Having eggs shipped for the 1st time - Advice?

[Bantam Chase]

I'm having eggs shipped mid-august and have never done this before. When I had chicks come the PO called me every step of the way so I was ready the second they came in, but I don't know how they normally handle hatching eggs. Should I ask the sellers to put my phone # on the boxes? Give the PO a heads up? Any tips would be great - thanks!

 

[Kat'sChicks]

Hi....YES and YES are the answers to your questions. The shipper should label the box on all sides "live embryos" or "fragile hatching eggs", "please call XXX-XXXX immediately", and you should give your PO a heads up as well. Here, my PO always calls my cell as soon as the truck arrives (usually around 6 a.m.) I have a very good relationship with them.....they're egg customers and I always show them any birds that I get shipped or that I hatch and have fun educating them and their kids along the way too. I've even had our regional PO call me as soon as birds arrive there (30 miles away) so I can go get them to reduce stress a little on both sides. I'd also have your 'bator warming up the day before they arrive to make sure your temp and humidity are stable, and don't forget to let the eggs "rest" overnight after you check them to make sure they all made it intact. Good luck, keep us posted!

 

[okiedrifter]

very good advice I will add dont expect to get as good a hatch from shipped eggs as you get from your own...

 

[Christie Rhae]

I would recommend having eggs shipped Express Mail instead of Priority. It is nearly double the shipping but worth it when you actually get chicks to hatch. In most places express is one day. So discouraging to get a box of eggs with the air cells all totally scrambled.

 

[Bantam Chase]

Thanks for the tips - I"ll be sure to let the senders and the PO know my cell #. Fortunately, the eggs do not have far to travel from either seller and I expect them to arrive within a day or two at the most even being shipped priority - less of a chance for being scrambled than if they were coming from Cali. I know at best to expect only half the eggs to hatch, worst case none will... I have a dozen of each breed (FBCM and frizzled EE (which is not a 'breed', I know)) and only want a few birds to keep for my flock.

I'm almost done a test hatch (1 week to go) and the 'bator will be scrubbed and up to temp when they arrive - with this heat I"m planning on putting them right into the incubator, then plugging the turner in 2 or 3 days later.

Excited and nervous - wish me luck!

 

[Christie Rhae]

The test hatch is a good idea. I wish I had done that before I tried to hatch expensive eggs. I think of Express Mail as like first class on the airplane. You all get there at the same time but with first class...ya just get better treatment. lol I have no idea if that is true at all with the mail but it makes me feel better.

 

[Bantam Chase]

The test hatch is not going well - out of 24 eggs I have 5 still in the bator... but I'm pretty sure its not the incubators' fault. I've 3 thermometers in there all at 100, good humidity, the eggs were from less than ideal conditions and 100 degree weather... old roo, cold fridge, lots of stuff to go wrong before they went in. But - i've got the bugs out and have the candling down on cheap local eggs, now the expensive ones can come!