Most backyard chicken keepers keep just enough chickens to supply eggs for their families. However, there are a good number of us who fell victim to chicken math and have a much larger flock than we first planned. With 40 chickens, I have more than enough eggs to feed our family and then some! So, what do we do with our extra eggs? We sometimes gift them and sometimes sell them. It’s an easy way to make a couple extra bucks and is a fun little business activity on the side.
“Happy” and I hanging out. Happy hens lay lots of eggs!
Before you decide to sell eggs, you need to know your state’s regulations on selling eggs from your backyard flock. For example, in Minnesota, it’s perfectly legal to sell my eggs without a license or inspection as long as my flock is under 3,000. Even with my love for chickens, I can guarantee I’ll never have that many! Haha! Your state’s Department of Agriculture lays out the specifics and I highly encourage you to read through them.
According to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, I can happily sell my eggs as long as they are, “Clean and free of debris prior to sale. Dry cleaning your eggs with an abrasive material such as sandpaper is generally recommended. Wet cleaning using rags, sponges, or other devices to scrub or wipe by hand is prohibited.” And, as we all know, if you need to clean/wash your eggs, they need to be refrigerated after that. I like to collect my eggs often so they stay clean and there’s no need to refrigerate.
So, if you decide to have a cute little roadside egg stand, what are some ways to do this? I have searched the internet and have dreamed about repurposing a piece of furniture or even building a small stand for the end of our driveway. I’ll attach some of my favorites here. But, for now, I just set up a little table with a pretty tablecloth and some signage and have had great results! I live in a great neighborhood where the people are very trustworthy. I leave my eggs, a sign explaining that I take Venmo, Apple Pay or cash. I also say that I don’t give change, so if their bill is bigger, it’s a tip for me. If they don’t have enough cash, it’s a gift from me. I also leave a basket so they can return clean egg cartons. I will deliver eggs as well, but really wanted to avoid a lot of extra time on the road doing that. The roadside stand has helped with that!
Our kids selling garden produce and eggs. They love doing this!
Here are some fun roadside egg stands that I dream about often! Someday, I’ll sweet talk my husband into building me one, but for now, I’m happy with my easy set up and take down table.
This cute little stand is by our friend, Lisa, over at Fresh Eggs Daily
You can find step by step instructions for this cute one! I like it because it’s on wheels for easy moving.
Whatever you decide to do to sell your eggs, my encouragement is to keep it clean, simple and easy to use. Make sure you follow your state’s guidelines for selling as well. Returning customers are the best and they stay faithful! Once you taste farm fresh eggs, the store bought ones pale in comparison. And, if you’re going to sell them, it might as well be fun!
Until next time,
–The Wing Lady