1st Timer Shipping Questions

[Corey NC]

I will shipping eggs for the first time and this is how I plan to do it it is a combanation of different ways I've seen people package eggs.

1. Individually wrap each egg

2. cut an egg carton in half and fill with fluff, put eggs in, add more fluff, and put the top of the carton on and rubber band them together.

3. wrap carton in bubble wrap.

4. In a 11" X 8.5" X 5.5" Priority mail flat rate I will tape or glue bubble wrap to all the sides of the box then a layer of fluff then the eggs then another layer of fluff.

How does this sound?

What should I write on the outside?

I've hear that writing "eggs" on the outside the PO will go out of the way to hurt them and that you are safer writing nothing on them.

BUT I was wondering if I put "GLASS - FRAGILE DO NOT SHAKE, BUMP OR DROP" that they might respect the package more. How about a big arrow that says "THIS SIDE UP."

So let me know your opinions.

Thanks!

 

[tbckaren]

I recently received three seperate shipments of eggs. All of the eggs were individually bubble wrapped and one of them put the box with the eggs in it inside that priority shipping box with shredded newspaper in between the two boxes. Even though the post office did clearly make every attempt to execute the box (it did say eggs on the outside of the box) only one egg was broken. The only other advice I would have is to ship out your eggs Monday-Wed so they aren't sitting in a post office over a weekend.

 

[Corey NC]

aww dang, mods could you move this to the incubating and eggs section. Thats where it is suppose to be.

 

[Corey NC]

 

[MissPrissy]

done

 

[Corey NC]

Thankyou!

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Corey,

I recently shipped my first batch of eggs too, so I know how you're feeling. Here is what I did.

1. I put the large bubble wrap on the bottom in three layers with one layer coming up the sides and able to fold over the top.

2. I put in a layer of the polyfill used for pillows.

3. I took the small bubble wrap and cut it a couple of feet long then cut it down the middle length wise.

4. Fold the small bubble wrap length wise and roll the egg in it. The use a piece of tape to secure the wrap. Set the eggs in on top of the polyfill. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all eggs are wrapped.

5. Put another layer of polyfill.

6. Fold over the large bubble wrap and add more so you have three layers on top.

7. Close box, address, and mark fragile. You may even write a note for the recieving PO to call the addressee to come and get the package.

Using this way of packing all 12 eggs made it in one piece and no cracks.

Someone had a thread on packing this way (don't remember who tho...) with complete pics. I only took a couple but, here they are:

This is the eggs all individually wrapped.

This is the package just before closing.

Good luck!

 

[Crunchie]

I think that probably everyone has a different method to packing eggs! You will just have to see what works best for you. I think the most important thing is that the eggs don't move! What you use to accomplish that is your preference. Personally, I use what is available to me--I get free packing peanuts and paper leftover from shipments to the health food store I work at. I do buy small bubble wrap--12" wide--and cut 12" sections in half lengthwise, fold the corners of one end to make a pocket, and wrap "burrito style". (I think that this is Dipsy's method? I know I've seen a thread w/pics that shows wrapping the eggs this way.) Then I put my wrapped eggs big side up in the bottom of an egg carton and then tape the top back on. If there are any empty spaces on the edges of the carton (if I only have 7 or 8 eggs in there) I stuff them with paper. I wrap the whole carton once or twice in bubble wrap, then get it real snug in a box with peanuts and/or paper. Then I pack over the eggs with more packing material and tape the box up. I try not to use too much bubble wrap, other than for each egg and a layer around the carton--that stuff is expensive to buy!

I use the #7 Priority boxes usually, they are free shipped right to your door from the USPS web site. I don't do the flat rate, as I've found that it costs a lot less to ship eggs in the #7 than $11.95, which is I think what the similar size flat rate costs? And I think that that is going up, too! Of course, I'm usually shipping small quantities (less than a dozen) eggs each time. If I were shipping larger amounts, the weight might make it worth it to use the flat rate.

I do draw arrows on the box and write "this end up!". The only other thing I write is of course "Fragile!" and sometimes "Extremely Fragile!" I never write "Eggs" or "Hatching Eggs" on the box.

 

[Leslie In North Pole]

Definitely write fragile.

Most packages I receive do have eggs written on them and to be honest I have never notice them being mistreated because of that.

The biggest things to avoid as I have received packages from all over and hatching eggs from at least 30 different people are these:

Shredded newspaper: it has a tendency to settle and if one egg breaks and leaks out, will really compress allowing the rest of the eggs to move too much.

Avoid eggs being able to make direct contact with any side of the box, you in effect want them to travel "suspended" in the middle of the box to avoid being jarred during shipping. In other words, use a very sturdy box and make it where the eggs can't make contact with the outsides of it. When I ship, I usually pack the eggs in a smaller box and then box that one in a larger box with bubble wrap or shipping peanuts completely around it to give it space. My best hatches have arrived shipped this way, even when the outside box looked a wreck, the inside one usually was in great shape.

It sound like you are giving it a lot of thought. I know that Dipsy doodle doo has mentioned doing up a test package and throwing it around the yard to simulate rough shipping, just to test how effective her packaging is.

 

[coffeemama]

I received some eggs recently that were packed just as you said, and not one broke. They wrote this end up with a big arrow-when I got home, the po had left them on my front sidewalk with the wrong end pointed up

Point is, yes write it, but don't expect that the po will read it!