Well That Didn't Work Out

Andy Nonymous · #21 04/21/14, 02:12 AM

Sorry to hear that, BRP.

I used to get eggs at auction for about 80 cents a doz, and besides wondering how much the farmer was losing /dz, sometimes they weren't very fresh. My farmer unc told me that you go to the livestock auction either to get rid of a problem, or buy someone else's problem, but he went fairly often just to spend an afternoon and see what was selling. After he passed, I stopped going.

The eggs I get now are selling for 4.50/dz. But they are Large, Certified Organic, fertile, free range, no-soy, hand washed and inspected. They usually sell out at the farmer's market every Sat. Same farm also has a very limited supply of duck or turkey eggs for $6/dz, as well as a few Goose eggs for $1 each, but one of those is a meal.

hotzcatz · #22 04/21/14, 04:48 AM

Around here any old rabbit is $10 to $15 each. Angora rabbits start at $50 each and go up from there. Farm fresh eggs with no claims to soy or anything else are $5 - $7 a dozen when you can get them. Chicks start around $5 each. No live animal auctions, though, so most of this is through Craig's List.

sisterpine · #23 04/21/14, 08:50 AM

I used to get 3.50 a dozen in Butte Montana but the buyers were not always there when I needed them. After a while I just used what I needed and gave the rest back to the animals in one form or another...at least that way it saved me a bit on feed costs. I have only known a few homesteaders who make any money off their eggs, usually the eggs are just a side line from the primary money maker.

grandma12703 · #24 04/21/14, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big rockpile

We took 35 Chicks and 5 Young Rabbits 50 miles one way to an Auction Barn hoping to get at least $100. Came home with $28

So we decided to just raise what we need for Meat and Eggs and have more Protein in our Diet.

big rockpile

Where did you take them? We take ours to Norwood most of the time and always get a pretty good amount. Chicks don't bring a lot sometimes but our rabbits have always done ok. $28.00 wow that isn't good at all. We haven't gone this spring yet so this scares me a little.

Twobottom · #25 04/21/14, 09:09 AM

Thats pretty poor but you know everyone has chicks now so they are a dime a dozen. You would be better off placing an add on CL or a local newspaper for chicks and ask $2. Put up a flyer in your supermarket.

Last year we brought 30 grown chickens to auction and took home $125. That was mid summer I think...we just didnt want to get stuck feeding them all winter. I've heard grown chickens do well in spring because nobody wants to raise them in winter.

thequeensblessing · #26 04/21/14, 09:15 AM

We sell our extra livestock via CL and we always get about $10.00 for our mixed breed rabbits and at least $1.50 per chick, unless they are mixed or run of the mill bantams. Those are harder to sell. We also sell turkey poults and other livestock on a local "farmers market" Facebook page.

wy_white_wolf · #27 04/21/14, 09:55 AM

Grandpa taught me years ago that if I wanted to sell something at auction, take it on a rainy day. if I wanted to buy something, go on a sunny day. Seems he had a theory that on good days most people had other things that needed done. On rainy days most of those things couldn't get done so they went to auctions. That was almost 50 years ago so don't know if it still applies.

WWW

haypoint · #28 04/21/14, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tabitha

We get 1.50 a dozen. I guess pays for the feed costs. Besides. ours are totally free range and we feed them wheat from a near by farmer, non GMO.
Long time ago, my landlord raised rabbits, sold them to restaurants for chicken salad.

I am sorry BRP it did not turn out.

Hope your near by farmer isn't charging a premium for non-GMO wheat.

ronbre · #29 04/21/14, 11:57 AM

maybe an auction isn't the way to go. With meat prices going up everywhere maybe you should put an ad in the local paper or on craigslist, or a sign up on a well traveled corner with directions to your home..I see signs for rabbits, and eggs, and the like when I travel..and have stopped at many of them.

big rockpile · #30 04/21/14, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grandma12703

Where did you take them? We take ours to Norwood most of the time and always get a pretty good amount. Chicks don't bring a lot sometimes but our rabbits have always done ok. $28.00 wow that isn't good at all. We haven't gone this spring yet so this scares me a little.

We went to Bolivar.

big rockpile

Fire-Man · #31 04/21/14, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wy_white_wolf

Grandpa taught me years ago that if I wanted to sell something at auction, take it on a rainy day. if I wanted to buy something, go on a sunny day. Seems he had a theory that on good days most people had other things that needed done. On rainy days most of those things couldn't get done so they went to auctions. That was almost 50 years ago so don't know if it still applies.

WWW

Maybe on rainy days there is Less for sale and the bid goes higher because the buyers have less to chose from and want to take "it" home???

grandma12703 · #32 04/21/14, 07:21 PM

I hope it is not a trend for this season.

NamasteMama · #33 04/21/14, 10:40 PM

You could have made about $350 here easy

PrettyPaisley · #34 04/21/14, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haypoint

Hope your near by farmer isn't charging a premium for non-GMO wheat.

A uninstigating, ethical farmer wouldn't.

frogmammy · #35 04/22/14, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big rockpile

We went to Bolivar.

big rockpile

Wonder if that's the one my SIL goes to? He sold his Painted Desert Sheep at auction a week or so ago and came home with next to nothing....well, that's after he bought a few birds.

Mon

Country Wench · #36 04/22/14, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big rockpile

Oh I'm glad we only have 10 Laying Hens. The most we can get out of a Dozen Brown Eggs is $1.50 and most the time we are giving them away

big rockpile

I hear ya there..... I can usually get $2 - $2.50... but it's too sporadic.... no regulars yet... *sigh*

DJ in WA · #37 04/22/14, 09:36 PM

When people want my eggs at walmart prices, I tell them to get their own dam chickens! Then they tell me that chickens are too much work - duh, that's the point of the higher price!

Don't know how people are able to sink that low to refuse to reward me for my extra work and better feed and care, so they can sit on their ---.

Even at $3 a dozen, it isn't worth the hassle, and so I've cut back to just meeting our needs. No longer have to be insulted by low-ballers, and unreliable customers.

Forcast · #38 04/25/14, 07:04 PM

Would like some jersey giant hatching eggs

Muleman · #39 04/25/14, 07:18 PM

I had a friend with a welding shop in town. I remember one day a man brought a old bush hog in and wanted to know ho much to repair it. My friend told him and the man said "Well for that much I will take it home and fix it myself" then he left. When he left, after thinking about it a bit, my friend said "did you hear what he said". He was willing to let me fix it, if I was willing to do it cheaper than he would be willing to do it?
Does not matter what you are selling, eggs or services. there are some customers who never think beyond their own needs regardless how it hurts someone else, and those are customers you are better of without anyway.

big rockpile · #40 04/25/14, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frogmammy

Wonder if that's the one my SIL goes to? He sold his Painted Desert Sheep at auction a week or so ago and came home with next to nothing....well, that's after he bought a few birds.

Mon

Might be. I know Goats use to out sale Sheep. Buffalo was having Goat Sale once a month, went over real well.

big rockpile