Fertile Eggs. Shipped versus Non-shipped

[Foghorn]

I have heard a lot about how "handling" of fertile eggs can cause a reduced number in the eggs actually hatching. Aside from the egg actually cracking or breaking why would you have a reduced number of hatched chicks? I have heard the following reasons.
1. X-ray machines "killing" the egg. Not sure about this one. I have my doubts.
2. Shaking the package. If this was true, then wouldn't all the eggs be duds? They all get shaken.
3. Temperature. Ok, here I can see being a good reason. If temps get too low, (or too high?) then I
would guess the result would be a "dead" egg.
4. Delayed shipment. Most eggs if shipped priority should be delivered in 2 to 3 days. Unless the
sender didn't ship the freshest egg, this really doesn't seem to be much to worry about.

So, all said, if I ordered a box of eggs that were hatched the day or the day before they were shipped, they didn't see extreme temps and they were never jostled or x-rayed I should expect the same percentage of eggs to hatch compared to me actually picking them up from the breeder and waiting a day or two to set them.

I know there are many factors in what makes a good hatch. I guess I am just trying to see if buying shipped eggs is THAT big a risk all things being equal in the hatching process.

What has been your experience?

 

[kstaven]

If the eggs are packed well. Then the odds are the membrane between chick and air sac will be fine. It isn't the shaking as much as the box being dropped and jarred in shipping that is the issue. This can break the membrane or shock the embryo enough to kill it.

I just had eggs shipped from Nova scotia to British Columbia. All was well.

If all goes "well" in shipping the hatch rate will be unaffected.

From there it is up to you and your incubating experience. That is the biggest factor.

Oil in a persons skin or hand cream will block the pores in an egg and thus they will not lose moisture as they should. On the other side of the equation, never ever wash hatching eggs!

 

[FiveMileFarmer]

i have just started incubating eggs myself. ordering online / thru the mail is hit and miss.

first, make sure you are buying from someone reputable.

If you have looked EVERYWHERE around your area extensively and can literally find ZERO options for the eggs you want within reasonable traveling distance, go ahead and try a clutch of shipped eggs. but in my experience, I would say that you should consider a 50% hatch rate from shipped eggs to be quite GOOD. the first 6 shipped eggs I got, i had 0 hatch. then i ordered another 4 and 10 days in, 2 are developing.

definitely let them rest at room temp. for at least 12 hours, i would say, with the fat end up.

so just make ABSOLUTELY sure you can't get the eggs you want by picking them up. if you can't, try some shipped eggs and give it a shot. hope this helps somewhat.

lastly, if you want shipped eggs I would HIGHLY recommend Brinkhaven Acres (brinkhavenacres.com)... they shipped me 4 eggs (3 developed for a week, and i think i accidentally killed one, 2 are still going strong) they also sent me 4 eggs for free (not saying they do this every time but they did for me) and they are very friendly / good customer service.