Are some breeds easier to hatch than others (shipped eggs)

[SarahGfa]

I have gotten 0% hatch rate on the last 3 sets of shipped eggs I bought off ebay. Before that, I did okay buying shipped quail eggs (at least 50% hatch rate even when badly packaged). Do small eggs handle the shipping experience better than large eggs?

 

[SamuelMcF]

I have always had pretty low hatch rates with shipped eggs too. Around 50% at best. I think it is just that way with all breeds. If you are frequently getting 0% hatch rates though I would suspect it was a problem with incubating conditions and not necessarily the eggs. Do they develop at all or are they completely clear when you candle?

 

[SarahGfa]

I have always had pretty low hatch rates with shipped eggs too. Around 50% at best. I think it is just that way with all breeds. If you are frequently getting 0% hatch rates though I would suspect it was a problem with incubating conditions and not necessarily the eggs. Do they develop at all or are they completely clear when you candle?

Every single shipped chicken egg has been totally clear. I get close to 100% hatch rate incubating my own eggs. And I get at least 50% incubating shipped quail eggs. So I'm wondering if shipped bantam eggs will do better than large eggs.

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

That is odd

I have only hatched shipped eggs (very few have been local) first hatch of potluck eggs were 50% on the dot. Figured out that my humidity was WAY too high (now I don’t add water until lock down). Second hatch was about 60% (still had too high of humidity, was still learning). Third, fourth and fifth batches of shipped eggs were 70% or better.

There are so many factors when it comes to hatching shipped eggs. Where they came from/breeding stock, how far they were shipped, how they were handled during shipping. Then it comes down to proper temperature & humidity. You can’t trust your incubators temp or RH. Always use a calibrated thermometer. Got one online for $16 and was .2 degrees off when I calibrated it. Hygrometers can be calibrated as well. Got one online for $6. Tested it when I got it, spot on.

Now without adding water until lockdown, calibrating thermometers/hygrometers, and buying from a trusted source - hatch rate remains above 70%

So if everything you have is testing out correctly, and you have great success with your own eggs - you probably have a sourcing or shipping issue more than a size of bird/egg issue.

Just my 5 cents. Hope you have much better luck on your future hatches!

 

[SarahGfa]

So if everything you have is testing out correctly, and you have great success with your own eggs - you probably have a sourcing or shipping issue more than a size of bird/egg issue.

I have only tried shipped chicken eggs three times. So, It could be bad luck that they all hatch 0%. I have been buying eggs off ebay. Is there a better way to find hatching eggs for rare breeds?

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

I have only tried shipped chicken eggs three times. So, It could be bad luck that they all hatch 0%. I have been buying eggs off ebay. Is there a better way to find hatching eggs for rare breeds?

My personal favorite and who I’ve been ordering from is Foxfire Farms Poultry in Idaho. There are some other members that have good recommendations for hatching eggs as well. Just don’t remember who.

Where have your ordered from so far?

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

Here’s a link to the potluck hatching eggs. She lists these on Ebay too. I think you get more eggs on eBay than the website. Not 100% sure though.

https://www.foxfirefarmspoultry.com/shop/potluck-purebred-hatching-eggs/

Edited to add: now that I think about it, she sends a lot of extra eggs from eBay orders.

 

[K0k0shka]

I have noticed a LOT of variation in hatch rates between different shipments, even coming from the same seller (probably related to different post office staff handling each). And variation between different varieties of chickens (probably related to flock health etc.) I just hatched 3 shipments of large chicken eggs. My Partridge Orpingtons had a 17% hatch rate, but my Lemon Cuckoo Orpingtons had a 100% hatch rate, even though both flew coast to coast from CA to MA. They came as two separate shipments though. So, could be USPS-related, or could be flock-related. All eggs were incubated together under the same conditions.

I know lots of folks shop on eBay, but I personally don’t trust it. It’s a leap of faith... and you don’t really know what you’re getting. Try buying from a breeder or a hatchery (or from somebody on BYC).

I’m very happy with the two breeders I’ve ordered from so far - Papa’s Poultry in CA and Blue House Farm in NC.

 

[SarahGfa]

My personal favorite and who I’ve been ordering from is Foxfire Farms Poultry in Idaho. There are some other members that have good recommendations for hatching eggs as well. Just don’t remember who.

Where have your ordered from so far?

Thanks, that might be worth a try.

I had two shipments from California and one from TX. Just on ebay, not a professional farm. I'm trying to find ayam Cemanis but they are so expensive

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

No! You can’t trust hardly anyone on eBay! @K0k0shka is right. I only recommend the one I’ve been mentioning because I have successfully hatched many of their birds. They may not be perfect to SOP, but pretty darn close and you get to have a beautiful bunch of rare breed chickens.

Another thing I’ve learned with shipped eggs... DONT buy anything from Texas. Austin is notorious for having the worst usps hub for damaged packages. Know from personal experience. Both of my emu eggs were crushed from Tex

Sad and mad at myself, as I just got an order of Liege Fighters in yesterday morning from some random eBayer in Arizona. 100% disappointed. 2nd worst egg shipment I’ve seen. Told myself I wouldn’t buy from anyone but Foxfire...

Here’s one of my Cemani cockerels from Foxfire

Just got these from Foxfire 3 days ago. They’re already developing. 2 clears, the rest have veins. Eggs are always clearly marked with what breed they are. Was only supposed to get 6 eggs

I would take a peak at her website and see if she has orders of Cemanis only. I think she does.