Roots N Boots

And failed miserably! But let me explain myself:

So before our chicken murder disaster, we had 8 laying chickens, and were getting about 2 dozen eggs a week. I really want the chickens to pay for their own feed, and I want other people to be able to use the fresh eggs, especially with how expensive egg prices became this winter; The grocery store was charging $9 a dozen! So I decided that I was going to offer them for sale at the top of our driveway, where people could stop on the side of the road and grab some eggs, paying for them with an honor system, and be on their way. So I wrote up my sign, grabbed my blue cooler, 2 dozen eggs and 1-18 pack, and drug them up to the end of my driveway.

I let them set for 2 days and went to check on the cooler, just to be sorely disappointed that all eggs were accounted for. I then realized that the sign was hard to see, so I moved everything closer to the road where it would be more visible. The following day I sold my 18 pack and was thrilled! And then a friend came by and asked to buy eggs, but I offered him the 2 dozen packs for free. That was sort of the story of this experiment: I would sell one or two packs a week, and would be giving away the rest for free to family and friends. Let me add that I joyfully gave them away, as I am a sucker for serving others…We did regularly give away 18-24 eggs a week to a loyal work customer who raved about how good they tasted and that the eggs had the best color to them that they had ever seen! I emphasized that it was a combination of bugs, grass, and very happy chickens.

I have stopped trying to sell eggs currently because one of my chickens is setting on 2 fertilized duck eggs, and the other 3 chickens only produce enough eggs for my husband and I. I will start offering the duck eggs for eating, but I have currently been collecting them for my broody duck to set on, as I am really hoping to get one or two clutches of ducks to raise for meat this year.

I absolutely plan on selling eggs again, especially once my 27 babies start laying. I considered selling them to a farmers market, as an easy way to sell the eggs, though then I don’t have the personal connection with my customers. I also want to grow my own little farmers market in the future, and have a variety of products to offer, but that won’t be for a while. I think I could advertise my eggs on Nextdoor, make a bigger stand and larger, more attractive sign, and really aim to attract more customers. I want to be able to offer baby plants that I propagate, honey and beeswax products once I start that venture, and extra produce that we don’t need. I do believe I can be more successful, but it is all a learning process.