Egg Swiping at Shows

[Redcatcher]

We have all see eggs laid by hens at poultry shows and swap meets. Has anyone ever had an egg swiped from them that might have been fertile? Or has anyone ever swiped one while nobody was looking and incubated it? I admit to taking an egg once from a top notch cuckoo OEG bantam and it was fertile. I felt pretty guilty and would never do it again but the temptation was just too great. I would say it IS stealing.

 

[NancyinAlaska]

Temptation too great????? My gosh...........stealing an egg???? That's just SAD.

 

[magistradomina]

I'd say that that is stealing. I don't think that it is a big deal, but somtimes stealing small things can lead to stealing bigger things. Maybe you should give some eggs to a charity or somthing!

 

[WalkingWolf]

Quote:
If you have these temptations that control your behavior you should seek help before you find yourself in a jam.

 

[Southernbelle]

It depends on the show, sometimes the eggs laid at shows are collected by the show staff. Someone on here mentioned winning an auction of eggs laid at a show. I guess the staff collected all the eggs laid by all the hens that week and auctioned them off at the end of the week - there were some duck eggs, goose eggs, a lot of chicken eggs, both standard and bantam. You have no guarantee that the eggs are fertile or even purebred since the hen may have been kept in a mixed pen at home.

Still, I would never take eggs from the pens without asking someone for permission. You may be able to bid on them at auction later or maybe you could contact the owner to get hatching eggs.

 

[smith2]

I think they should have shows where the winner is the chicken that lays the most eggs in a week. Fertility required and then auction them off to the highest bidder. No telling who would pay for what??

 

[mediazeal]

I appreciate that you feel guilty
is there any way you can make restitution? do you know whose egg it was you took?
There was a post I read awhile back from a guy who had an egg stolen while at a show and he was very upset by it

 

[usschicago1]

I'm Sorry I didn't realize it was 25 years, ago, that was before my time! I retract my comment. Once again I'm sorry, i have nothing else to add.a

In Everyone around My Posts defense, you left out it was 25 years ago so our reactions were warranted, but with that information it really changes everything.

 

[silkieluver_07]

If I see an egg laid, I usually look up the breeder's exhibitor number and find them to give them the egg. Sometimes they will offer you the egg to hatch.

Redcatcher, there are many things that we do and regret. Is there anyway you could contact the breeder if you knew them and offer restitution of some sort? Or at least apologize?

 

[Msbear]

Some folks would probably give it to you... If you see the egg and the temptation hits you, walk over to the breeder and let them know you're interested. They may be so flattered that they hand over the goods.

But, stealing is stealing and breeders work very hard and spend many years caring for their birds to reach that goal of being successful at shows. Stealing their lines via show egg is not good mojo for anyone.