live in a rural village with lots of passing foot traffic,so reckon they might go down well. Does anyone else do this? Any positive or negative thoughts or experiences? And do I need to be aware of any regulations? Also,how much should I charge per half dozen? Edited February 26, 2006 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Good Morning I have been looking into this for when I get more chickens. From what I have read on different forums there are rules about selling eggs at your gate but ways of getting round the rules. You are not allowed to advertise the eggs as free range. Happy range has been used. Instead of selling the eggs some people rent out the egg boxes. Rent an egg box for 90 pence and get 6 eggs free. You must not wash/ wipe off any chicken poo, so use the very pooey for your own use. Do not refridgerate the eggs before "selling". I "buy" eggs from the gate and pay 90p for 6. If I remember anything else I will let you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 A cup off coffee later and I remembered more Do not grade the size of the eggs. Do not advertise the eggs as "large", "medium" or "small" Do not sell the eggs to someone i.e. shop, cafe etc who will be selling them on. It might be a good idea to stamp a laid date on the eggs using food grade ink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Go to the Egg Marketing Inspectorate Section of the defra website. It contains all sorts of information on marketing eggs. Click here for their page Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 26, 2006 Author Share Posted February 26, 2006 Thanks for the good advice. I was just going to put a sign up saying "Eggs from our own happy hens" or something. I will bear in mind that I cannot put free-range or anything like that. I usually pot the date they were layed in pencil,but maybe I should get a stampers. Any ideas where I can get one you can use for eggs? I had better start getting my pals to save their egg boxes too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 We sell some of ours at my work. I have done posters that introduce the girls as "happy chooks that are allowed to range free and are fed on a totally organic diet". I tend to write the laid date, name and weight in pencil. I get loads of people to save their boxes for me too. Hope it all goes well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 26, 2006 Author Share Posted February 26, 2006 Thanks Mel I just like the idea of selling eggs at our door. We live opposite a large playing field & playground,& there is a fab country pub down the road,so we get a lot of walkers who might fancy some eggs Hope so....I may have a glut even if I do give lots away to friends & family Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Its a good idea We live at the end of the cul de sac so wouldnt be worth it for us - but we do see lots of signs in the slightly more rural parts of where we live Good Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Sarah - i got my date stamp and a Free Range stamp and the ink pad and ink from www.ascott.biz It doesn't say that the stamp pad is not pre-inked so remember to buy the ink as well. I started selling some last week when my daughter and family were on holiday and all the girls decided to come into lay . I made a label using my Avatar picture. Carl took them into work and they sold within 30 seconds - £1.10 for 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Cor - £1.10 for six How the posh live eh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 26, 2006 Author Share Posted February 26, 2006 I thought £1 for 6. Nice round figure (a bit like mine!) Is there any reason why you can or should not use pencil to write on the eggs....it is safe,isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 I use pencil - its not like its actually lead. We sell our eggs for 15p each (so 60p for four in their smart omlet boxes) and 90p for six. Much cheaper than the supermarket and far superior eggs (or am I biased ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 I cant really remember. I think it has something to do with Defra / because our flock are not registered Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 As I read the information, if you want to advertise eggs as free range you have to register with DEFRA. Then the premises would have to be checked by one of their inspectors to make sure the chickens are free ranging from when they wake until they roost Calling eggs organic is a grey area as well. If you are feeding the chickens an organic diet, pellets, veggies etc and you do use organic fertilizers, weedkillers in your garden a neighbour may be using weedkillers etc which may drift across onto your garden on the breeze and settle on your grass and plants which your chickens peck at. Again I think you have to be checked for this This is how I read the information on other forums, so may not be accurate, and I'm not very good at explaining things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Makes sense to me lovey and if I understand it anyone can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Cor - £1.10 for six How the posh live eh Yeah but............... there are always blue eggs and white eggs as well as the brown And Ellie, the blue egg layer, did cost us £30 She has to earn her keep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 The 's at the adopted flock are £2.00 per dozen ... so £1 for 6 sounds a fair price. . They don't include the Blues or the double yolkers .... But I know where they are kept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 I agree with Lesley - the legbar eggs are worth a small premium with those rich yummy yolks and the generous yolk : white ratio! I still don't think Mavis is laying so she might be an eggless but beautiful duff (like Phil) in which case Edna is going to have to earn both their keep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Carl and I couldn't agree on a price - he wanted to keep them to £1 and i wanted £1.20. He took them 18 of them, nicely boxed and labelled, off to work but didn't realise I'd written the price on - £1.10 As I said, they went in 30 seconds Wish I'd written £1.50 now (The boxes work out at 4p each) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 26, 2006 Author Share Posted February 26, 2006 Lesley,did you buy egg boxes? Omlet ones or just plain ones? And if so,where from? sorry for so many questions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crooked Chicken Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Yes, where did you get the egg boxes from. I always buy Omlet ones (I've just ordered 40), and they work out at 25p a box. I don't mind spending that, but 4p sounds better !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crooked Chicken Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 Also, I'm finding the Omlet boxes a little too small for my girls large eggs. (I must stop feeding them treats)!! I can't get the lids to close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Cor - £1.10 for six How the posh live eh Yeah but............... there are always blue eggs and white eggs as well as the brown And Ellie, the blue egg layer, did cost us £30 She has to earn her keep We did think about charging more for our Saphire's blue eggs - they are a good size too - but all we wanted to do was to ensure the money paid for the pellets / corn / garlic powder etc. We realised we would never pay for the girls or the eglus Also, as they saphires are not laying all the time we dont guarantee what colour or size they will be. I stick a little business card in there and I do ask for the boxes back. Lots of people of work also give me empty boxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 Also, I'm finding the Omlet boxes a little too small for my girls large eggs. (I must stop feeding them treats)!! I can't get the lids to close. You shouldnt be You should be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 27, 2006 Author Share Posted February 27, 2006 The biggest problem with the Omlet boxes as far as I am concerned is that they only hold 4 eggs I like the idea of getting plain ones & making a label for the top,& also a note asking for the boxes back - good idea Mel! We have a HUGE cast iron pig money box by the front door,so any £1 we make will go into her until she is full.....then we are going to retire (she is mega massive!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
