[Eileen M]

We've had our hens for 2 years now and we've recently moved to a 'country area' in Kent.  So I thought as we now have a surplus of eggs and no longer have any neighbours to give them to, I'd have a go at selling them at the gate.

So, for the last week, everyday, I've put boxes of eggs outside the gate with a sign for a £1 a box.

Today, all 4 boxes have gone and not a penny left for them!

If they wanted the eggs and didn't have the money, I would have gladly given them away.  But to not ask, is just stealing.

I wonder if anyone has any success with this as I've often seen eggs for sale on the roadside or is this just bad luck on my part?

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi Eileen, and welcome to the forums.

I have been selling our eggs for oooh, 8 years now.  I have had one person take eggs and not paid, and a couple of people have put a foreign coin in the box.

But after a lady down our lane who sells veg had someone just take stuff from her front gate without paying, My eggs are not at the gate, they are sitting in a plastic box outside the front door and I used to have a noticeboard outside saying we had our own fresh eggs.

Now, I've taken the board away because we couldn't keep up with the demand, but our regulars just look, and if they see eggs they buy, if not they wait til we have some!

It is a shame you have had those eggs taken like that.  After all, chicken feed isn't cheap these days!

Some people have a notice outside, but make customers knock for their eggs, but that is difficult if you aren't at home all day.

[Eileen M]

Hi GrannieAnnie

Thank you for the welcome and your reply.  As you can probably tell I'm new to all this forum business.....and indeed to selling eggs!

I'm glad I'm not alone although sorry to hear that others have had their goods stolen.  I just honestly didn't think that someone would just take them.

Thanks for the tips.  I am home most of the time so people could knock.  I did think about this but thought that it would put people off buying.  Think I'll try your way first and put them by the front door and see how I go.  And I won't put out 4 boxes this time either. 

I'll learn from my mistake but they won't make me give in that easy.

Thanks again.

[splash101]

How low can some people be, bad enough to just help themselves but to take all of them as well.

I dont sell my surplus eggs i give them away so i'm just as daft. Especially as one of the people i give some to asked if i could double the quantity and give them some for his dad as well. Not once has any of them ever offered anything. But i'd have a surplus otherwise.
I'm going to start freezing a few each week in the summer for when i dont have many over the winter.

I've just had a thought, what if someone had bought all of your eggs and left the money and then someone came along after and took the money?

Dont let them grind you down

[ThatsNice]

Can you freeze eggs?!

[splash101]

yep, have a read of this.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=99046.0

[Dawnuss]

Im pretty silly and after giving mine away a couple of times I have neighbours knocking all the time and im a bit of a softy but still iritates me  it wouldnt be so bad if when they dont want eggs they cant be bothered with a hello or a smile one day we'll tell em

[ThatsNice]

Dawnuss, put a sign up by your door saying 'surplus eggs for sale', so next time they knock they see it. Would make it easier to tell them you're not giving them away anymore as you need to cover their feed costs or some such other reason..

[ThatsNice]

Thanks splash

[grinling]

Was the money box sealed? If not someone else might have taken the money. A person round the corner sells veg (part home /part commercial) and once I didn't have the rightmoney, so put some in and then went back with the rest.
By just having a sign up  and people knocking also helps the eggs sitting in the sun ( a commercial egg place sells surplus eggs which have been sitting in the sun for days)

[GrannieAnnie]

I've sometimes been tempted to try the sealed box method.  But then you have to make sure the box is secured, so it doesn't get stolen either!  When I charged £1.80 per dozen, it was more awkward for people if they only had the £2, but now we've just put our price up to £2 a dozen so that would be easier.

A small farmer down our road used to have a big brick shed on the roadside next to his bungalow.  You went into the shed and chose your veggies and fruit, then there was a small hole in the wall where you put your money.  Michael had a box the other side to collect the money and a locked door for him to go and collect his 'earnings' !

Eileen, you may find that after a while you will have 'regulars' that buy all your surplus eggs, and you won't even have to have a notice up! 

We have a couple that come for a dozen every Weds, Julie from the next village has half a dozen every 2nd Wednesday.  Dave the BT man phones me when he's in the area and has a dozen.  Brian the dog breeder comes every weekend for a dozen or more if we have them, and Jeff the postman has a dozen most weeks.  He writes a little note on one of our letters to let me know which day he wants them!   

[Eileen M]

Thanks for all your replies & support, no I won't let them get me down......just so annoying...grrr.

Yes, it's quite possible that someone bought them then someone else may have taken the money, who knows?  They did leave the money tin, which wasn't sealed, crate & lid behind though.

I'll be a lot more cautious in the future!

I hope so GannieAnnie, I know it's early days yet, I'll keep going.  Sounds like you've built up some great appreciative customers.  Before we moved house, our neighbours all raved about our eggs. You can't beat home grown!!

[GrannieAnnie]

Yep, nothing like a nice home grown egg for your breakfast!

I do hope you don't lose anymore eggs or the money Eileen!  Cheeky beggars, and it's not usually the ones that can't afford something that takes them!

[orchardlady]

It's always disappointing when people let you down . I've been selling my eggs for £1.50 per half dozen from a shady rabbit hutch on my front drive for some years now. Like you I've had the occasional theft but sometimes people take the eggs and bring the money later. I even get telephone calls and e mails from people letting me know they've taken eggs and will pop by later. So you may find that the 'thief' will come back with money very soon. I have an honest jam jar next to the eggs for the money to go in and a sign that says 'Please put money in the HONESTY jar'. I suppose it's always a bit of a risk but 99% of people do pay.

[CattinJ]

Hi - don't give up!  Sadly I think it's probably a sign of the times, but for every dishonest person there are many, many more honest ones - so don't let "one bad egg" put you off!
I occasionally sell mine from a shady corner by my front gate - I have a sign that tells everyone that half the money donated goes to the British Hen Welfare Trust - maybe because of this but I find people tend to be over generous if anything - although once, someone paid me 38p for 6 eggs - which I just put down to ignorance...people who don't keep hens wouldn't have a clue how much time and effort it took my 3 little hens to lay hose 6 eggs.
xx