Egg Shipping Questions (Condition)

[little_grey_bantam]

So, of course people with dark egg layers know that the eggs can get scratched up.
I'm using sweet hay which tends to stick to the egg and when you peel it off, it strips the color off; though it does not hurt hatchability, it makes the eggs look messy.
Also, sometimes my hens have a fight on the nest and the eggs get scratched up (or someone gets ready to lay their egg and in the process of getting into the nest, their toenails scratch the eggs).

Are these still viable to send? It's just superficial looks, but it makes me wonder. I try to avoid sending them, but sometimes that's all I have lol
[no poo or mud or anything, just the eggs are all scratched up! I've had no issues hatching them out!]

Another thing, is when do you ship? I only ship out Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Does anyone ship Thursdays and had it go right? Wrong? I'm wanting to ship out Thursdays through the Flat Rate boxes, but don't want them being stuck at the Post Office over the weekends!

Let me know!
Thanks guys!

Also feel free to post your own questions!

 

[FlashPointFarm]

I think it would be fine. It wouldn't bother me to receive eggs like that anyway. I'm thinking the only people that it would bother is someone that may not be familiar with the darker eggs?

If they are stained with hay, maybe just stick a note in the box stating what the stain is.

It may be best to ship M-W, like you are doing now.

 

[little_grey_bantam]

Quote:
Thanks for your input!
I usually tell people that!
When I got my first few dozen, I was a little confused with scratched up eggs but I found they hatch fine

when my incubator works LOL
Yeah, my sweet hay was meant for consumption, but the darn cow won't eat it, so instead of let it go to waste... it's used for eggs! Too expensive to throw out!
The grass is a lot greener and on lighter eggs, lightly stains them a light olive color and with darker eggs, it strips the color off.
BUT I have no issues hatching them out myself; they're just ugly lol

I typically get really nice dark eggs, but now more than ever due to the cold, everyone wants to stay in the coop and the hens either want to go broody or want to keep their fluffy butts warm LOL

I usually ask people before I send them ("hey, these eggs are sorta ugly because...).

I talked to a lady who shipped Thursday, but I'm still scared LOL

Thanks again%Pr

 

[IggiMom]

It would not both me to get a scratched egg so long as it was not cracked.

It bothers me to get really dirty eggs. Please understand, I'm not all that compulsive, I don't mind if there is a little bit of mud or poo on the egg. Heck, they are chickens, they get muddy, they poop, and unless the eggs are on a conveyor belt they won't be spotless.

But once I got a box of really dirty eggs and I was upset.

But scratched from hay? No problem.

Catherine

 

[Katy]

I have Marans too and if they're too scratched up I don't send them, just because I don't like how they look. I know they hatch fine tho since those are the ones I usually hatch out myself.

I only ship Monday, tuesday or saturday.

 

[AHappychick]

sctatches are fine and are hard to avoid unless you collect many times a day. I ship M-W occasionally on a thurseday if I know they arent going far. I try to send out my nicest eggs and keep my nest boxes as clean as possible and that works good for me. I once got some filthy eggs from an ebay seller, I set them anyway and they hatched, it really does not effect them much.

what upsets me is when someone complains when the only have a 50% hatch rate on shipped eggs, if I have a 50 % hatch rate on shipped I am thrilled but I have had a few people who bought and assumed all should hatch and wanted more for free when only half made it to hatch.

yet I wont bother anyone for more eggs with shipped ones unless I have a 0 hatch and even then I ask to buy more not try to bang out the person for more feebies. sorry a little ranting....

 

[little_grey_bantam]

Quote:
I actually collect the eggs anywhere between 7-9 times a day, not due to scratching, but because it gets so cold, I'm afraid the eggs will freeze!
The only reason they get all scratchy is because of the hay and hen picking the SAME nest box (I will never understand....................... why 'that' nest box lol) to lay eggs in.
Most of my eggs are warm to the touch (talk about, fresh, right outta the chicken!!!). Rarely do I get a semi-warm, or even "cold" egg lol

Haha, on your 50% hatch rate, I'm happy too when I get 50% on hatch rate or ANY as a matter of fact!
I know how shipped eggs are... I've had 0% hatch rate on hatched eggs before; I didn't know any better than LOL (they were wrapped in plastic and that must have suffocated babies!!).
I'm more than happy to replace shipped eggs, but one if 1) they get lost and 2) there were a lot broken. Actually, usually, I try to send anywhere between 6-12 eggs for free LOL
It breaks my heart to even find a single broken egg, but if there's 6-12 extra, well... WOO HOO!!

Makes the pain more bearable!! :%Pr

 

[little_grey_bantam]

Quote:
You're a smart one

lol, I don't get to hatch any eggs! All I get are the really poopy/muddy ones or the ugly ones (which is rather rare).
But on occasion I do get scratched up eggs, it makes me wonder. I try to send those as freebies!
hahaha, that's a good idea to use that as an excuse to hatch out the "ugly" eggs!

Why do you ship Saturday? Just curious

Because they continue to move on Sundays to their destination correct?
I suppose I can do Monday, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays (the post office here only opens for 2 hours I believe on Saturday LOL).
Would make life so much more better!! %3Pr

 

[Katy]

Quote:
Since there are no embryos until the incubation starts there wouldn't be any babies to suffocate.

Yes, I shop on saturdays because the mail continues to move over the week-end, so those shipped on saturdays arrive on monday mornings 99 out of 100 times.

 

[BirdBrain]

I have Marans too and if they're too scratched up I don't send them, just because I don't like how they look. I know they hatch fine tho since those are the ones I usually hatch out myself.

Katy, you are a VERY busy person!! You should not in any way feel obligated to hatch out those ugly eggs. You just send them on to me and get them out of your hair.