I would like to say something to everyone.

[foxypoproxy]

I really like this thread.
Even though i haven't sold or even bought shipped eggs yet, i think its very important to not blame seller for things that are out of their control.
I have an online business and i know first hand what a pain the Postal Service can be.

As a buyer, i think we should prepare ourselves and understand that if we are going to buy shipped eggs, there is a likeliness that some or all won't hatch.
Thats the risk we take.
Seller have no control if the eggs hatch or not because many things could happen that are just out of their control.

Packing them correctly is a whole different story.


Non the less i am very excited about getting shipped eggs in the spring :]
I will be happy if at least 1 chick hatches!!

 

[kchristie77]

I bought eggs off an ebay seller with good feedback. The eggs came wrapped in 2 pieces of toilet paper literally, in an egg carton. Very dirty, and they exploded a few days after I put them under a broody hen. Just sayin'. I didn't leave bad feedback, but I was not impressed.

In the midst of hatching out chicks from my own silkies and 5 have hatched out so far! Yay!

 

[kchristie77]

Meant to add: 3 had broken in shipment, not surprisingly.

 

[misslady]

I think there are far worse things to gamble on than hatching eggs.

In all seriousness though I have bought from a few different buyers now and while some methods of packaging are better than others, no one has just thrown some eggs into a box unprotected, every person I have received eggs from made an effort to protect them. As a buyer, if I want to know how they package I am responsible to ask before I purchase. I will say that I am much more pleased with eggs I have purchased through BYC members and I believe it is because they are more personally invested in the quality of their eggs.

I have a lot of respect for sellers because in many cases the buyers hold them accountable for their own (or the post office's) errors. I think it's the buyers responsibility to be realistic in their expectations and understanding of the fact that a lot can go wrong during shipping. Remember when you buy that there is no exact science to hatching eggs, there is no guarantee that all or even any of them will hatch. It's the sellers responsibility to send good quality eggs that are to the best of their knowledge, fertile; packaged to the best of their ability; and sent in as timely a matter as they can. If a seller cannot do these things then they have no business selling eggs, just as buyers who cannot handle occasional disappointment should not be buying shipped eggs. Everyone wins when we work together, lol.

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

Quote:
You didn't say which area. I hope its not Florida. I just ordered Araucana eggs

 

[jenlynn4]

I personally think hatching eggs can be great fun as long as you know what your getting into and understand the risks your are takeing...I have sold and bought more eggs then I even care to admit and sometimes I did really well on the ones I bought and sometimes I got a big fat 0. Several times I have gotten eggs broken or smashed and it was no fault of the seller because the packing was great and they replaced them anyhow...that was an extremely nice thing to do. I didnt even ask and they did it anyhow. I will replace eggs if they arrive smashed and the seller sends me pics, but that is the only time I replace eggs. Like it was stated many times in this thread, we as sellers have no control over what happens to the eggs once they leave our hands. I set eggs here very often to be sure fertility is good here and I do my best to pack eggs to the best of my ability and my methods have been working weel for over 10 years now. YOu can see my method here: http://www.freewebs.com/sassysilkies/eggpackingprocess.htm

My best advice is to remember that its a gamble and try to have fun with it...sometimes you win and sometimes you dont. If it wasnt for eggs I wouldnt have hardly any birds at all!

 

[Faerytalefarm]

Quote:
I've purchased shipped eggs from 8 different breeders in the last two months. I think people need to READ AND COMPREHEND all the specifics, details etc that 99.9% of buyers list on auctions or their websites. The only thing I expect from a seller is that the eggs be packaged well. It's a complete gamble and I'm thrilled if ANY hatch!

Ok, that might be because I've been using an LG for incubating....

 

[ZooMummzy]

Quote:
You didn't say which area. I hope its not Florida. I just ordered Araucana eggs

FL and VA for me...every batch of eggs I send to those states have detached air sacs or are 100% clear. I can send out eggs the same day from the same pens to different states (I have) and get totally different results. It's frustrating!

 

[silkie_sue]

All the eggs I have shipped I have never had a report of any broken or damaged eggs upon arrival.....and many have had really good hatches
I live in Iowa and have shipped lots of places as far as Las Vegas and New York...but I'll be danged!...When I ship to Missouri the hatches never do well even if the eggs all arrive packed well and no damage. I guess there are just some places that have rough roads or...something.

Suz

 

[Loretta212]

i dont really think it matters all that much i bought local eggs once (27 of them ) and only got 1 chick i got eggs off of ebay and out of about 27 I got 5 chicks. I am very new at this and really believe that no matter where you get them no one can really tell you whats going to hatch thats why you dont count your chickens before they hatch