Buying hatching eggs....

[Chris Herzog]

What causes an egg to be porous? Does it have to do with diet, stress or what?

When I receive hatching eggs in the mail, I started checking them not only for cracks but for being porous before they ever go near the incubator. Is there any recourse one should take with the seller of such eggs or is it just all part of it? I’m not an expert by no means (I still have plenty to learn) but I just love it when I read the disclaimer that most all sellers have about not guaranteeing that eggs will hatch do to shipping and your methods but then you get eggs from them that no one could possibly hatch not even the seller him/her self. If porous eggs are a problem shouldn’t the seller be checking their eggs for this before the eggs are shipped to you? Yes it’s more work but….

I’m not trying to be a butt or anything…It’s just that it can be really frustrating when you spend good money on a product that you think is high end and the result before you even get started is destine to fail by no fault of your own. I guess my thinking is this….your already starting off with odds against you because there are so many variables that come into play ie, packing, shipping, time, non fertile and of coarse your hatching methods…so why wouldn’t the seller take the time to sell you something that gives you the best possible chance of having good results? Is it just a numbers game or a money thing?

So I bought 6 eggs from someone and receive 11. I was really excited about that little surprise! Between the dudes and quitters, in the end I hatched maybe 3 chicks out of those 11 eggs. I guess now I’m glade that I got 11 eggs because if I had only gotten 6 eggs, I may only have 1 chick right now. To me, $100.00+ for one chick not counting my time and effort seems a little excessive, but like I said I’m still learning. So my question is, is that the norm and what’s to be expected with shipped hatching eggs? If so, I might have to reconsider whether I buy high end eggs or chicks in the future. I will also say that I did buy 6 eggs (and got 6) not nearly as expensive as the other eggs from another seller on here and all 6 eggs did great and hatched. I bought 12 again not high end eggs from someone else on here (got 15) and 11 hatched. So all in all given a good product I think I do well with it.

So I’m asking can anyone help me understand this and maybe give me some advice on how to proceed with the seller down the road? Or… Just chalk it up to being another life lesson and move on?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[DMRippy]

Just curious, did you try to hatch those porous eggs? I know I have seen threads that say to not try, but I have and they hatched. Granted they were not shipped eggs, but I give all eggs a try and then toss.

I picked up some eggs and she told me the porous eggs she had seemed to only hatch pullets and not sure if what I got came from the porous eggs but I got all pullets....

NOT SAYING THAT POROUS EGGS PRODUCE ONLY PULLETS. Just they can hatch.

 

[DMRippy]

BTW I have read and seen the horrible hatches with shipped eggs and I will never order shipped eggs unless I absolutely have to. If you can get them local or a drive away you are better off. Still may not have a good hatch but you have a better chance that is for sure.

How are the changes at the post office going to effect shipped eggs?

 

[Chris Herzog]

Quote:
Yes, I put all the eggs in the incubator I receive except the ones that are cracked. I do however toss any eggs at day 18 if nothing has happened with it before I go into lockdown with the rest of the good ones.

Chris

 

[madamwlf]

I read somewhere on here that porous eggs is due to a calcium deficiency.

 

[williamsl77]

I would make sure you put your experience with that seller on his/her feedback section. I always look at seller feedback and especially read what anyone with negative experience wrote. If someone has one or two negative comments and 40 positive comments, I would still consider buying. But if someone has a lot of negative comments, well then that tells you you might be better off choosing someone else.

Sorry about the bum results.

 

[AlienChick]

You bring up a good point.

Would sellers be willing to go the extra mile and check for porous eggs?
They probably would not bother since they do (in most cases) send extras to cover the cracked or perhaps porous eggs.

However, if half the eggs you pay for are porous, I would definitely bring that to the seller’s attention so they can know the condition of their eggs and correct it.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I think porous eggs come from older hens. If I have a hen start laying porous eggs, I start hatching to replace her. But I still find they hatch OK. I might send some in a shipment as extras if that is all I have, but if all the hens are laying porous eggs, i stop offering their eggs for sale. I do feel they are more brittle. If a person is disappointed with a shipment, I would hope they would get back to me so I could attempt to make them a happy buyer. After you post negative feedback, I don't think you can change it. Give the seller a chance to make it right if you have problems. Deb

 

[bikerchic]

I have hatched porous eggs from my own flock and from shipped eggs. I have never encountered a problem with either.

 

[trailchick]

I saw the news RE: the post office today and I was also wondering about the shipment of not only hatching eggs,
but day old chicks...
Boo, Hoo if it will affect getting day olds. I wanted to get some more this spring, because I didnt have very good luck with shipped eggs!!!
If you get 50% hatch rate with shipped your doing well. 30-35% is more the average.....