- Jan 13, 2013
- 190
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I tried to ship some duck eggs to my mother last week. These were not for hatching, it was more of an experiment a failed experiment.
I wrapped each egg in small sized bubble wrap and taped the ends over to provide extra cushioning. Then I lined a Ziplock bag with several layers of the same bubble wrap and tucked the eggs into it on a single layer. I put more bubble wrap on top, sealed the bag (it's a good thing I did!), put it in a box with some other stuff that should have provided cushioning, and mailed it via the USPS. I told the person there that the package had eggs in it and she put several stamps on the box to ensure it was handled with care.
I had predicted that it would go well. Duck eggs, after all, have very thick shells and membranes. I have difficulty opening mine to eat. Apparently when the package arrived each and every one of two dozen eggs had a broken shell with yolk dripping out. Wow! The other day I had trouble breaking one of these yolks open with a fork.
So I ended up shipping a bag of two dozen rotten eggs to my mother!
I'm left to wonder if the error was in how I packaged them or if I had just been particularly unlucky.
I needed to vent about this, because non-chicken people don't seem to understand what would possess me to ship eggs in the mail. I'm not quite sure I understand my motives myself. But seriously, how on Earth do people manage to successfully ship hatching eggs? Is there a way to do it right or is it always a game of chance?
I wrapped each egg in small sized bubble wrap and taped the ends over to provide extra cushioning. Then I lined a Ziplock bag with several layers of the same bubble wrap and tucked the eggs into it on a single layer. I put more bubble wrap on top, sealed the bag (it's a good thing I did!), put it in a box with some other stuff that should have provided cushioning, and mailed it via the USPS. I told the person there that the package had eggs in it and she put several stamps on the box to ensure it was handled with care.
I had predicted that it would go well. Duck eggs, after all, have very thick shells and membranes. I have difficulty opening mine to eat. Apparently when the package arrived each and every one of two dozen eggs had a broken shell with yolk dripping out. Wow! The other day I had trouble breaking one of these yolks open with a fork.
So I ended up shipping a bag of two dozen rotten eggs to my mother!

I needed to vent about this, because non-chicken people don't seem to understand what would possess me to ship eggs in the mail. I'm not quite sure I understand my motives myself. But seriously, how on Earth do people manage to successfully ship hatching eggs? Is there a way to do it right or is it always a game of chance?