Egg injury during shipping...can we do anything about it??

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
How was the hatch rate on the undamaged eggs???
The final hatch was about 25 chicks, I think.

I've been a lab-rat for over 20 years, so I have a fair idea of what it would take.
No two eggs are exactly the same, as far as size, porosity, age, etc.
No two packages will be shipped/handled in exactly the same manner, even if taking the same route.

Agree about this in theory, but I do think there are a lot of simple things that could be field tested if someone was really motivated to do it. Will it be perfect? No way. But it would be cool if there were some repeatable and helpful results.

Just packaging eggs a few different ways in one box and seeing what the hatch rate trends are would be interesting (to me). Then you'd at least know that box was handled the same way and subject to the same conditions. (Assuming it could pass the test of the results being repeatable...)​

Well, I had enough eggs shipped this summer to see what doesn't work... LOL! But just because they aren't broken doesn't mean they aren't damaged. I'd love to volunteer to do the test, but I have my hands full already!

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

News! I shipped eggs to someone in Wisconsin. I packed them in polyester batting inside an eggs carton...well padded and taped shut...then placed inside a priority box padded with newspaper.

I just got an email from him...4 eggs were broken on one end of the carton. Last time with the carton!!

I'm going to ship him more eggs tomorrow each individually wrapped in thin foam or bubblewrap with room for them to move around just a bit to help absorb shocks.

Will let you know how that goes...

 

[millebantam]

LOL Gator, wasn't it just a couple pages back when you said that individually wrapped was the way to go? Maybe then you were just thinkin' it, but now you know. Good luck on the next ones. I'm sure that the recipient is in for some big time unwrappin', lol.

 

[Mrs MIA]

The best egg shipments I've received so far were packaged like this...

This is the packaging that my chukar eggs were in, and even though it was custom made, it did not protect the eggs.

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi! I appreciate *experimenting*, but the best way to ship eggs has already been established, as far as I'm concerned...
I won't deviate from my basic 'wrapping and packing' ever ever again. I shipped over 100 boxes of eggs in '08 and didn't have an egg arrive damaged and last week *flocked up with the foam packaging and had a cracked egg in a box. That's not acceptable to me.

**A chunk of a sheet of that foam with holes was what I used and Belinda got a cracked egg. I padded it with more foam on the top and bottom and wrapped that with bubblewrap and filler.
I think there is not enough cushioning between the eggs to protect from a bonk.

Lisa

 

[Mrs MIA]

I'm with you, Dipsy. I package my eggs just like I used to package my water samples in glass jars... the PO gorillas have to really bang up the box bad to break an egg now!

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I had already shipped the eggs when I made that post.

I was just doing what most others do...didn't feel particularly good about it...just not sure what else to do. That's one reason I started this thread.

Glad you're happy with your packing Dipsy. I'm not just interested in "no broken eggs"...I want eggs that are hatchable by the buyer. I'm sure that yours are great...do you have any idea of your buyers hatching percentage? That would be great information for us to have...especially on this thread. If they have high percentages, I'd love to know exactly how you package yours!

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi! Here'a a link to Wrapping & Packing Eggs For Shipping
Maybe this will help.
I received eggs from 3 different folks (Gracefulbantams, Zunibee, and Halo) that were wrapped and packaged similarly (to the way I wrap and package) and got 100% viable eggs.

It's back to a matter of how much abuse an individual package has to endure in shipping. That is something we can't control.
I got tired of the old standby "Blame it on the PO for mis-handlng" that ACTUALLY translates to poor packaging.

Lisa

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Quote:
I agree 100%. So, do you individually wrap yours in bubblewrap? How do you place them in the box?

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

I just added a link to the above post, but here it is again:
Wrapping & Packing Eggs
It's not the ONLY way, just the way I like to do it.

Lisa