Any tips for ordering hatching eggs?

[cochins1088]

I want to order hatching eggs so that I can get quality birds, but I'm worried about shipping. I hear many stories of how postal men seem to treat these eggs and I don't want to spend $40 on eggs and end up with no chicks because of rough handling during shipping. Do you have any tips? I know you are supposed to let them settle after receiving them. But what should someone write on the box. I know some write fragile, some write hatching eggs, others write handle with care and etc.. which of those seem to get better treatment. This is the sort of advice I'm looking for, any will help. If I'm going to spend that much money, I expect some good chicks.

Thanks

 

[Eggcessive]

First of all I would look around BYC members who may be located near you who can sell eggs of the breed you want. If you list where you live under your name (such as Southern Ohio) it helps others see how close you are. There are many threads on here for just about every breed, and if you go on them and say you are looking for eggs of such and such breed near me, I'm sure you can find some. I bought a bunch of eggs last Spring from breeders all over the country, and if you get 50 % to hatch you are doing well. Some eggs I got none to hatch, and I had some broken eggs no matter how well they were packed. Rare breeds, you may have to buy shipped eggs, but some breeders will ship more eggs (you pay the extra shipping) if they arrive broken or none hatch, but you are very lucky if they do this.

 

[ChickenJerk]

A lot of the problems associated with shipping small quantities of hatching eggs if they are shipped in -

http://southernfarmhatchery.com/Egg-Shipping-Foam.php

 

[cochins1088]

Ok, I added where I live and I'll look at bit more, but something tells me I won't have much luck. I'm looking for good quality silver laced cochins, not very rare, but they sure aren't common. And thank for the heads up ChickenJerk. There is one breeder that I really like in particular and it says she wraps each indiviual egg in bubble wrap and then fills the rest of the box with newpaper to keep them from moving around. Is that pretty standard?

 

[WaterFowl209]

I get eggs from EBay it's best to get them shipped earlier in the week so they don't set on Sundays in the mail room most wrap with bubble wrap and secure with newspaper and write live eggs on the box really having eggs shipped is a big chance but I been lucky so far

 

[fiveladybugs]

I've had eggs shipped through the mail four times...all arrived intact & I let them sit for a few days before I put them in the incubator in order to settle a bit. I only had 11 out of 39 not develop in my recent hatch. My hatch rate was low, but that was my fault & I know how to fix it for next time. I've also heard to not turn them for the first few days you put them in, however I haven't tried that. I turned mine & they developed fine.

I also agree to have them shipped at the beginning of the week!

 

[jtallant]

A lot of the problems associated with shipping small quantities of hatching eggs if they are shipped in -

http://southernfarmhatchery.com/Egg-Shipping-Foam.php

What's wrong with the shipping foam? Does it not protect well? I'm confused!

 

[dbcooper02]

I think that was a endorsement of the foam with a few words missing. I have received eggs packed that way a few times and it seems to work just great.

 

[WaterFowl209]

Shipping foam is okay it does work but so does the bubble wrapping with egg cartons, if your ever unsure or worried it is best to contact the seller first before purchasing eggs and talk to them about how they ship, the worst shipping I think is wrapping eggs in only paper towels I heard a few do that and that gives almost no protection,I got a order of eggs in yesterday the box was squished a bit I just knew the eggs were damaged but as I checked all the eggs were safe and sound, it just shows that good packaging can protect eggs, the way they had them packed was they placed the eggs in a egg carton and stuffed the egg carton with pine chips and secured the carton closed and put newspaper between the top and bottom of the carton for no movement and it worked.

 

[jtallant]

Thanks dbcooper and WaterFowl for clearing that up