09/10/2026
🐣 **Let’s talk egg pricing! How do you decide what to charge for your hatching eggs?** 🥚
I’ve been thinking about this lately, and I’m genuinely curious about how other breeders determine their prices.
I’ve seen people say they price their hatching eggs based on the cost of a point-of-lay (POL) pullet. But then I’ve seen eggs selling for $50 a dozen, $100 a dozen, $200 a dozen, and in some cases, even more!
What interests me is that sometimes you can see these price differences within the *same breed*. And, of course, the price of a POL pullet can vary significantly between breeds, too.
So, when someone says they price their eggs based on the cost of a POL pullet, what are we talking about? The price of a pet-quality pullet, or a show-quality bird? Because there can be quite a difference between the two!
Personally, I don’t sell hatching eggs very often, and when I do, I tend to price mine at the lower end.
Part of that is because I genuinely worry about selling eggs that don’t develop or hatch well. I don’t want someone to spend their hard-earned money on eggs and then feel disappointed, or frustrated with me, if they end up with a poor hatch.
For friends, I’ll often say, “Here, take the eggs. If you want to pay me, wait until you see what hatches!” 😂
For people I don’t know as well, I generally base my pricing on the cost of a pet-quality POL pullet.
This year, I’ve paid some pretty hefty prices for posted eggs, right at the top end of the price range, only to have very poor hatch rates. On the other hand, I’ve paid more middle-of-the-road prices and had fantastic hatches.
Of course, there are so many variables with hatching eggs, and postage can add another whole layer of uncertainty.
I’m also interested in what people do when it comes to hatch rates and customer service. Some breeders say they candle at around seven days and, if development is poor, will offer extra eggs to make up the numbers. Others take the view that hatching is always a gamble, and sometimes that’s just the luck of the draw.
Neither approach is something I want to criticise. I’m genuinely interested in how different breeders handle it.
So, I’d love to hear from other breeders! 👇
🥚 **How do you determine the price of your hatching eggs?**
🐓 Do you base it on the value of a POL pullet, the quality of your breeding stock, rarity of the breed, show potential, or something else?
📦 Do you price posted eggs differently from eggs collected locally?
🐣 Do you offer replacement eggs or top-ups if development or hatch rates are particularly poor, or is it simply a case of hatching eggs being a gamble?
And finally… **are any of you like me, where you almost avoid selling eggs altogether because you stress so much about disappointing the person buying them?** 😂
I’d love to hear how everyone approaches this. There’s no right or wrong answer I’m looking for — just interested in the different ways people value their eggs and manage expectations. ❤️
