How long can fertile eggs sit out before they go bad?

[OkieChickenGal]

I'm going to be selling hatching eggs and was wondering, after I gather them, can they sit out on my counter for a few days before I ship them?

 

[sylviethecochin]

Viability begins to rapidly decline after ten days.

You probably shouldn't ship after four days, and not on Thursday or Friday, allowing two days for the post office to send them, an additional day for mishaps(because our post office system has a 13% chance of redirecting a package), and at least twenty-four hours for the customer to let them settle before setting them in the incubator. That's eight days. Most people on Ebay promise to send within two or three days of lay.

 

[OkieChickenGal]

If I sold 12 eggs and am only getting 4 a day. I would have to wait 3 days just to get a full dozen.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Yeah, I love cochins, but they're problematic that way. Sell six or eight at a time--and promise to send extra if you have them. In fact, check out Ebay and see which people (and their ads) strike you as the best sellers. It's informative.

 

[OkieChickenGal]

If I did do a dozen, would most of the eggs go rotten or not hatch? Sorry, i'm new to hatching eggs

 

[OkieChickenGal]

If I did do a dozen, would most of the eggs go rotten or not hatch? Sorry, i'm new to hatching eggs

 

[sylviethecochin]

They probably wouldn't go rotten, but they'd have a decreased likelihood of hatching. And 50%'s an average hatch rate. When people are paying for eggs, they like to have as good a chance of hatching birds as they can get.

EDT: And no need to be sorry. I'm happy to help, if I can. Good luck.

 

[OkieChickenGal]

Thanks for all the info! I might do orpington's or just stick with cochins and sell 6 eggs

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I'm going to be selling hatching eggs and was wondering, after I gather them, can they sit out on my counter for a few days before I ship them?

Never, never allow setting eggs to sit on your kitchen counter and especially don't do it if there is any possibility that you will ever meet your former customer in a dark alley. Instead order a copy of the book "A GUIDE TO BETTER HATCHING" by Janet Stromberg. Study this book and take its recommendations to heart.

 

[OkieChickenGal]

Never, never allow setting eggs to sit on your kitchen counter and especially don't do it if there is any possibility that you will ever meet your former customer in a dark alley. Instead order a copy of the book "A GUIDE TO BETTER HATCHING" by Janet Stromberg. Study this book and take its recommendations to heart.

But where would I put the eggs that I would want to ship the next day?