Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => Chicken Chat => Topic started by: cammi on April 14, 2011, 10:53
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I only have 5 hens (4 laying) but we have been getting a few more eggs than we can eat recently, so i have done some signs, bought some boxes and put 3 boxes outside the front door today.
We live on a housing estate so don't get passing traffic, just people walking by. I have left one box open to show they are different sizes and colours.
I have my doubts i will sell any at all, certainly not a regular thing, my hubby thinks they will get snapped up...............................no one bought any so far...................come on they have been out there 3hours now! :lol:
Wish me luck
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Once they buy your eggs they will become regulars - just wait and see :D
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Good luck with selling them :)
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if you were near me id snap them up no probs...cant bet a feresh egg or 2 :D
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My neighbours would always happily accept free ones but would never buy them if I put them out for sale >:(
I think they will sell, so be patient :)
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Good luck!
I don't understand why people don't snap these offers up? About 2 miles from our home is a little house in the middle of a clearing in the wood with a road running by it. They always have a little stall outside with fresh hen & duck eggs on it and home produced honey - both delicious - with an honesty box. You can just taste the flavour of flowers in the honey!! :D
Do you have a suggested price for the eggs on display?
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good luck!
Make up a good sized sign for fresh eggs with a picture and price. I put my eggs in a coolbox and a little plastic container next to it for money.
Once people start buying them they will continue as there is a huge difference in taste between supermarket eggs and home produced fresh ones.
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Yes ive got lovely signs lol. I was only going to say 50p but my friend said i should try £1 for 6 so thats what they are at the moment. A big of six roughly two huge eggs, 2 'normal' eggs and 2 blue eggs.
Well i've taken them in now and hubby is going to take them to work tonight, see if anyone wants some. He said he saw a man walk past to the shop and walk back with two boxes of eggs!!! WHY???
Oh well Day One = None sold
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It sometimes takes people time to get used to them being there cammi, don't give up! I had a lady in the village bought some of ours, she now buys 4-6 dozen a week, her in-laws have 2 dozen and her neighbour now has 2 dozen a week too!
But why that bloke walked past to buy eggs then walked back again I don't know! Maybe they think eggs are better if bought from a supermarket! I know a few people like that! He doesn't deserve your lovely fresh eggs! :lol:
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Yes ive got lovely signs lol. I was only going to say 50p but my friend said i should try £1 for 6 so thats what they are at the moment. A big of six roughly two huge eggs, 2 'normal' eggs and 2 blue eggs.
Well i've taken them in now and hubby is going to take them to work tonight, see if anyone wants some. He said he saw a man walk past to the shop and walk back with two boxes of eggs!!! WHY???
Oh well Day One = None sold
Should have given him a free egg and told him to fry it alongside a supermarket egg. :)
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Yes ive got lovely signs lol. I was only going to say 50p but my friend said i should try £1 for 6 so thats what they are at the moment. A big of six roughly two huge eggs, 2 'normal' eggs and 2 blue eggs.
Well i've taken them in now and hubby is going to take them to work tonight, see if anyone wants some. He said he saw a man walk past to the shop and walk back with two boxes of eggs!!! WHY???
Oh well Day One = None sold
Someone told me it is illegal to sell the eggs from your own hens because they aren't regulated or stuffed with antibiotic feed. Don't advertise them - just in case!
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Someone told me it is illegal to sell the eggs from your own hens because they aren't regulated or stuffed with antibiotic feed. Don't advertise them - just in case!
Thats not the case. You are allowed to sell eggs from your 'Farm Gate'
This article tells you what you need to know.
http://www.poultry.allotment-garden.org/Chicken_a/Chicken_Egg_Excess/farm-gate-egg-sales.php
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1 of the ladies at work regularly goes to a farm and buys fresh eggs for all the other workers (usually about 3 doz a week). I used to get them as they were nice and big for 1.80 a dozen. Don't need to do that now I have nice and tiny. :lol: :lol:
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Sorry they didn't sell and the man that walked past them and bought eggs from a shop is very odd ???
A question for you knowledgeable lot ... I was at a carboot on Sunday and walked passed 2 separate stalls selling 'double yolkers' now I thought it was a random thing to get a double yolked egg. Can you really tell by just looking at them? They had a few trays of them.
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Yes ive got lovely signs lol. I was only going to say 50p but my friend said i should try £1 for 6 so thats what they are at the moment. A big of six roughly two huge eggs, 2 'normal' eggs and 2 blue eggs.
Well i've taken them in now and hubby is going to take them to work tonight, see if anyone wants some. He said he saw a man walk past to the shop and walk back with two boxes of eggs!!! WHY???
Oh well Day One = None sold
Someone told me it is illegal to sell the eggs from your own hens because they aren't regulated or stuffed with antibiotic feed. Don't advertise them - just in case!
Definitely not true! :D But i suppose people hear silly things like that and makes them think twice about buying 'farm gate' eggs
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I like the coolbox idea.
I dont like the thought of buying eggs that have sat in the sun all day.
I dont know if its safe or not - sorry I am more used to eggs that come from supermarkets.
Any idea on whats safe?
Might consider buying some "farm gate" eggs next time I see some.
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Buy a box, if not happy don't go back. I did that at a place which sells free range eggs, I found the whites as runny as the supermarket. Now have 4 hens and sell 6 for a £.
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Sorry they didn't sell and the man that walked past them and bought eggs from a shop is very odd ???
A question for you knowledgeable lot ... I was at a carboot on Sunday and walked passed 2 separate stalls selling 'double yolkers' now I thought it was a random thing to get a double yolked egg. Can you really tell by just looking at them? They had a few trays of them.
I will speculate on that one.
They probably came from an egg sorting plant, where the double yolkers are put through an automatic candling machine and discarded. (They don't fit the profile of the 'perfect' supermarket egg and are often too big to fit in the cartons.)
The people selling them either work at the sorting plant or can buy the double yolkers cheap as 'second grade' eggs.
Unless stated otherwise, they will certainly be battery farmed eggs.
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My eggs sit in a plastic box outside the front door, but the front door is north facing, so its always cool. If people want to buy them, they have to come down the drive which is fairly long.
I always worry about my little money pot going missing, but 'touch wood', I've never lost any money.
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same here with the plastic box and out of the sun. i've asked to just pop the money through the letter box, as we are about 3 meters from the path lol.
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Write the laid date on in pencil and have it face upwards so folks can see they were laid today. Just a thought :) Don't sell them too cheap! They're better than supermarket ones so why bother undercutting them, they should be more or at least the same as their free range ones
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Write the laid date on in pencil and have it face upwards so folks can see they were laid today. Just a thought :) Don't sell them too cheap! They're better than supermarket ones so why bother undercutting them, they should be more or at least the same as their free range ones
good idea about the date.
the thing is around here the farmer and small holder sell a dozen for a £1!!!
well andy sold one box at work. Ive put them out again today, with another sign with a arrow pointing towards the house stuck on the back of our car lol
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I sell mine for £1 a box and this week sold 4 dozen at Slimming World but down the road from me a chap sells a full tray (30 eggs) for £3.50
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Just a thought, sometimes people 'trust' the supermarket eggs because they have a date to consume by on them.
My friend who sells us eggs when she has spare writes the date they were laid on in pencil.
Now I don't know how long to give home produced eggs in terms of shelf life - anybody suggest?
You could always write the lay date and a use by date on which may help avoid any complaints about bad eggs or something which may not be related to your eggs coming back to bite you.
If it were me selling, I would just cover myself and date things, but then again, I'm not a hen keeper at the moment so could be talking complete codswallop :tongue2:
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When I first had my chickens I decided to sell the surplus eggs. I sent a little letter out to a few of the people I know in the village telling them all about the girls (ex battery hens) and their new life laying eggs in my garden. I told them that I would be selling them for £1 a dozen to help cover their feed costs and where the eggs would be (we have a fridge in the outhouse at the top of the drive) and that anyone was welcome to pop up and try some. People did (although not everyone) and they told other people. Now I easily sell all our surplus eggs, at least 4 dozen a week and sometimes demand outweighs supply.
I think sometimes it takes knowing about the eggs and the person who is selling them to encourage people to buy them. I guess everyone thinks that supermarket eggs are safe as they have to pass stringent checks where as someone selling from a door step / farm gate could potentially be selling any old rubbish.
Perhaps it is worth you contacting people you know locally or producing a little leaflet explaining who you are and where your eggs are from?
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The eggs your girls lay will last for about four weeks, but as far as I am aware you should write on the poster that they should be consumed within three weeks of purchase to keep yourself from getting in trouble.
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The first time i put my eggs up for sale i was a little worried but after a few days i sold my first half dozen and almos did a jig.
Now i cant keep up with the demand lol. Then occasionally i get a phase when no one knocks and i begin to panic all over again.
Its fine once the first lot buy your eggs then their next door neighbours get to hear how nice they are and you are off. My hubby regularly takes eggs into work as well when i have not sold them on the door step.
Unfortuantley i have had money and eggs stolen so the sign is up with a 'please knock' included.
good luck
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Do you all have full size chickens / full size eggs?
I was thinking of getting some bantams for my new house. Not sure if people will buy what seems to be just a smaller egg.
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Do you all have full size chickens / full size eggs?
I was thinking of getting some bantams for my new house. Not sure if people will buy what seems to be just a smaller egg.
They will not pay large egg prices for 'fun size' eggs but they should still sell. They are a good size for boiling for picnics ,kiddies lunch boxes or for pickling.
It always seems to me that the yolks in banty eggs are proportionally bigger than standard eggs. :)
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I sell my bantams eggs for the same as the other eggs. People actually request them as they are more creamy.
I figured I would use them if they did not sell and everyone who has bought them says they are nice and dont mind paying the same for them.
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So would buy these???
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Dont give up hope,we live on a housing estate and had a sign in our window for about a week before anyone knocked to buy some
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eggs
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i'd buy them! :D
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Me too! :D
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They look lovely cammi, don't get paranoid! :blink: It takes time, but once you've started to sell a few, more will follow!
During the winter, if I take my sign down as we aren't getting enough except for our regulars. People stop knocking, then in the spring when the sign goes out again, it always takes people several weeks before they realise the sign is there to stay!!!
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My neighbours would always happily accept free ones but would never buy them if I put them out for sale >:(
I think they will sell, so be patient :)
Same here, must be something to do with this area ;)
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They look lovely. My hubby always buys a tray of eggs from the farmer near where he works, they beat shop bought ones by miles.
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They look great. I think it really is just a matter of time. As many people have said, once someone tries them they're bound to be back for more!
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They look much better than boring old supermarket eggs nice to see a mix of colour
I have dark brown Normal and White in my boxes but I couldn't leave them out round my way the local scum would steal or break them. if I saw your eggs for sale presented like that I would 100% buy them. Bargain for a quid :D
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I would buy them too they look fab and I love the sign and the stickers on the box.
How did you get them please as I am thinking of selling some here too.
Don't give up as others have said it takes a bit of time good luck with it all :D
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I love the signs where did you get them. I suppose they are sticky back and computer done. How nice.
mine are plain and boring grey and not really very good. I got them on ebay cheap and to be honest some of my eggs are so bit they break when the lids get shut.
keep going honey your buyers will come xxxx
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The signs i did on the computer and just laminated them lol.
Oh I SOLD A BOX TODAY!!
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The signs i did on the computer and just laminated them lol.
Oh I SOLD A BOX TODAY!!
Oh well done! Patience paid off! :D
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You have inspired me to put pictures on my egg boxes I have a nice pic of my 3 hens together I'll use that. :D
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You have inspired me to put pictures on my egg boxes I have a nice pic of my 3 hens together I'll use that. :D
Share a pic then :D
I have now sold 5 boxes! 1 at hubbys work, 1 from down the road, 1 to the woman over on the corner then her friend came and bought 2!
Only got one box left now
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Well done Cammi, now you'll have to get more chickens to keep up with the demand for your wonderful eggs!!! ;)
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I would definitely buy those eggs! The eggs look lovely, the presentation is brilliant, and I love the personal touch of having the girls' names on the label.
I notice you have a jar of vaseline for the poor girl who laid that HUGE one. :wacko:
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Handy hint,
if you put the big eggs at the front of the box you do not get the 'nutcracker' effect.
It can avoid breaking a thin shelled egg . :)
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I would definitely buy those eggs! The eggs look lovely, the presentation is brilliant, and I love the personal touch of having the girls' names on the label.
I notice you have a jar of vaseline for the poor girl who laid that HUGE one. :wacko:
:D :D
I hadn't even noticed the vaseline in the background lol
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I would definitely buy those eggs! The eggs look lovely, the presentation is brilliant, and I love the personal touch of having the girls' names on the label.
I notice you have a jar of vaseline for the poor girl who laid that HUGE one. :wacko:
:D :D
I hadn't even noticed the vaseline in the background lol
That was my 'show' box the open one, i put them that way to show off the blue eggs, but yes the other boxes i have done the other way round :) not as though my girls ever seem to have thin shells yet.
Could get done for trade description in the label, I realised that I put Sally on and she hasn't started laying yet :wub:
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well done i was sooooooooo proud of my girls when i sold their eggs.
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I'm pleased you are on the move with the eggs, Cammi :)
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My friend is a hairdresser, but will only do my hair for free as she just loves doing it and having a good chat at the same time. I in turn, give her eggs. She's getting the poorer deal at the moment as Ive only 2 chooks, but she commented the other day that the taste is second to none and that the size of the yolks are so much bigger than any shop bought variety. I think that after a while we dont realise just how different ours are to shop bought ones. We are just SO lucky! I cant wait till I get my new hens to increase my production.
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Really pleased you are selling your eggs well :) You soon won't be able to keep up with demand....a good excuse to get more chickens I think :D
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Really pleased you are selling your eggs well :) You soon won't be able to keep up with demand....a good excuse to get more chickens I think :D
My 'egg shop' was actually closed today, cause i dont have enough eggs! My skelter only has 5 eggs on it. I am thinking of getting one more so i should get a box of eggs a day lol
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Only one?? ;) ;)
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My 'egg shop' was actually closed today, cause i dont have enough eggs! My skelter only has 5 eggs on it. I am thinking of getting one more so i should get a box of eggs a day lol
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And so it begins.........
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Well done Cammi they look really lovely. A chap from our lottie sells eggs 1 doz for £1.50. I used to have hens at our other house but can't have them here. At the moment I haven't got time for them on the plot but maybe 1 day I'll have some more. I loved having them.
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I would really not be upset try giving out a few to neighbours your friendly with at first. That’s what I did and soon they were offering to make a it a regular thing and offered to pay me for a dozen eggs a week.
then two other neighbours asked to buy them as well along with my in laws wanting eggs but now we also have a butcher that wants to buy our eggs he sold over 6 dozen like hot cakes now wants to make it a regular thing.
I was worried I would not be able to get rid of eggs and they would go off as I myself only eat them now and again and same with hubby we have chickens because we like them the eggs are a plus.
so DON’T give up Give them out as Free Samples at first you will see they will be begging to have them. I only sell them for a pound as well bantam eggs 50p
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Well done on your sales...we have a woman who comes the the schoolground and seels her eggs...think they have more of a farm than a small holding or 'family' setup (which we are looking into at the moment ;) ) I always buy of her as the eggs are far superior to shop ones! and alot cheaper too!
Best of luck with your 'egg shoppe'! hope you have that elusive last egg for the six now!!
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Well done Cammi
get some more hens, :D I sell my duck eggs via a sign on the gate. Mum also takes eggs down to the local indoor market every week, a butcher in there has them, so if you have an indoor market/butcher near to you may be worth asking.
good luck
Jo
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please be careful if selling to one person who will then be selling them onto others as there are a lot more rules and regulations regarding this.
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please be careful if selling to one person who will then be selling them onto others as there are a lot more rules and regulations regarding this.
But that's surely the butchers problem ?
I would just say something like "he told me they were for his consumption"
surely we can't be held respnsible for people selling our eggs on.
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sorry it's not just the butchers problem but your problem too :(
Please check with Defra as to whether you need to register as a packing station and whehter you need to date stamp the eggs or even if you have to grade them as you could both end up with a fine. You could however sell them yourself on a stall with your boxes labelled with your details I do believe as you are selling them direct to the end users.
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Yes yes I understand that but say you sell me eggs I tell you that your eggs are lovely and I want say 3 dozen. you don't know me from Adam and you have legitamately farm gate sold me your eggs.
Sale over no crime commited. congratulations on staying within the law
Now I'm a naughty boy and secretly want to put your eggs on my car boot sale at a sneaky mark up because you were to cheap and I saw the opertunity.
A man from defra comes along and busts me :ohmy:
the horror!!
still it's a fair cop I've been bad but have you ??
See my point?
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the Defra man only has to ask where he obtained his eggs from - and it would be only your word against his (and DNA could prove they came from your birds anyway should Defra decide to take it that far). Ignorance is no excuse in the eyes of the law so the chances are you would lose.
Also remember this is an open forum and can be read by everybody showing that you had been warned of this problem, and as a responsible forum we cannot condone any illegal actions :).
Sorry if my answer seems harsh but I do have to point these things out :)
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interesting. I wasn't suggesting anyone breaks the law just interested about when it becomes ilegal and the example above was mearly a sample situation. thanks for stearing me away from a nasty smack on the bum from defra. ;)
still with only 3 hens and few to sell anyway I doubt I will be getting into much trouble with the law
still it's a bit harsh that I could be responsible for someone elses actions in my opinion.
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If you have less than 350 hens and all the eggs you produce are sold Directly to indivdual consumers at your farm gate or by door to doo sales you will not need to register with an Egg marketing Inspector however under sperate legislation covering Desease Controls if you have 50 r more birds (other than wild birds) of any Species you will need to register with the GBPR.
If you sell some of your eggs to a Local Piblic markets but have less than 50 hens you will not need to register with the an Egg marketing Inspector, But you will need to display labelling required under Food Labelling regulations (name of food, your name and address and best before date and and Advice to Consumers to keep eggs Chilled) when selling your eggs in this Manner
That is quoted right from DEFRA
http://adlib.everysite.co.uk/resources/000/264/132/EMR1.pdf
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so then if I wanted to and had enough land I could keep 49 hens assuming they lay an egg a day and I sell my eggs at 1.50 for 6 I could make about 85 quid a week not taking into account feed costs etc
what happens as far as income tax is concerned are farm gate sales exempt?
Again I stress I only have 3 hens no land and no plans for an Profitable eggy future I am just curious
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Thanks for the 'heads-up' Joyful, much appreciated.
Thanks Al Hathaway and Wolverine too.
Who ever thought selling a few eggs would lead to such a miinefield.
I will be doing a fair bit of reading I think :-)
Jo
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remember any eggs you sell must be to the end user and not for those people to sell on :)