I am considering adding additional layers to sell eggs. Think it would be a good idea? Or to sell the pullets/hens. At the loval auction about 3 weeks ago some yuppies paid $75 (!!!) for a PAIR (1 hen and 1 roo) of barnyard mix birds.
I'm a young widow looking for additional ways to earn an income from home. I know I wont bring folks on farm and thought I could meet at the farmers market or the local Devilmart. I need help with some pros and cons.
I am also ordering 200 meat birds (not cornish so 25 wks vs 10) to raise and can and freeze a handful. Also looking to add some khaki campbell ducks to our muscovies, turkeys, few chickens, rabbits and american guinea hogs. All animals are pastured and do not get any grain. Egg production is less (ie I get 3-4 eggs a week vs 5-6) but I know I dont have to worry about buying grain or what happens when and I feel it is a more natural diet and they forage. I would need to build additional egg tractors to move them through the hens on pasture if I sell eggs.
I'm not a chicken expert but with anything, you can get spread too . I would test the market on each of these and move in the direction that gave me the best return on investment (which should include time and effort you put into getting it to delivery). Feeding hens and gathering eggs is pretty minimal and there may be a good market for you at the farmers market. If you have leftovers, you can pickle the eggs and sell them alongside the fresh ones. There's significantly less energy output in this endeavor than in raising, feeding and processing live birds...just my take on it...in many states, you can't sell the processed birds but you can market the pickled eggs.
Raise enough for yourself with some overhead and try to sell it, maybe that would make it more easy to figure out what sells and what doesn't. One thing weve figured out is that over many years doing this, there isnt really any money in it, UNLESS you reside in a "hippie/crunchy city area" be aware that the Guinea hog market is not something you can make money on either unless you put countless hours into marketing and building clients. As for building a eggtractor look on craigslist and Facebook for one, people get into those adventures due to some recent trend and very fast discover the GINOURMOUS labor behind it just to throw it all in the corner and sell their set ups for pennies on the dollar. And at the end even pastured animals need supplements (or a decent amount of garden grown stored produce) during winter a lot less here down south, but certainly quiet a bit up north, once snow arrives. Oh a word to the rabbits, easy to raise, fast turnaround, easy to butcher and can, people looking for rabbit meat, but stores usually dont sell it. Their fur could also be a potential income, also it's hard work (what isn't on a homestead, HAH!)
A family farm down the street from me is doing farm shares, its a good way to know you have a market before putting the work/investment in and you could schedule a meet up time for people to come get their share from you
I agree with food for thought...I never meant to imply you should invest in a big-time operation. I have 6 Cinnamon Red hens, when they're happy, they produce 6 eggs per day. I use a dozen per week and have about 2 dozen left per week. I keep an extra dozen in reserve and share the rest with family and close friends. If I double my flock I could probably sell the excess for a $1.50 or more and help offset my overhead a bit. I'm more interested in having a steady supply of eggs than the extra income. When the hens stop laying, they go into the freezer. I will be bringing in some Rhode Island Reds and a roo to keep my flock healthy and producing plus have a steady supply of fryers for freezing and canning. I figure the more available protein I can keep along with the other produce, the less I spend at the market and the more cash I have available for other things.