Here we go again - I'm hatching more goslings!!

[Iain Utah]

It was marked ground transport??

By the way, how are the 2nd set of eggs you got from Erin? Are they better?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Yeah, see that lovely black and white sticker with the air plane. The surprise eggs are ok, 2 are trashed with air cells that roll all over. 1 looks promising and 1 is 50/50.

I like getting shipped eggs so I can judge various methods of packing and reaffirm what does and doesn't work for helping air cells survive transit.

 

[Marty1876]

Thats totally crazy! Good grief, nice of them to try to be kind in a rather misguided way. Bummer.

I am a firm believer in watching the eggs and letting them tell you when they are ready for lock down. I am also a firm believer in low humidity during incubation and raising it at lockdown. Following these simple rules has always yielded me 90-96% hatch rates on call duck eggs. So far with geese I have lost 1 that was a wrong end pipper, all others have hatched strong and done very well. If it grows I can hatch it using those simple guides.
So here is a funny for you Marty & Iain. Guess what showed up today for me to pick up from the PO? The missing March 7th box of eggs. See the picture below of the box. It's no wonder it never arrived on time, it's marked ground transport only, along with the insurance and DC stickers from the PO. The eggs are a mess too, of course wouldn't expect them to be in good shape after who know where they have been.
Lesson for egg shippers, don't ever have the PO mark a box ground transport only, they won't arrive in time to be incubated.

In other news, we are about to go into the large egg set from the 29th lockdown. Will be checking the eggs to see which are ahead and which will be a day more.

 

[erijn5]

I did not put that sticker on there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So that is why they were all lost....Utah did yours say that also?????

Evening all.
Kawonu if the crows will stop stealing the SA eggs all would be good. I feel badly, but we have had to net their run to stop the egg theft. May take you up on getting a few more Buff Pom.
Iain, got your PM will respond shortly.
I am a firm believer in watching the eggs and letting them tell you when they are ready for lock down. I am also a firm believer in low humidity during incubation and raising it at lockdown. Following these simple rules has always yielded me 90-96% hatch rates on call duck eggs. So far with geese I have lost 1 that was a wrong end pipper, all others have hatched strong and done very well. If it grows I can hatch it using those simple guides.
So here is a funny for you Marty & Iain. Guess what showed up today for me to pick up from the PO? The missing March 7th box of eggs. See the picture below of the box. It's no wonder it never arrived on time, it's marked ground transport only, along with the insurance and DC stickers from the PO. The eggs are a mess too, of course wouldn't expect them to be in good shape after who know where they have been.
Lesson for egg shippers, don't ever have the PO mark a box ground transport only, they won't arrive in time to be incubated.

In other news, we are about to go into the large egg set from the 29th lockdown. Will be checking the eggs to see which are ahead and which will be a day more.

 

[erijn5]

Yeah, see that lovely black and white sticker with the air plane. The surprise eggs are ok, 2 are trashed with air cells that roll all over. 1 looks promising and 1 is 50/50.
I like getting shipped eggs so I can judge various methods of packing and reaffirm what does and doesn't work for helping air cells survive transit.

Were they still in one pc.? Or did the packaging hold up at least? Oh my, I can't believe they did that....they must have put that on there in St. Louis since that is that last place we seen them.. I think I may call consumer affairs again tomorrow and see what they say about this!!

 

[erijn5]

Marty: did yours have that sticker????? grrrrrr... I have never even seen that sticker before,,,even on packages I've recieved in 30+ yrs.....those eggs didn't even have a chance..poor babies!!!!

Thats totally crazy! Good grief, nice of them to try to be kind in a rather misguided way. Bummer.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Actually the eggs were never checked in anywhere but at drop off on 3/7 then magically again at 5 am this morning here in Florida. They look like runny jello when candled.

No one said you put it on there, it's a PO sticker just like the DC and insurance stickers that they put on the boxes.

The packaging in both boxes was just OK. The eggs settle low into the box ontop of each other and ride loose in the boxes not held secure in one spot.

Personal Oppinion on this method is that it tends to lead to more blown air cells and bad air cells. Eggs stood pointy end down and packed with padding to hold that position seem so far to arrive with less stress and damage.

 

[erijn5]

Actually the eggs were never checked in anywhere but at drop off on 3/7 then magically again at 5 am this morning here in Florida. They look like runny jello when candled.
No one said you put it on there, it's a PO sticker just like the DC and insurance stickers that they put on the boxes.
The packaging in both boxes was just OK. The eggs settle low into the box ontop of each other and ride loose in the boxes not held secure in one spot.
Personal Oppinion on this method is that it tends to lead to more blown air cells and bad air cells. Eggs stood pointy end down and packed with padding to hold that position seem so far to arrive with less stress and damage.

okay, so laying the box flat and then placing the eggs pointy side down, with padding around them ??? should I bubble wrap them all together in one bundle like that???

It just is ridiculous that in 3yrs of shipping, this is the only shipment for me anyway, that they labeled the boxes this way..7 out of 8 boxes of this shipment date were lost..but yet I re-sent ya'll new eggs and they made it there in 2-3days with the same labeling...I got brand new labels, no hand writing for me anymore!!!

 

[Iain Utah]

My toulouse eggs on day 25 were individually wrapped and set upright in a small box, then wrapped in a larger box. Their air cells were all intact. 3 of 4 developed. The dewlap seller individual wrapped... then set eggs upright in individual boxes... then wrapped in large box. Their air cells were all intact and 3 of 4 are developing.

The ones that hatched already:
Celtic's eggs: Only one air cell was wonky, but not detached. 4 of 5 developed. 3 hatched.
I bought a set from ebay sent like yours.... only one had a somewhat intact air cell.... 2 of 5 developed. 1 hatched.

Same with duck eggs... the ones that have been sent individually wrapped upright in an egg carton have had the best air cells and development.

Just my observations based solely on the shipments I have received so far.

 

[erijn5]

welp. I guess I will have to change tactics then..no one ever said anything about it before..but I will do what it takes to make those babies have a better chance! I want everyone to have a 100% hatch rate, although that will never happen, but I rather be 95% than 50%.. I will change my shipping style, it does not sound that much harder to do! Thanks for all the advice fellow goose hatchers!!!!!

I think I will be hatching some of my eggs out too...it will have to be a little later in the wk though, my peacocks started laying so I want to put them in the bator with them...

I have been waiting for on of the geese to go broody so I could just put them under her, but they are in denial!!! Lily (my misses reliable) hatched my peacocks out for me 3yrs ago, she was sitting on a clutch of goose eggs and I just put them right under her..she hatched them, I stole them, 3 days later her goslings hatched, she was happy!!

My toulouse eggs on day 25 were individually wrapped and set upright in a small box, then wrapped in a larger box. Their air cells were all intact. 3 of 4 developed. The dewlap seller individual wrapped... then set eggs upright in individual boxes... then wrapped in large box. Their air cells were all intact and 3 of 4 are developing.

The ones that hatched already:
Celtic's eggs: Only one air cell was wonky, but not detached. 4 of 5 developed. 3 hatched.
I bought a set from ebay sent like yours.... only one had a somewhat intact air cell.... 2 of 5 developed. 1 hatched.

Same with duck eggs... the ones that have been sent individually wrapped upright in an egg carton have had the best air cells and development.

Just my observations based solely on the shipments I have received so far.