Selling Ditmas Park Eggs: One Teen's Struggles Making A Profit With Backyard Chickens

It’s sometimes tricky for teenagers to earn money when they’re too young to legally work–but one entrepreneurial young local is trying to solve this dilemma with a backyard chicken coop.

When our family moved to Ditmas Park, my son Paul Ceffalio saw the backyard and thought, “Here is enough room for a chicken coop.” He spent the next two years lobbying his dad, saving birthday money, and researching chickens. Finally, at the end of last school year, Paul’s father consented to the coop.

“There are three conditions,” Paul’s father told him. “The coop has to look nice. You are responsible for cleaning and caring for chickens. I don’t have to do anything.”

Paul’s negotiations also stipulated that if his dad was to be a major investor, the family could help themselves to eggs produced.

The Go-Ahead

Paul contacted Brian Hammond, who used to sell yogurt at the Cortelyou Greenmarket. Brian designed a coop for Paul and had it cut and driven to Ditmas Park at Paul’s request. He even helped assemble it in the yard.

Brian guided Paul’s coop building, delivered five hens, and set Paul up with chicken feed and woodchips. One of the hens laid an egg on the drive to Ditmas Park, proving Paul made a good business decision in purchasing hens that are already laying instead of hatching chicks.

Paul’s flock includes two Rhode Island Reds, which have been bred to lay an egg a day, and three Araucanas, which lay about 3 eggs every 4 days. The Araucanas lay blue eggs, and the Rhode Island Reds lay brown ones.

But why chickens?

There are some ways for pre-teens and young teenagers to earn money that don’t require large startup costs or ongoing operating costs–so why was Paul so determined to raise chickens? It turns out they’re a way for him to stay close to his Grandma.

“I love my Grandma’s farm,” Paul explains. “But she lives in Alaska.”

Paul calls her to talk about how the chicken raising is progressing. While doing his urban farming chores, he can transport himself back to the Alaska homestead.

Chicken Predators

When the chickens were first introduced to the backyard, squirrels that lived in the neighboring trees were extremely curious. They would stalk the coop, especially when fresh food was put out. They’d look as if they were contemplating how to get the chickens’ food without being noticed. But Brian assured Paul that a brave squirrel wouldn’t stand a chance against five chickens, anyway.

Feral cats were initially interested in the coop, too. Now that the weather has cooled, Paul again notices them circling the coop, looking for an entry point. Each dusk, after the chickens march their way into the coop and perch on their roost, Paul double-checks that all the hatches are properly closed.

Indeed, Paul is more concerned about the chickens digging their way out than of raccoons digging their way in. He recently lined bricks around the coop’s perimeter, where the chickens tend to dig for worms and bugs.

What Do Chickens Eat?

In addition to the aforementioned bugs, Paul feeds his chickens grain, scratch, and table scraps.

“They really like mint, lettuce, and cabbage,” he says. “They don’t really like flavorful fruits like apples, bananas, or any citrus. They are so-so on bread, and we don’t give them food with egg products.”

Paul pulls a handful of weeds out of the garden each day for his chickens–a habit I appreciate–but Brian cautioned Paul against feeding the chickens nightshades like tomatoes and potatoes, both of which grow in our garden. Nightshades are toxic to chickens.

Feeding time is when the chickens’ personalities become most apparent. The Rhode Island Reds, who seem to know Paul comes with food, run toward the corner of the coop closest to him anytime they see him outside.The Araucanas hold back, demure, and snatch greens when the Rhode Island Reds aren’t looking.

When grain runs low, Paul has a few options for restocking. Brian drives to Ditmas Park every so often to visit his sister, Tracey Hohman, and delivers grain to Paul and his other Brooklyn chicken customers. Besides that, a plethora of resources opened up when Paul joined the 734 other chicken farmers on the NYC Just Food City Chicken Meet-Up Group. The group is currently working on sourcing chicken feed.

Celebrity Chickens

Through the Meet-Up Group, Paul was put in contact with children’s book author Barbara Samuels. She is working on a fictional picture book about Brooklyn children raising chickens in their backyard, and asked Paul a number of questions which she may or may not use in her book.

Q: Do chickens really like being upside down?  A: Yes. The blood rushes to their brain and calms them.

Q: Are the eggs any different from store bought eggs? A: In so many ways, yes! The yolks are blood-orange and more firm, for example.

Q: What about the end-of-life moral dilemma? A: What moral dilemma? Have you ever eaten chicken?

How is the business going?

Paul named his chickens, as part of his business plan, after neighborhood streets. The black and white Araucanas are Ditmas and Rugby. The golden Araucana is Beverley. One Rhode Island Red is named Newkirk and the other is CIA.

Paul created an email address and started a chicken blog, both of which are pretty inactive at this point as applying to high school is currently taking up most of Paul’s time. “Also,” he says, “egg production dramatically decreased because the days are shorter and the flock is older. I don’t really have any eggs to sell.”

Paul used to net three to five eggs every day, but now gets one to three. He has sold three dozen eggs so far and has given away about another three dozen. (I’ve given eggs away, anyway.)

Paul’s original investment was $200 which means that at $8/dozen, he needs to sell 25 dozen eggs to recoup his investment. His father/main stockholder is being repaid in eggs while still chipping in with operating costs–although, he admits, “For me, this is about more than Paul earning a profit.”

Paul’s costs will go up this spring with the acquisition of baby chicks, delaying his profitability further. He plans to lease growing lights and buy fertile eggs from Brian so he can raise hens from chicks.

You may be wondering who is buying eggs at $8/dozen, which is high even for farm fresh eggs at the Coretlyou Greenmarket, but Paul has found customers. One, a mom on Paul’s former baseball team, congratulated him on not undervaluing his product and put him in touch with some of her friends.

“The cost also includes delivery to your front door every Sunday morning,” says Paul of why other neighbors might consider paying such a premium. “This is a service no one else offers.”

Paul plans to be running full swing next Spring after he has been accepted to a high school, and when he has hatched younger chickens who lay more often. If you’re interested in having a half dozen or a dozen eggs delivered to your home on Sundays, contact Paul. Delivery will likely start again in the Spring.

If you’re interested in raising your own backyard chickens (hens are legal in New York City, roosters are not) here are resources:

Buying a Coop

• Brian Hammond: Brian is often in Ditmas Park and very hands-on with his customers.
• Handcrafted Coops: I’ve had a difficult time contacting Handcrafted Coops. But they are local and perhaps you’ll have better luck.
• Victory Chicken: Victory’s mission is for backyard chicken raising to become normal again. They are committed to New York and have a comprehensive, if short, list of resources.

Resources

• Noah’s Ark Pet Store: Edgar is selling what neighbors want, including chicken feed.
• Kensington Stables: For cozy hay and wood chips.
• Just Food Chicken Meet-Up Group: Celebrity chickens, food sourcing, and more!
• Amazon: When all else local fails.