Bi> (...)  So far, I've ony actually sold 6 dozen, so they aren't causing the 
Bi> cash to roll in yet, but by middle of summer I should have close to 40 
Bi> chickens laying and things will be a little different.
JB> How do you sell the eggs??  I can imagine how easy it is to sell hay,
JB> but  eggs??  I've wondered about the business side of a family farm. 
JB> How do you  find customers in an area where farms are commonplace?
    So far, because of the small number of eggs I have available, I haven't 
had much trouble finding customers.  When I first began getting eggs from my 
chickens, I had a shortage of egg cartons.  So I told the people I work with 
that I'd give them a dozen eggs for every two cartons they gave me, but that 
I'd only be doing it for a short while.  The cartons rolled in!  Now that 
I've created a demand for the eggs and people are familiar with the quality, 
its not too dificult to find people who want some.
    Mostly we offer them to neighbors who don't have chickens (not everybody 
up here keeps livestock), relatives (although I run into a lot of resistance 
- or at least a dirty look - from my S/O when I suggest that we charge for 
them) and people we know from work.  When I have more chickens laying, I may 
hang a sign at the end of the driveway, which a lot of people do up here.  We 
also have a friend who runs a produce stand on weekends and he'd be willing 
to let me set up a cooler at his stand and offer them for sale there.
    So far, we don't charge relatives for eggs, we ask neighbors for $1 a 
doz. and at work I ask $1.20 but offer a 20 cent discount if they provide 
their own carton.  If I begin selling them at the produce stand, I'll 
probably ask $1.25 or $1.50.  After all, they *are organic, free-range eggs! 

    As far as the hay goes, you're right, it wouldn't be hard to find a 
market for it.  Unfortunately, not only do we need all the hay we grow for 
our own livestock, but last year, because of the arrangement we have with the 
guy who cut it, we ended up buying additional hay.  Looks like we planned 
just right, too.  The first cut is still about 4-6 weeks away and we have 
about 5-8 bales left.  Since the livestock is now able to graze the pasture 
again, we can use less of what's left.
        Byrd Mann
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