Raising chickens in your backyard can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience, especially if you love fresh eggs. However, many people wonder if selling those extra eggs is a profitable venture. With feed costs, care responsibilities, and the unpredictable nature of egg production, it’s important to weigh the costs and potential returns before jumping into the egg-selling business. Let’s explore whether selling backyard chicken eggs is truly worth it and check out some insights from people who have taken the plunge.
A Modest Egg Harvest
Many backyard chicken owners initially start with a few hens to supply their families with fresh eggs. Over time, though, egg production can outpace personal consumption, leading to surplus eggs. If you have a flock of 10 to 15 hens, you could end up with six to 12 eggs a day during peak laying seasons. For a small family, that’s more eggs than you can likely eat, which brings up the idea of selling the extras.
However, as u/ImTryingGuysOk shared on Reddit, even with a modest flock, eggs can pile up fast. “We’re overrun with eggs and have begun tossing around the idea of selling the extra ones,” they commented. It’s a common scenario for many small flock owners who aren’t sure what to do with their abundance.
Egg Prices: Competition and Market Realities
Pricing your eggs is the first hurdle in figuring out whether selling is worth it. If you live in a rural area or a region where backyard chickens are popular, you’re probably competing with a lot of other sellers. Prices can range anywhere from $3 to $6 a dozen, depending on where you live. In some higher-cost areas, eggs from local flocks can go for up to $8 to $10 a dozen, but in regions where many people raise their own chickens, the prices are much lower.
As u/mossling pointed out on Reddit, “I live in a very high cost of living area…I usually get about $3-$5 a dozen. Grocery store eggs are around $5 a dozen here. I’m definitely not breaking even, but I think I’m doing good.” It’s essential to keep in mind that even if you price your eggs competitively, you may not be raking in a huge profit.
The Cost of Keeping Chickens
One of the most significant factors affecting profitability is the cost of maintaining your flock. Feed, housing, and the occasional health care for your chickens all add up. If you want to maximize profit, you need to find ways to reduce these expenses, such as buying feed in bulk or recycling egg cartons. But no matter what you do, there will always be some cost involved in keeping your chickens healthy and happy.
As Keith Taylor explained on Quora, “If you have to keep buying feed for them, the price of each egg goes up, and it may turn out that it is more expensive to produce eggs at home than it is to buy them.” His point reinforces the reality that unless you can significantly cut costs, it’s challenging to make selling eggs a truly profitable business.
Chicken Math: It’s Real
Anyone who has owned chickens has probably heard of “chicken math.” It’s the phenomenon where you start with a few chickens, then suddenly find yourself with 20 or more. You think that by adding more chickens, you’ll increase egg production and, therefore, your profits. But this isn’t always the case.
The cost of feed rises, the space required increases, and the more chickens you have, the more time you need to spend maintaining their coop and ensuring their health. As u/Cannabis_Breeder humorously put it, “Yeah, I did that math once too, and then quickly remembered why it’s just a hobby and only large factory farms make money.”
The Importance of Location
Where you live plays a big role in determining whether selling eggs is worthwhile. In urban or suburban areas, you might find a higher demand for farm-fresh eggs at premium prices. But in rural areas where many people have their own chickens, competition is fierce, and you may struggle to sell your eggs at a price that covers your costs.
If you’re in a rural area, many of your neighbors likely already have chickens and won’t need to buy eggs from you. To make a profit, selling in areas where people value organic, free-range, or specialty eggs might be the best bet.
Knowing Your Market
One of the key elements to success in selling eggs is understanding your customer base. Some buyers care deeply about how the chickens are raised – whether they are free-range, GMO-free, or fed organic feed. Others are just looking for the best price. Knowing what your customers value can help you set your price accordingly and even find a niche.
For example, Hal Cromwell on Quora noted that owning the right type of hens, which lay eggs almost daily, could be financially rewarding. But she also stressed that you must be prepared for the hard work involved, from feeding the chickens to ensuring their safety from predators.
Managing Time and Effort
Raising chickens and collecting eggs is not a passive venture. It takes time to feed and water them, clean the coop, collect the eggs, and manage any health issues that arise. If you don’t enjoy the process or see it as just another chore, then the amount of money you make might not feel worth the effort.
u/LivingSoilution shared practical advice on Reddit: “Do the math to figure out your production costs…and see what you come up with. If you want to really have fun, calculate how much time you spend on chicken-related activities and add that in to see what your time is worth per dozen.”
The Reality of Selling Eggs
In most cases, selling backyard eggs isn’t going to make you rich. It’s more of a way to offset the cost of keeping chickens while reducing waste by finding a use for the extra eggs. If your goal is purely profit, backyard egg farming likely isn’t the right choice. But if you love the process and the chickens themselves, selling eggs can provide a small supplementary income.
Alternatives to Selling
If you find yourself with too many eggs and not enough customers, there are alternatives. Some chicken owners give eggs away to family, friends, or even local food banks. Others feed extra eggs back to their chickens for added nutrients or offer them to other animals on the homestead, like pigs.
For instance, u/ChickenChaser5 on Reddit shared that they bring their eggs to a local pantry in exchange for egg cartons and snacks for the birds. This barter system helps reduce waste and supports the local community.
The Fun Factor
For many chicken owners, the joy of having chickens far outweighs any potential profit. Chickens are entertaining, provide fresh eggs, and add a bit of life to any backyard. Even if selling eggs isn’t a goldmine, the experience of raising chickens can be rewarding in itself.
As Meg Osterby shared on Quora, owning chickens can bring unexpected joy: “Owning chickens is heavily rewarding, and you might find yourself falling in love with your hens. They can be taught to do tricks, and I have found some to rather enjoy being petted and doted on.”
Is It Worth It?
At the end of the day, selling backyard chicken eggs may not be a huge moneymaker, but it can help you break even or at least offset the cost of keeping chickens. If you have the time, enjoy caring for your flock, and live in an area where there’s a demand for high-quality eggs, then it might be worth giving it a shot. But if you’re looking for a business that turns a substantial profit, backyard chickens are probably not the answer. Instead, focus on the many other benefits that come from raising these charming and productive birds.
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, John developed a love for the great outdoors early on. With years of experience as a wilderness guide, he’s navigated rugged terrains and unpredictable weather patterns. John is also an avid hunter and fisherman who believes in sustainable living. His focus on practical survival skills, from building shelters to purifying water, reflects his passion for preparedness. When he’s not out in the wild, you can find him sharing his knowledge through writing, hoping to inspire others to embrace self-reliance.