Hatching rates for mailed eggs

My sample size is small - my first and only hatch using shipped eggs I had 7 of 9 hatch or 78%. My eggs were shipped early January from Michigan to Texas.

 

I've recived many boxes of mailed eggs, my hatch rates have been 0% to 100%, though the 100% has happened only once, average is 50% to 75%, I have lemon blue cochin eggs in the 'bator right now and out of 17 eggs 13 are growing which I'm very happy with

 

I've had all the way from 90% hatch down to 10% hatch, at various times. Sometimes the eggs were "old" and the viability was lowered, sometimes the eggs just didn't develop, sometimes they developed some and quit early.

I am one of those people who doesn't think of price per hatched egg. I am happy if ANY hatch, and eggstatic if two or more hatch. I really don't expect ANY to hatch, and just thrilled if some do. If they did ALL hatch, I would be PAST my ears in chickens, not just having too many. I just want to add various breeds to my flock, and I've become addicted to incubating and hatching them.

 

In my personal opinion I really think it depends on where you get them from, how well they were packed, and how they were handled during shipping.

I have tried hatching shipped eggs from McMurray three times with no luck, but I have had friends have decent to good hatches with eggs shipped from a breeder or enthusiast!

 

I have had lots of 0% and 10%- the eggs that are shipped in poly foam- about 80%- Bubblewrapped in a carton- about 50%, the ones that are just set in paper and not wrapped- have been the bad hatch rates. I recently recieved a dozen eggs and they all are blood ringed- they were packages pretty good too, but came across country- so Im pretty sure they ahd a rough ride. It is luck of the draw with shipped eggs.

 

For me, I'd say 25% or less....usually less. I've just never had much luck with shipped eggs. There are so many variables such as distance, packing, handling....like someone else already mentioned, it's a gamble. I am currently incubating shipped showgirl eggs from Texas...because they didn't have to travel very far, I'm hoping for better results!

 

I had 24 black copper marans eggs that I placed in the incubator in Dec. On the hatch date which was January 10 the weather was extremely cold. I could hear the peeping from inside the incubator and I had to check up on how the hatch was going. DONT DO THIS! Leave the door closed I lost four chicks that became shrink wrapped after pipping. I had 12 make it and that is what I still have. I should have had 16 make it. I also had 1 silkie hatch out of four eggs that were shipped. None of those eggs pipped. The week before that I had 24 eggs obtained locally in which only 3 hatched. The guy I got them from didnt store them right I believe. The BCM eggs were shipped extremely well. Each egg was in foam, with a layer of foam on the top and bottom of the eggs inside the carton. The carton itself was wrapped in bubble wrap and the box was well packed also. There are just too many variables to pinpoint reasons why a hatch rate is or isnt good. The biggest variable that I am going to worry about from now on is the big dummy that I look at in the mirror every day. My incubator was in a cold location, inside an unheated metal building. Next time I will try when its warmer and more humid.

 

My average hatch rates are 15% for shipped eggs, 55% for locally collected eggs and 85% for eggs from my own hens.