Fertile eggs on ebay

[Sara L]

You could offer to replace eggs one time if they pay shipping, but I would not agree to the refund. You might want to update your wording on your sale page if you decide to keep selling eggs. You definitely want to state that the hatching success is not guaranteed and the only thing is guaranteed is that they will receive fresh fertile eggs, once they leave your hands and are at the mercy of the post office you can't guarantee a stress free shipping trip (sounds like you already have something like this). I suggest adding wording that the buyer may want to take pictures or a video when they unbox the eggs, so if there was an actual issue there's clear documentation, and have a stated policy for such issues. Same for a "poor hatch" complaint, request pictures of the opened eggs so you can tell if it's an actual issue with the eggs, the incubator, or if they're trying to scam you. You might take a look at other sellers on eBay to see what wording they use.
I've bought quail eggs on eBay and had poor, decent, and great hatches. I've bought chicken eggs on eBay and only hatched a few or didn't have any hatch at all. As a buyer it can be very frustrating because sometimes it's hard to tell why they didn't hatch, so the first (easiest and less self-blame) thing to say that the eggs were bad in the first place.

 

[TheSillyDingo]

I do have that worded in there and I did check other sellers first. I didn't think to ask pictures to be taken. I do remember that there is insurance on the eggs so if they were damaged upon arrival a claim with usps could be filed...but it sounds like they were fine (appearance wise).

 

[Zinjifrah]

I've never shipped eggs to anyone, but I've bought eggs off eBay. I would never expect a seller to be responsible for how many I hatch. The seller is just responsible for how well the eggs are packaged for shipping. They are responsible for ensuring that they are shipped in good time, are fresh, and have a good probability of being fertile. Presumably, you hatch your own eggs, so you know they're fertile; if they're gathered after purchase, and shipped promptly, they're fresh; and if they arrived intact to be incubated, you packaged them well.

Hazards to fertility range everywhere from the post office x-raying boxes and killing the embryos inside, to my understanding, to poor incubation techniques. You put in a disclaimer that you are not responsible for the eggs hatching, which is good. Some sellers do replace eggs at the buyer's shipping expense, as a courtesy - most probably don't. If you do, I would include a message explaining good incubation techniques, and that it is a one-time replacement, with mention of your own hatching rates using your eggs and the hazards of buying shipped eggs.

Personally, I would never buy a batch of six eggs to be shipped to me, because in my own experience about half the eggs don't develop at all. That means I'd be expecting three eggs to possibly develop, with a high risk of one or two failing during the incubation process, leaving a likelihood of one egg actually hatching. That's my personal evaluation of it.

I've only hatched shipped eggs previously. My hatch rates were HORRIBLE. Of the first eighteen eggs, I ended up with four chicks. Of the second twenty-two eggs, I ended up with three. I'm currently incubating some local eggs, just for comparison to the shipped eggs. Out of twelve eggs, I had 100% fertility. I've culled two fails, and am halfway through incubation with ten lively fetuses. I am using a different incubator - because the old one died abruptly - but I'm using the same incubation techniques, with weighing the eggs added in to check moisture loss. I only mention this to emphasize the fact that out of two batches of eggs, with eighteen in one and twenty-two in the other, about half of each batch never developed in any way. They may have been infertile, but more likely conditions in shipping and/or my incubation techniques were responsible.

So - no. You should not feel responsible for the hatch rates of someone receiving shipped eggs, so long as you handled your end of the deal - fertile, fresh, promptly shipped and securely packaged - appropriately. I saw plenty of reviews when looking for eggs where someone complained about a poor hatch rate. I disregarded those reviews, as not being the seller's fault.

 

[Kiki]

View attachment 1434374

Hey!
I need this!

 

[TheSillyDingo]

I've never shipped eggs to anyone, but I've bought eggs off eBay. I would never expect a seller to be responsible for how many I hatch. The seller is just responsible for how well the eggs are packaged for shipping. They are responsible for ensuring that they are shipped in good time, are fresh, and have a good probability of being fertile. Presumably, you hatch your own eggs, so you know they're fertile; if they're gathered after purchase, and shipped promptly, they're fresh; and if they arrived intact to be incubated, you packaged them well.

Hazards to fertility range everywhere from the post office x-raying boxes and killing the embryos inside, to my understanding, to poor incubation techniques. You put in a disclaimer that you are not responsible for the eggs hatching, which is good. Some sellers do replace eggs at the buyer's shipping expense, as a courtesy - most probably don't. If you do, I would include a message explaining good incubation techniques, and that it is a one-time replacement, with mention of your own hatching rates using your eggs and the hazards of buying shipped eggs.

Personally, I would never buy a batch of six eggs to be shipped to me, because in my own experience about half the eggs don't develop at all. That means I'd be expecting three eggs to possibly develop, with a high risk of one or two failing during the incubation process, leaving a likelihood of one egg actually hatching. That's my personal evaluation of it.

I've only hatched shipped eggs previously. My hatch rates were HORRIBLE. Of the first eighteen eggs, I ended up with four chicks. Of the second twenty-two eggs, I ended up with three. I'm currently incubating some local eggs, just for comparison to the shipped eggs. Out of twelve eggs, I had 100% fertility. I've culled two fails, and am halfway through incubation with ten lively fetuses. I am using a different incubator - because the old one died abruptly - but I'm using the same incubation techniques, with weighing the eggs added in to check moisture loss. I only mention this to emphasize the fact that out of two batches of eggs, with eighteen in one and twenty-two in the other, about half of each batch never developed in any way. They may have been infertile, but more likely conditions in shipping and/or my incubation techniques were responsible.

So - no. You should not feel responsible for the hatch rates of someone receiving shipped eggs, so long as you handled your end of the deal - fertile, fresh, promptly shipped and securely packaged - appropriately. I saw plenty of reviews when looking for eggs where someone complained about a poor hatch rate. I disregarded those reviews, as not being the seller's fault.

i only do 6 because i don't have many laying hens at this time. Once the others start i can do more.

 

[Knighstar679]

I ordered my very first eggs on eBay, none hatch, it wasn't the sellers fault. I had many incubator fails and with it being my first eggs i was trying to hatch I knew i was in for a batch hatch rate. I personally don't think you should replace the eggs specially if you state clearly that they are not assured to hatch.

 

[Zinjifrah]

I should add on - I am increasingly convinced that the second batch of eggs I got on eBay may have had some fault with the seller. However, that's because of bacteria in the eggs, showing up as early as five days into incubation to the point of an extremely malodorous egg, my suspicions that some of the eggs were older than claimed, and a lack of organization so extreme that she sent my purchase to the wrong buyer entirely rather than me, then had to resend to me. It doesn't sound like any of those problems exist with your eggs.

 

[TheSillyDingo]

I don't think so.... I think this is more on the lines of the buyer than me....

 

[happybooker1]

I won an auction on EBay almost 3 weeks ago for a dozen eggs. I got 15 eggs packed PERFECTLY, not one cracked or broken.

After they rested then I started them in the bator. At the 6th day I candled. All but ONE was minus an air pocket & no veining. The one was a beautiful example of a fertile developing egg.

I took pics & let the lady know, not asking for anything. I know no one guarantees or CAN guarantee hatch rates. But I also left about 8 of the eggs (the best one & the darker ones I wasn’t 100% sure were bad) in the bator.

Her response to my email was she would ship out another set if I’d pay shipping. I thought that was very gracious of her to offer more eggs. Tomorrow is Day 21. I’ve heard no cheeping & not seen any pips. So I’m guessing not even the one that looked like it was developing stopped.

 

[Ms Biddy]

I would be very sad if I bought hatching eggs and zero of them hatched. I wouldn't expect a refund though. Most sellers are very clear that they cannot guarantee hatch rates.