I totally understand your feelings on the issue. However, the information came directly from the breeder - doesn't check fertility, doesn't clip feathers, 10% is accepted fertility rate, etc. I can copy you an e-mail if you don't believe me.
I have amazing hatch rates in my incubator. Local eggs are 90 - 100% and shipped eggs are around 50%. Buying shipped eggs is always a gamble, but paying a large sum of money for tailed stock and then being shipped mostly infertile eggs is totally unacceptable. Even more unfortunate is that the eggs came from a respected breeder and this seems to be an accepted norm with the breed. I love all my birds, but the ameraucanas are way better layers and don't come with the health problems.
My point is that owning birds should be a joyful experience. There are ever increasing stories about people spending a lot of money on Araucana eggs and not getting any quality chicks, or any chicks at all. This is not fun! Sure there is always human error, but I rarely hear about this happening with other breeds. It just makes breeders look dishonest.
Thank you for your input.I always value what you have to say.
I have seen more and more breeders of all different types of breeds not guaranteeing fertility, and that bothered me... as I have always guaranteed fertility in the past... and now I understand a big part of that... even when the receiver pays for shipping another set, it has cost me out of pocket above and beyond what was charged... anymore, I cannot afford to send eggs out like that...
Anyways, if research is done properly on the breed, these issues are well documented... so still taking a gamble on shipped eggs for them is up to the one wanting the eggs...
This breed of all breeds, I feel strongly shouldn't be started with eggs... ask many on this thread, I have always stated that and will always stand by that...
Owning birds is a joy... breeding towards SOP and being serious about quality is work... it can be rewarding and enjoyable, but there will always be letdowns, struggles and lots of work...
I love this breed, but honestly I feel like it's a constant battle of trying to keep oil and water mixed... the UK has a much broader and easier set of standards, I feel... and a lot of times even the 'rules' don't always follow the way they're 'supposed to'... that brings me to the tails... I will share a set of pics I've shared before... and then ones I haven't... just as an example of what can happen even when it's 'not supposed to'...
