anyone else getting *old* eggs?

[klf73]

I am getting rather frustrated with my hatching this year. My first batch of old eggs (huge air cell, before they even went in the bator) ended up with a cross beaked one-eyed chick that died. The rest never did anything. Since then I have gotten 2 more batches(different sources). I know stuff happens, but if you know that box has already been sitting there over a week and you tell me you are sorry, something came up and you will collect fresh eggs, you should. I am not a noob and can tell the difference between rough handled eggs and very old eggs, the air cell should not look as large as an egg that was in the bator for 10 days

. I am sending out FREE eggs and still make sure they are fresh, not been sitting since last weekend, because I want the recipient to have the best possible hatch. My most recent one, at day 3, looked like it was a quitter at day 10 and was starting to smell, and it was only day 3!! Most of the others had larger air cells too. It doesn't count as a deal if they aren't going to grow

. Sorry, just had to get that off my chest

 

[taraann81]

I am sorry that happened to you. It must be frustrating, I haven't dealt with shipped eggs yet and don't know if I ever will as it seems everyone has such bad luck. I hope you have better luck in the future.

 

[onthespot]

Yes, I have gotten "old eggs" from people that should know better as well. And I have gotten chicks hatche with pink toes that should not be pink, severe split wings and cross beaks from people who proclaim show quality breeder birds. I have hatched a few very nice chicks from my egg acquistions this spring, but I have hatched a lot of pure crap that I have either culled or given away as well... That being said, no one around here sells BLRW eggs, and haven't found any showgirl eggs for sale local either, and have not seen any silkie eggs for sale that are out of as nice of hens as those pictured on here. I probably will still keep taking my chances with shipped eggs, but I will lower my expectation of hatched chick quality.

 

[tonini3059]

Yeah that has been happening to me also lately. Oh and most of them being not fertile when the person claims good fertility!! I bought a couple dozen from different people and had one or none fertile. It really sucks spending all of this money on eggs and they are no good then having to buy more to replace them.

 

[BeautifulBlue]

Ok...so i got 3 eggs through the post, one with a detached aircell, the other two very large aircells. I have one developing. How can i tell if they were old eggs or just scrambled in the post?

 

[onthespot]

see, I think that micro fractures happen in shipping and the air also evaporates more quickly from compromised eggs. There are a lot of things that affect how quickly the egg dries out and I have shipped eggs that some people have said the air cell was big. I don't ship any egg over three days old, unless I am collecting from a single hen and the buyer knows and is willing to chance it. How well the eggs ship also depends on how strong the internal structures of the egg are, part of which is hereditary, some is likely diet related, and can vary during the laying cycle even, if the diet varies also. If the birds have been ill, with fowl pox or infectious bronchitis, that will effect egg shell quality as well, making them more prone to cracks and porosity.... These are just things I have noticed in my own flock over the past year plus. I am not a pro, but that is what I have observed.

 

[ginbart]

Well I received some old eggs. They were dated the 14th and I got them on the 23. They were already 9 days old and I had to let them sit. Needless to say, not one of them hatched. And they were silkies.

I would never send out eggs that old.

By the way is this a b**ch thread?

 

[Riven]

I recently bought some silver laced cochin eggs, and only 1 out of nine is good! Supposedly fresh, and fertile...

Incubated them right away, and nothing on the candle except one! This person sells quite a few eggs too...

I have another batch of Columbians I got, and they're awesome though, 12 out of 15 doing good!!

I know that different things affect stuff, but we're getting 80%+ hatch rate out of our stuff.

 

[klf73]

the problem with shipping is stuff happens....BUT sending eggs you know are a week or so old on top of all the others things that can go bad is just wrong in my opinion....
I know I take my chances getting shipped eggs, I just expect them fresh(unless that is disclosed to me prior to payment). Even if someone gives you *free* eggs and you pay shipping, what is the point of wasting my time and money if you are sending me old eggs? Not to mention the disappointment

 

[banter]

Just my two cents worth. I used to receive and ship eggs priority, from next day to 36 hours from almost anywhere! Now its 3 days (and yes, I mail on Monday) and the boxes have been roughed up. My post office workers have told me it's perhaps the conveyor belts shaking up the packages, and less flights arriving and departing. I have had horrible luck this year receiving eggs undamaged, and no matter how careful I pack and label, I've had only so-so luck sending, and the postage keeps going up. I may quit sending eggs.