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Fertile Eggs. Shipped versus Non-shipped

post #1 of 2
Thread Starter 

I have heard a lot about how "handling" of fertile eggs can cause a reduced number in the eggs actually hatching. Aside from the egg actually cracking or breaking why would you have a reduced number of hatched chicks? I have heard the following reasons.
1. X-ray machines "killing" the egg. Not sure about this one. I have my doubts.
2. Shaking the package. If this was true, then wouldn't all the eggs be duds? They all get shaken.
3. Temperature. Ok, here I can see being a good reason. If temps get too low, (or too high?) then I
     would guess the result would be a "dead" egg.
4. Delayed shipment. Most eggs if shipped priority should be delivered in 2 to 3  days. Unless the
    sender didn't ship the freshest egg, this really doesn't seem to be much to worry about.

So, all said, if I ordered a box of eggs that were hatched the day or the day before they were shipped, they didn't see extreme temps and they were never jostled or x-rayed I should expect the same percentage of eggs to hatch compared to me actually picking them up from the breeder and waiting a day or two to set them.

I know there are many factors in what makes a good hatch. I guess I am just trying to see if buying shipped eggs is THAT big a risk all things being equal in the hatching process.

What has been your experience?

post #2 of 2

If the eggs are packed well. Then the odds are the membrane between chick and air sac will be fine. It isn't the shaking as much as the box being dropped and jarred in shipping that is the issue. This can break the membrane or shock the embryo enough to kill it.

I just had eggs shipped from Nova scotia to British Columbia. All was well.

If all goes "well" in shipping the hatch rate will be unaffected.

From there it is up to you and your incubating experience. That is the biggest factor.

Oil in a persons skin or hand cream will block the pores in an egg and thus they will not lose moisture as they should. On the other side of the equation, never ever wash hatching eggs!

"If you want to be happy for a year, win the lottery. If you want to be happy for a lifetime, love what you do."
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.
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"If you want to be happy for a year, win the lottery. If you want to be happy for a lifetime, love what you do."
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.
Reply
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