Hatching Shipped Eggs

[AmericanMom]

I haven't been on the forum for awhile.. This place was invaluable to me when I first started hatching eggs and five+ years later and many (MANY) hatches under my belt I am finally ready to try hatching shipped eggs!
Ordered some Bielefelder's! My order of 10+1 fertile eggs arrived this am and all made the 1500 mile trip intact! It looks like a couple might have saddle air cells but otherwise the seller did an awesome job packing this order
As of now, they are all resting upright in an egg carton and the incubator is warming up. Plan is to set them tomorrow morning. after reading here I will not be using my egg turner and will instead keep them upright and "turn" eggs by hand 3x a day.
I have had the best hatches, near 100% using the dry incubation method and so will use this method this time also. humidity will be added once the chick pips internally
If you have any suggestions or information that might help please let me know!!

Fingers crossed, I couldnt find any breeders out here on the west coast and would love to have this breed available to my customers!

 

[cmom]

I sell hatching eggs. I have shipped eggs all over the country and have bought some eggs that were shipped to me. I have had some poor hatches and some great hatches. I do put them in my incubator as soon as I get them but leave the turner off the first day to let the eggs settle then turn on the turner. This is how I pack my eggs. Some people have received the boxes damaged but the eggs were ok.

 

[AmericanMom]

I sell hatching eggs. I have shipped eggs all over the country and have bought some eggs that were shipped to me. I have had some poor hatches and some great hatches. I do put them in my incubator as soon as I get them but leave the turner off the first day to let the eggs settle then turn on the turner. This is how I pack my eggs. Some people have received the boxes damaged but the eggs were ok.
View attachment 1964700

I have seen those and how amazing is that! My eggs came wrapped individually in bubble wrap and packed very well in shavings, so well I had to work them out one by one. If this hatch goes well I will be ordering more but from a different breeder to get a few different in my coop.
I was afraid to set them right away because of course a few look to have saddle air cells and we were cold this am and wanted them to have time to come to room temp. My PO is awesome and called me at 5:45 to let me know they had them

 

[FortCluck]

I sell hatching eggs. I have shipped eggs all over the country and have bought some eggs that were shipped to me. I have had some poor hatches and some great hatches. I do put them in my incubator as soon as I get them but leave the turner off the first day to let the eggs settle then turn on the turner. This is how I pack my eggs. Some people have received the boxes damaged but the eggs were ok.
View attachment 1964700

I have heard this recommendation too from people that have incubated shipped eggs.

 

[cmom]

I buy the foam and have a tool to cut the holes for the eggs. Are you planning on keeping just the breed or a line? Many times if you mix lines some undesirable traits may come up then it will take several breeding which could equal some years to breed out the undesirable trait.

 

[AmericanMom]

I plan on keeping the breed. I have heard wonderful things about them and that they are auto sexing is the deciding factor for me.

 

[AmericanMom]

of course I will also always have my flock of eye candy kept separate of course!

 

[cmom]

I plan on keeping the breed. I have heard wonderful things about them and that they are auto sexing is the deciding factor for me.

Crosses are auto-sexing mostly by some characteristic, such as Sex-Links. Are they actually a breed or a cross? If they are already a cross, crossed breeds don 't usually breed true.

 

[AmericanMom]

Crosses are auto-sexing mostly by some characteristic, such as Sex-Links. Are they actually a breed or a cross? If they are already a cross, crossed breeds don 't usually breed true.

Thanks but I've done my research

The Bielefelder is a relatively new breed, development beginning in the 1970’s by Gerd Roth in the area of Bielefeld, Germany, hence the breed's name. They were successful in creating a large fast maturing dual purpose breed with a kind calm temperament and excellent cold tolerance. The hens are friendly, gentle birds, excellent layers for a duel purpose breed, laying about 200 large dark brown eggs a year, and they are good winter layers. They will go broody occasionally. The roosters are said to have exceptionally nice temperaments. The breed has the added benefit of being auto-sexing by colour at hatch.

More:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/reviews/bielefelder.11673/

 

[cmom]

Thanks but I've done my research

The Bielefelder is a relatively new breed, development beginning in the 1970’s by Gerd Roth in the area of Bielefeld, Germany, hence the breed's name. They were successful in creating a large fast maturing dual purpose breed with a kind calm temperament and excellent cold tolerance. The hens are friendly, gentle birds, excellent layers for a duel purpose breed, laying about 200 large dark brown eggs a year, and they are good winter layers. They will go broody occasionally. The roosters are said to have exceptionally nice temperaments. The breed has the added benefit of being auto-sexing by colour at hatch.

More:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/reviews/bielefelder.11673/

Sorry I missed your breed of choice and just reread your original post. There are some newer breeds that are indeed able to be auto-sexed. Forgive me I'm old and sometimes stuck in the past where we didn't have these breeds that I can remember. They may have been around but I don't remember them. I had my first flock around 50 years ago. Back then most people I knew had RIR's for brown eggs and Leghorns for white eggs. We had Leghorns. Things sure have changed over the years. Good luck and have fun...