Brown Eggs Production: A Case Study

We are receiving a lot of inquiries and questions about raising free-range chicken for brown eggs production so in this article we are going to give you ideas so you can decide whether cage-free egg production is for you.

Brown eggs are laid by colored chickens mostly Dekalb Brown, Dominant CZ, or other breeds like Barred Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Reds, and Black Australorp. Brown eggs also cost higher than the normal white eggs produced in battery cages.

Although we’ve been raising chickens both for eggs and meat for more than a decade, in this study we are going to use 200 layers as our sample.

Brown Eggs Production Cost Breakdown

• Ready-to-lay chicken – ₱350.00 each x 200 = ₱70,000.00
• Each chicken consumes 110 grams of laying mash per day or a total of 22,000 grams (22 kgs) of feeds per day. At ₱26 per kg, the total cost for feeds per day is ₱572.
• Electricity (for lighting) = ₱20/day
• Labor (if you hire someone) = ₱60 – one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon. This is not necessary if you do it yourself.
• Medicines and supplements = ₱30/day

Brown Eggs Production

Brown eggs cost from ₱8 to ₱10 and since you only have 200 layers, you can sell the eggs locally for ₱9/each

• 19 to 23 weeks – 50% –  100 eggs (₱900.00) – ₱31,500 total for 5 weeks (3,500 eggs)
• 24 to 28 weeks – 90%  – 180 eggs (₱1,620.00) – ₱56,700 total for 5 weeks (6,300 eggs)
• 29 to 32 weeks – 95% –  190 eggs (₱1,710.00 – ₱47,880 total for 4 weeks (5,320 eggs)
• 33 to 48 weeks – 90% – 180 eggs (₱1,620.00) – ₱181,440 total for 16 weeks (20,160 eggs)
• 49 to 75 weeks – 80% – 160 eggs (₱1,440.00) – ₱272,160 total for 27 weeks (30,240 eggs)
• 76 to 88 weeks – 70%  – 140 eggs (₱1,260.00) – ₱105,840 total for 12 weeks (11,760 eggs)
• 89 to 93 weeks – 60% –  120 eggs (₱1,080.00) – ₱37,800 total for 5 weeks (4,200 eggs)

Culling and selling the old flock. Colored hens, when culled, can be sold higher than white leghorns. Each chicken can be sold for around ₱250. Total of ₱50,000 for 200 culled chickens.

Total expenses and profit after 74 weeks of production

Expenses

RTL – ₱70,000

• Laying mash (feeds for a total of 518 days) = ₱296,000
• Building and fence = ₱50,000 (this can be lower if you have local materials like bamboo)
• Electricity = ₱10,360
• Labor = ₱31,080
• Medicines and supplements = ₱15,540
• Egg trays = ₱13,580
• Feeders and waterer = ₱6,500
• Transportation expenses = ₱15,000

Grand total expenses = ₱493,060

Sales

• Eggs = ₱733,320
• Sacks = ₱2,279
• Culled hens = ₱50,000

Total sales = ₱785,599 less ₱493,060 = ₱292,539 net profit

The price of brown eggs is mostly higher than ₱9 as most sell them at ₱110 to ₱115/dozen but we used a standard ₱9 for all sizes. 

The ₱292,539 net profit for 18 months is not bad after all and the next time you load another batch of layers, you will have can cut 70% of your expenses on building and feeders.

Questions related to brown eggs production

How Are brown eggs produced?

The brown color is from a pigment that is laid down on the egg, it’s called protoporphyrin IX, which is like the haem group in hemoglobin in your blood. “But the hemoglobin in your blood has iron in it which is why you get the red color; on the eggshell, there’s no iron which is why you get the brown color.

Do brown eggs cost more to produce?

Brown and white eggs are nutritionally identical. The only reason brown eggs cost more is that all that brown pigment takes more food – and more money – to produce.

Do brown chickens produce brown eggs?

What is the difference? The breed of the chicken determines the eggshell color. The color of a hen’s ear area is the color indicator, with a white or light spot meaning white eggs. Usually, white hens lay white eggs, and brown hens lay brown eggs.

Why brown eggs are costly?

The reddish-brown chickens are bigger and eat more food, which makes them more expensive to keep and drives up the price of their eggs. White and brown eggs are the same in all other ways — there’s no nutritional difference between them.

Which are healthier brown or white eggs?

Shell color can influence people’s choice of eggs, and some people believe that brown eggs are superior or healthier. However, there is no significant difference in nutrients between brown and white eggs.

Why do brown eggs taste better?

Some people swear that brown eggs taste better, while others prefer the taste of white eggs. But just as with nutritional content, there’s no real difference between the taste of brown- and white-shelled eggs.

Are brown eggs better than regular eggs?

Are Brown Eggs Better than White Eggs? The color of an egg is not an indicator of quality. When it comes to taste and nutrition, there is no difference between white and brown eggs. Despite the fact that they’re often more expensive, brown eggs aren’t any better for you than white eggs, and vice versa.

Do brown eggs taste different?

While there is no nutritional difference between brown and white eggs, there can be differences in nutrition depending on what the hen is fed. Brown eggs and white eggs do not taste different, the most important thing is getting fresh eggs.

Why do chefs prefer brown eggs?

The color of the egg doesn’t matter. What is important is the quality of the egg. You might notice that most chefs and bakers use brown eggs instead of white. This is most likely because brown eggs tend to be fresher than white as they come from local farms.

Do brown eggs have more protein?

Both brown and white eggs have equal amounts of protein, approximately 6 grams. Therefore, there is no difference between the nutritional value and protein content depending on their color.

See Also:

• Paralysis in Chickens: What You Need to Know
• Native Chicken Farming in the Philippines
• Best Drugs and Antibiotics for Chickens Colds and Coryza
• What is L-spec Injectable
• Importing Live Chickens And Hatching Eggs To The Philippines: What You Need To Know