Adventures in Incubating Shipped Eggs

[RodNTN]

I usually only hatch the eggs from my backyard flock (I got a 98% hatch rate last hatch) but I attempted to hatch shipped eggs once. They were Ayam Cemani's, I started with 12 and only hatched 3. The eggs were a bit dirty when I received them, so I didn't expect much.
Good luck on your hatch!

 

[Morrigan]

I usually only hatch the eggs from my backyard flock (I got a 98% hatch rate last hatch) but I attempted to hatch shipped eggs once. They were Ayam Cemani's, I started with 12 and only hatched 3. The eggs were a bit dirty when I received them, so I didn't expect much.
Good luck on your hatch!

From everything I've heard, 25% is not unusual, and I'm kind of prepared for the worst. I guess a lot depends on how careful the postal service is between you and your shipper.

 

[koturnix]

If I had a bigger incubator, I would have definitely thrown in a carton of fertile supermarket eggs. I've always wanted to try that. I hear the key is looking for one that are less than 2 weeks from the pack date.

I think some Trader Joe's have super high traffic so their goods are restocked every 24-48 hours which is why some have good rates hatching their eggs? I figured I'll have a better chance with fresh grocery eggs than cracked shipped eggs haha.

 

[RodNTN]

From everything I've heard, 25% is not unusual, and I'm kind of prepared for the worst. I guess a lot depends on how careful the postal service is between you and your shipper.

I know it's pretty average, I was just disappointed since I wanted a breeding flock, but I did end up with two roosters and one hen! I hatched some of their eggs a couple of weeks ago

 

[AlleysChicks]

Start turning on day 4. But candle before turning to see if your air cells settled and in what direction. You may have to adjust the direction that your eggs are sitting.

 

[Zinjifrah]

This batch of Serama eggs, the air pockets weren't broken loose entirely but there were a lot that were saddled, so they got a full three days in the incubator with no turning and gentle turning after that.

 

[NNYchick]

I don’t candle this early (day 5)with eggs from my flock but I wanted to check air cell since I started tilting. All air cells were at the top of the egg a few a little jiggly compared to my other hatches. All of them had some veins and I even found some with tiny blobs with dark spot.

 

[Morrigan]

I'm glad there are some shipping hatchers a few days ahead of me here.

@Zinjifrah and @NNYchick -- I'm doing similar things and am very interested to see how your hatches go.

It's just the start of Day 2 for me, so all I'm doing is watching and waiting.

 

[Zinjifrah]

Oh - I also sprayed my eggs down with 3% hydrogen peroxide and let them dry prior to setting them. The eggs arrived very dirty, and I didn't want to wash them off. Three that have been culled had indications of bacteria in them - one that smelled horrid after five days of incubation, and had a large air pocket going in, which I suspect was old to start with. The other two had no odor. One showed no development, and was culled as such, which had a very thick, slimy membrane and a yolk diffused through the albumen when examined. The third started to develop but failed early, and the embryo was brown and slimy. I suspect all three eggs came from the same hen, and that she had an internal infection, since to me it looked like the bacteria were already in the egg. The other six I've culled never developed any veins, and candled clear. Day 10 candling for development is in an hour or so, for best visibility.

 

[Morrigan]

Oh - I also sprayed my eggs down with 3% hydrogen peroxide and let them dry prior to setting them. The eggs arrived very dirty, and I didn't want to wash them off. Three that have been culled had indications of bacteria in them - one that smelled horrid after five days of incubation, and had a large air pocket going in, which I suspect was old to start with. The other two had no odor. One showed no development, and was culled as such, which had a very thick, slimy membrane and a yolk diffused through the albumen when examined. The third started to develop but failed early, and the embryo was brown and slimy. I suspect all three eggs came from the same hen, and that she had an internal infection, since to me it looked like the bacteria were already in the egg. The other six I've culled never developed any veins, and candled clear. Day 10 candling for development is in an hour or so, for best visibility.

Oh man. This is getting me worried. I did "sniff" my eggs this evening. Nothing funky yet.