It's a week full of "firsts":- My first apple pie
- My first immersion blender
- My first chicken pot pie
- My first egg sale
One of Jim's customers bought a dozen of my girls' brown eggs tonight for the tidy sum of $2.00. He was happy to have brown eggs! Jim's offered them to all of our customers and they usually say they'll get some the next time they come out. It would be so nice if the chooks would pay for their own feed! I am getting 9 eggs on average a day now. They don't seem to be affected by the shorter days and the colder weather...yet. It remains to be seen what they will think of November and December weather.
This year has been full of other "firsts" as well.
- Jim's first gun shop
- My first flock of chickens
- My first eggs
- My first flock of ducks
- Our first orphaned squirrel
It feels good to sell those eggs. We have all the eggs we can use and we also share them with family members. It's not my goal to get rich selling eggs, not by any means. I'd be happy if the egg money would pay for the corn and layer ration. It will be fun to see if we get any regular egg customers. I'm just enjoying the fact that there are others out there who appreciate brown eggs for their goodness and are willing to pay a couple dollars for some.
I wish you lived closer.I would be a regular customer. My egg lady used to work with my daughter and i could get all the great, fresh free range eggs i wanted. I used to ask for the brown and green ones! I love the colored shells. We would get an occasional duck egg slipped in there too. But now my daughter owns a shop and they don't see each other any more.... And my favorite farmer at the Farmer's market has fewer eggs because "something got in and tore into her chickens"...I would walk miles for those eggs of yours, but i am afraid that there are just too many miles between us.... sniff...
ReplyDeleteAmy, I bet that sale made you feel good! So far, I'm giving away the extras to family and friends. They love them! I wish I would start getting more than 6 or 8 a day. I guess it was bad timing with the days getting shorter just as they started laying good.
ReplyDeleteIs there any difference in the brown and white eggs? I can't tell if there is. I like 'em all. Sounds like it's been a good year for you, congrats. My hens are on strike I think, no eggs for a month now. Maybe the weather.
ReplyDeleteChris
Susan, aren't your Barred Rocks and your Sussex still laying? I haven't noticed a drop off in production yet. Mine are "different" though, if ya know what I mean!
ReplyDeleteChris, I can't tell a different between white and brown eggs. But there is a big difference between store bought and free range, of course. There's no comparison there! The shorter/colder days make a difference. Nature sets aside a time for the chickens to rest, then come spring we'll be up to our eyeballs in eggs!
Mare, I wish you lived closer too! Sometimes I have a hard time figuring out what to make to use up these eggs!
ReplyDeleteWe have lots of first too this year and I believe blogging has lead me onto many of these firsts. Others inspire me and there is so much to learn from fellow bloggers. Just think of the money the birds save you now that you do not have to buy eggs, are birds are earning their keep too.
ReplyDeleteAmy, the Sussex just started laying within the last week or two. I'm at a loss to figure out which hens are laying which eggs. How do you tell? I'm never out there when one is actually laying, so it's hard to tell. Maybe I'm missing some important piece of information?
ReplyDeleteKim, you are so right. The chickens are saving me money that I would have spent on factory eggs. I just sold another dozen to a coworker last night! Yippee!
ReplyDeleteSusan, Sussex eggs are supposed to be "creamy" in color. I'd look for an egg that's obviously lighter or somehow different in color from the rest. My Buff Plymouth Rock lays an egg that are almost pink!
I am so happy you have a customer!! When ever my mother-in-law would come and visit us out here she would always bring me 2 dozen fresh eggs. She knew how much I would appreciate them. After our 4 girls started laying, I wanted to cry out of happiness. I know they are fresh and free of hormones. It kind of sounds like we are all experiencing some firsts and I am loving every bit of it.
ReplyDeleteCongrats Amy! No, you won't get rich selling eggs but it is rewarding and fun, and yes, it does defray the cost of the feed! I'm so happy for you!
ReplyDeleteMandie, I agree: nothing beats fresh eggs from your own chickens!
ReplyDeleteKathie, Indeed it does help. I used the egg money to buy 100 lb of cracked corn today--enough to last the ducks and chickens for a few weeks.
You're doing it right! You have a great flock of healthy chickens and thay are earning their keep.
ReplyDeleteYea for "free cracked corn!"
Congratulations on your sale! Mine don't lay enough to sell. I know what you mean about them paying for their own food. Yard raised eggs are the best!
ReplyDeleteThis has been quite a year for you guys!! I'm so happy for you, Amy!
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