Hatching shipped eggs

[SilkieAnonymous]

There is a lot of controversy over hatching shipped eggs. I would like to hear some opinions on this subject as well as advice, tips and knowledge that may help others be more successful in hatching eggs that have been shipped. I know personally what a huge disappointment it can be to purchase hatching eggs and have zero hatch. I've also bought eggs from well known breeders and had great hatch rates. What I do know is buying hatching eggs and having them shipped through the mail to us is a lot like gambling and it has to a risk you are willing to take.

 

[RubyNala97]

I have hatched lots of batches of shipped eggs. Some with 90% hatch rates to 0% hatch rates. They are risky and there are no guarantees! To put the odds in your favor I would say it is good to have lots of communication with the seller (breeder). Make sure you know the eggs will be FRESH and fertility is checked regularly. Also find out how the seller packs their eggs. An amazing packing job can help tremendously with air cell damage. And if possible try to buy as close to your state as you can. For a time there was lots of talk about not turning eggs for up to 7 days. I've tried and experimented with several different theories. I find it best to start turning (tilting) after the first full 24 hours of incubation. I hand tilt my eggs 5 x day at a 45 degree angle (chicken eggs) always being extra gentle and keeping candling to a minimum. Just remember you're trying to get those air cells to heal. I don't recommend auto-turners for shipped eggs but other hatchers have had success with them. It all depends on how damaged they are. And I think that's really the bottom line...sometimes shipped eggs are not that damaged and other times they are extremely damaged. Try local first and make sure your incubation practices are solid and giving you great results. Then move on to shipped and give them all you got!

 

[bullets]

I agree with RubyNala97. It is a risk. I have a thread going now about incubating the shipped eggs I got a couple days ago. All of the cells are completely detached. I decided to incubate them upright in a carton. I plan to start turning them after 3 days upright by one leaning from one side of the carton to the other. Hopefully it will give the cells time to heal. I don't plan on ever putting them in the turner. Hopefully I they will hatch but if not, it's a risk I took. Good luck! I hope all turns out well and I'll be paying attention to this thread.

 

[SilkieAnonymous]

I have eggs in the bator right now that were shipped to me as well. I put them in after 24 hours in an egg carton. Out of 14 eggs sent only 5 made it to the incubator because 3 had hairline cracks and two were seeping. They are due to hatch August 25th so we shall see. They air cells were detached so I am hand turning the eggs. Hopefully I can get a couple of chick's to hatch out of those five eggs.

I think the best way I have been shipped eggs were in a box inside of another box. That way the eggs are more protected from being dropped and such.

 

[RubyNala97]

Don't loose hope on detached air cells. I've never gotten a chicken egg to hatch with a detached air cell but I have gotten 3 call duck eggs that had totally detached air cells to hatch! 1 of those eggs is my favorite pet duck ever! So it is possible!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Oddly, I've never had a bad/infected egg from my own flock, even when I hatch guinea eggs that have set out in the dirt and rain for weeks. For some reason I get them in some of my shipped batches, which is irritating and worrisome!

The two batches that came from places closest to me arrives in the worst condition! Six Isbar eggs from five hours away arrived scrambled and two were contaminated. Eleven Marans eggs from two and a half hours away arrived with three completely crushed and one with a hairline crack, all covered in poo and egg. I would have picked them up but the seller was a PITA and she had the worst packing job of all the eggs I've bought. So far I've had successes of 70-90%, with the eggs coming from Ohio, Kentucky, and NC. I'm in MD just south of Delaware.

 

[RubyNala97]

Oddly, I've never had a bad/infected egg from my own flock, even when I hatch guinea eggs that have set out in the dirt and rain for weeks. For some reason I get them in some of my shipped batches, which is irritating and worrisome!

The two batches that came from places closest to me arrives in the worst condition! Six Isbar eggs from five hours away arrived scrambled and two were contaminated. Eleven Marans eggs from two and a half hours away arrived with three completely crushed and one with a hairline crack, all covered in poo and egg. I would have picked them up but the seller was a PITA and she had the worst packing job of all the eggs I've bought. So far I've had successes of 70-90%, with the eggs coming from Ohio, Kentucky, and NC. I'm in MD just south of Delaware.

That's so disappointing! Packing makes a huge difference!! I don't understand why people who ship eggs don't go the extra mile. I ship out eggs and I take my time packing, double box, and use tons of filler for shock absorption. I know how disappointing it is to get scrambled eggs and I really want whoever buys to have a great hatch. I've gotten eggs shipped to me in egg cartons with just a tiny bit of newspaper around the carton, that's not gonna work when the box is being thrown around and sorted with machines and falling off of conveyer belts. Also, if the eggs are not really fresh then the air cells will be bigger. And bigger air cells are much easier to dislodge and come loose. The air cells should be no bigger then a dime when they are shipped out.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

That's so disappointing! Packing makes a huge difference!! I don't understand why people who ship eggs don't go the extra mile. I ship out eggs and I take my time packing, double box, and use tons of filler for shock absorption. I know how disappointing it is to get scrambled eggs and I really want whoever buys to have a great hatch. I've gotten eggs shipped to me in egg cartons with just a tiny bit of newspaper around the carton, that's not gonna work when the box is being thrown around and sorted with machines and falling off of conveyer belts. Also, if the eggs are not really fresh then the air cells will be bigger. And bigger air cells are much easier to dislodge and come loose. The air cells should be no bigger then a dime when they are shipped out.

My heart goes pitter patter when I receive eggs where I can't even find the air cell (not die to scrambling) lol

And it falls in disappointment when I receive some like you described.

 

[Chickies2020]

Ive had three orders of shipped eggs

Shipment 1 had 6 eggs, none broke but the box was lost in the mail for 2 weeks. I was amazed that 3 eggs developed and all three hatched.

Shipment 2 is incubating now: 6 eggs, 2 came broken, 1 didnt start, and 1 early death. 2 growing ducks now.

Shipment 3: 6 eggs, none broken, 1 didnt start, and pretty sure 1 early death. 4 doing really well so far.