Shipping eggs, by Yard full o' rocks (Scott)
My method for shipping hatching eggs
Supplies needed:
* Large bubble, bubble wrap
* Small bubble, bubble wrap (pre-perforated 12” x 12” sheets, in a roll)
* Inflatable air pillows (large 4” x 6” air inflated packaging pillows)
* Scotch tape
* Packing tape/tape gun
* MEDIUM “flat rate” USPS box (there are 2, make sure to get the one that is more like a square box that opens from the top, than a shirt box that opens on the end)
** my goal in packaging is to protect the eggs from damage during shipment, but, more importantly, to minimize any movement of the eggs.
1. Assemble the bottom half of the box by taping the flaps closed.
2. Place 2 sheets of LARGE bubble, bubble wrap in the bottom of the box and bring it all the way up the 2 longest sides, letting it hang over the open flaps just a bit, on both sides.
a.
3. Next, tear off individual sheets of the 12” x 12” SMALL bubble wrap. For a medium flat rate box I normally ship 16 eggs so tear off 8 sheets.
a.
4. Using a good pair of scissors, cut each of these sheets in half. You should now have 16 sheets of small bubble wrap that are approximately 6” x 12”.
a.
5. Next, wrap each egg using the following technique
a. Fold in the 2 corners of the narrow section of the sheet of small bubble wrap. It will look like you are beginning to fold a paper airplane. Tape across the 2 folded pieces forming a triangular shaped “pocket” on one end of the sheet.
i.
b. Place the egg inside the pocket so that you can roll it along the length of the egg. Egg should be across the width of the pocket, do not place the pointed end or air sack end into the pointed end of the pocket.
i.
c. Now roll the egg from one end of the sheet to the other, tucking the sides of the bubble wrap in to go under the egg as you go. (kind of like rolling a tortilla). You will be slightly folding in the long sides of the sheet.
i.
d. Tape the “packet” together with a piece of scotch tape once you have rolled it tightly together. You should now have a package that is about 4” wide, with several layers of bubble wrap around the egg.
i.
e. Wrap all of your eggs in this manner and remember to keep the package tight. You want to keep the egg from sliding around at all.
6. Next, place your wrapped eggs into the bottom of the box (on top of the large bubble wrap). I usually can make 4 rows of 3 eggs each. Across each row of 3 eggs place a piece of tape to hold that row together. If shipping more than 12 eggs, make rows of 2 eggs on top of this first layer and tape each row of 2 together. Fill any voids in the top layer with bubble wrap rolled up.
a.
7. Now, fold the excess LARGE bubble wrap (step #2 above) from one side across the top of the eggs and tuck it down along the opposite side. Take the other side, and do the same. Try to tuck everything tightly then, using packaging tape, place a strip or two across the top to keep this large “bubble wrap pillow” securely together.
a.
8. At this point, you will likely have some voids along the length of the box and at the ends. The goal is to secure the “pillow” in the box so that it will not move during shipment. I have a friend of mine who receives “parts” all the time and he saves me the larger inflatable packaging pillows that are placed around his components when he receives them. I will roll up some small bubble
wrap to go along the longer edges of the box, then place a few 3-4 of these larger packaging pillows (they are like 4” x 6” and inflated, but not taut, slightly squishy) across the very top.
9. Fold all the side flaps in and see if you can close the box without too much pressure applied. It should require some as you want to secure that pillow of eggs in very securely. If it’s too tight remove a SMALL amount of bubble wrap or 1 pillow. If too loose, add another pillow or a rolled section of bubble wrap.
10. Quickly, but securely tape the box closed and label it. The only thing I place on the box other than the Ship To address, is the word “perishable” or “protect from freezing”.
a.
b.
11. Ship the box via USPS flat rate shipping….for a Medium Flat Rate box, it’s like $11. Shipped this way, boxes typically will NOT be placed on an airplane. Delivery is usually 2-3 business days, so I will normally only ship on Mon, Tues or Wed. It is my personal belief that pressure changes in the cargo holds of an airplane are one of the causes of ruptured air cells.
**as a side note, for steps 8 and 9, I have used Great Stuff expanding spray foam to lock everything in place. It’s a little messy to clean up/scrap off if you over use it, but it too seemed to work very well and really locked the eggs tightly in the box….be sure to do it outside or in a garage as the fumes are kind of bad.
My method for shipping hatching eggs
Supplies needed:
* Large bubble, bubble wrap
* Small bubble, bubble wrap (pre-perforated 12” x 12” sheets, in a roll)
* Inflatable air pillows (large 4” x 6” air inflated packaging pillows)
* Scotch tape
* Packing tape/tape gun
* MEDIUM “flat rate” USPS box (there are 2, make sure to get the one that is more like a square box that opens from the top, than a shirt box that opens on the end)
** my goal in packaging is to protect the eggs from damage during shipment, but, more importantly, to minimize any movement of the eggs.
1. Assemble the bottom half of the box by taping the flaps closed.
2. Place 2 sheets of LARGE bubble, bubble wrap in the bottom of the box and bring it all the way up the 2 longest sides, letting it hang over the open flaps just a bit, on both sides.
a.
3. Next, tear off individual sheets of the 12” x 12” SMALL bubble wrap. For a medium flat rate box I normally ship 16 eggs so tear off 8 sheets.
a.
4. Using a good pair of scissors, cut each of these sheets in half. You should now have 16 sheets of small bubble wrap that are approximately 6” x 12”.
a.
5. Next, wrap each egg using the following technique
a. Fold in the 2 corners of the narrow section of the sheet of small bubble wrap. It will look like you are beginning to fold a paper airplane. Tape across the 2 folded pieces forming a triangular shaped “pocket” on one end of the sheet.
i.
b. Place the egg inside the pocket so that you can roll it along the length of the egg. Egg should be across the width of the pocket, do not place the pointed end or air sack end into the pointed end of the pocket.
i.
c. Now roll the egg from one end of the sheet to the other, tucking the sides of the bubble wrap in to go under the egg as you go. (kind of like rolling a tortilla). You will be slightly folding in the long sides of the sheet.
i.
d. Tape the “packet” together with a piece of scotch tape once you have rolled it tightly together. You should now have a package that is about 4” wide, with several layers of bubble wrap around the egg.
i.
e. Wrap all of your eggs in this manner and remember to keep the package tight. You want to keep the egg from sliding around at all.
6. Next, place your wrapped eggs into the bottom of the box (on top of the large bubble wrap). I usually can make 4 rows of 3 eggs each. Across each row of 3 eggs place a piece of tape to hold that row together. If shipping more than 12 eggs, make rows of 2 eggs on top of this first layer and tape each row of 2 together. Fill any voids in the top layer with bubble wrap rolled up.
a.
7. Now, fold the excess LARGE bubble wrap (step #2 above) from one side across the top of the eggs and tuck it down along the opposite side. Take the other side, and do the same. Try to tuck everything tightly then, using packaging tape, place a strip or two across the top to keep this large “bubble wrap pillow” securely together.
a.
8. At this point, you will likely have some voids along the length of the box and at the ends. The goal is to secure the “pillow” in the box so that it will not move during shipment. I have a friend of mine who receives “parts” all the time and he saves me the larger inflatable packaging pillows that are placed around his components when he receives them. I will roll up some small bubble
wrap to go along the longer edges of the box, then place a few 3-4 of these larger packaging pillows (they are like 4” x 6” and inflated, but not taut, slightly squishy) across the very top.
9. Fold all the side flaps in and see if you can close the box without too much pressure applied. It should require some as you want to secure that pillow of eggs in very securely. If it’s too tight remove a SMALL amount of bubble wrap or 1 pillow. If too loose, add another pillow or a rolled section of bubble wrap.
10. Quickly, but securely tape the box closed and label it. The only thing I place on the box other than the Ship To address, is the word “perishable” or “protect from freezing”.
a.
b.
11. Ship the box via USPS flat rate shipping….for a Medium Flat Rate box, it’s like $11. Shipped this way, boxes typically will NOT be placed on an airplane. Delivery is usually 2-3 business days, so I will normally only ship on Mon, Tues or Wed. It is my personal belief that pressure changes in the cargo holds of an airplane are one of the causes of ruptured air cells.
**as a side note, for steps 8 and 9, I have used Great Stuff expanding spray foam to lock everything in place. It’s a little messy to clean up/scrap off if you over use it, but it too seemed to work very well and really locked the eggs tightly in the box….be sure to do it outside or in a garage as the fumes are kind of bad.
