16 eggs: 1 hatched, replacements: 15 eggs, 1 viable. What to do?

[DFCottage]

I am at a complete loss of what to do in this situation. I won an auction (ebay) for some beautiful eggs I've been seeking to find. Seller's birds are from a great line, and has glowing feedback. They arrive, with extras. Very excited. Only 2 made it to lockdown, and 1 hatched. (This is in my Brinsea, 35-40% humidity first 18 days, have had great previous success!) I told breeder about the situation, and she graciously sends me replacements free, I paid for shipping. I candled last night (day 9) and only 1 of these eggs is developing!!!! I am beyond upset. I could understand a bad shipment the first time around, the USPS can be cruel, but now I'm starting to wonder if it's a fertility issue... I realize I can't ask for my money back for the original cost of the eggs, but I really don't want to put out more money for shipping at this point, even if she does offer to send more.. something isn't right here.. Has anyone been in this position before? I have left the seller positive feedback when I received the 1st set initially, as they were packaged great and she's been very willing to work with me. Am I just stuck in a bad situation? Should I let it go and try to find this breed elsewhere now?

 

[corancher]

It sounds like the seller has done everything they can. Shipping is hard on eggs. I certainly would not jump to the conclusion that there is a fertility issue. I know I have had lots of eggs shipped from very good sellers with great packing and I have had no eggs hatch.

I also sell lots of eggs and get reports of hatches that are all over the place. The reason that everyone puts the disclaimers on the eggs they sell is exactly for this reason.

I know it is upsetting when you want a certain breeds and pay good money for them to not get a good hatch but that is the risk we all take with shipped eggs.

 

[DFCottage]

I definitely understand the risk, I was just surprised I've had 2 shipments now from the same individual and have had the same poor results.. I've had so much success this year from other sellers/eggs that this just took me by surprise. I've had some tough shipments too, and accept that it can happen. I certainly won't be saying to this seller that her eggs are infertile, I don't know for sure and won't make accusations.. it just from my end seems that way from what I've experienced. I'll be reporting to her the results, but was just curious as to what people thought. Just makes me kinda sad

 

[joyous]

I had exactly the same thing from a reputable breeder. Had only two hatch out of the second batch...just the way it goes I guess! I have also had shipped eggs with a great hatch rate...so go figure!?

 

[chickenfeverforever]

Quote:
You should have cracked one open since she/he sent you extras the second time around to make sure they were fertile. You can tell if the egg is scrambled or fertile. I have had several shipments of eggs and I have gotten some scrambled ones too. Thats why all sellers right off the bat say they cannot guarantee their eggs because of the Post office. However, Many sellers could avoid scrambled eggs by packing them better. I receive some eggs in the mail that are packed perfectly and I lose NONE! Then I get eggs that are just in a egg carton and newspaper. So is it really the posts offices fault in this situation?

I try to stick local. Within 3-5 states. I would not order from Maryland to California. Just to hard on the eggs. But then some people say they dont order eggs close by becayse there are too many local stops. I disagree. Either way, I think if a extra egg is sent and fertility is in question, I would sacrafice one egg to check.

 

[dretd]

I just finished a consultation with a poultry pathologist to try to figure out why I have had 0% hatching. The first time I figured it was my fault an went with a different breeder. Second time I got 2 different shipments from 2 different breeders. One of them I have a 0% development--could be fertility or shipping or both. The second one 6/8 are pipping as we speak.

The conclusion by the pathologist is that yes, shipping is hard on eggs but she gets 90% hatch rates on eggs she has shipped in. She has them overnighted vi Fed Ex. The second problem may be in the packing materials. Both vendors with 0% hatch rates had their eggs individually wrapped in bubble wrap. Very cushion-y for the shells, but does not allow for oxygen diffusion in to the egg and *may* be the main problem. The eggs that are hatching for me were not bubble-wrapped but 4 were broken in transit, so its a trade-off.

So my question for you is how were these eggs packaged? I am trying to get to the bottom of the shipping problem myself.

 

[chickenfeverforever]

Quote:
I have 10/12 eggs developing in my icubator right now that were all indivdually bubble wrapped!

 

[DFCottage]

I've taken great notes on how my eggs have been shipped and the hatch rates..its been an interesting project for me.

For the eggs in discussion here:
1st shipment: Polyfoam. Eggs were pointy end down and very secure in the foam. 1 chick.
2nd shipment: Bubble wrap in newspaper. 1 is developing.
Eggs from upper mid-west.

I am curious now about my hatches and how they were packed in relation to the hatch rate. So far, amazingly, I've received only 1 broken egg this entire year, and it was because the eggs were shipped with a thin wrap of bubble wrap around the mid section of the egg, leaving 2 ends exposed, and 2 eggs came in contact with eachother. I've received about an equal # of eggs in cartons either wrapped in either bubble wrap or paper towel vs. eggs not in cartons wrapped in either newspaper or bubble wrap. Of the ones not in cartons, I've received an equal # of eggs wrapped in newspaper or in bubblewrap. My best hatch was from eggs that were in bubble wrap cushioned in peanuts. Had 90% hatch. Another shipment from the same seller (in the same manner) only saw about a 55% hatch. I received eggs once in a carton wrapped in paper towel cushioned in newspaper. NONE hatched. Another shipment was eggs wrapped in newspaper, cushioned in newspaper, and that was about a 15% hatch. (These were mostly all in my Brinsea, some in my HB.

Right now, along with the 1/16 developing, are 8 eggs from another seller. All are developing, they are from 3 states away. I can't say I really notice a correlation between distance traveled and hatch rate. I had 6/8 hatch from a seller 3/4 way across the country from me. I've had eggs from 3 states away have a 75% hatch. I've had eggs from 5 states away have a 90% hatch and a 0% hatch. Its kinda all over the map.

 

[dretd]

Quote:
I have 10/12 eggs developing in my icubator right now that were all individually bubble wrapped!

Great information! So how long were these little guys in the wrap (how far away/days in transit) and was the bubble-wrapping tight and fully enclosing the egg, or was it left with the end open? Were they in a carton to help with stability, orientation or were they packed together or just nestled in packing material? All good info to know!

 

[dretd]

Quote:
I appreciate your detailed note-taking!

The pathologist said all her shipments are from the east coast and they are over-nighted. The eggs are placed in the flat pulp trays/crates (kinda like cartons but the lid is another flat crate that fits tightly over the eggs). Then the unit is placed in a flat box and shimmed with cardboard so there's no movement. That box is placed in another larger box with filler to prevent the inner box from moving. It could be that since the eggs are over-nighted they are not being jiggled as much and there's no tumbling off of conveyors etc that happens with priority mail.

My eggs that are developing had been placed in one of those plastic camping egg carriers that hold 12 eggs then duct taped shut and that was place in a box with newspapers. 4 eggs on one corner were badly damaged from presumably a fall/impact on the box. 2/3 of the Marans were clear (I suspect fertility problems) and the rest are in lock down with pips. 3 states away.

Interesting discussion. I hope more people chime in with their successes or failures.