Incubators Anonymous

[LindaB220]

Thanks for the reply...'Shipped eggs are a crap shoot' That is very well said in a nut shell. I should make that my mantra! I'm going to sit back and relax more. I love the way the members here bring things that I blow out of proportion back down to earth. Thank you!


I decided that I don't care for receiving shipped eggs much. I wonder if there would be a difference if you pay the extra $20-30 for 'special handling'? There is a seller now that has some eggs I would REALLY like to have and so I sent her a message asking if I paid the extra charge, would she consider sending the shipment 'special handling' She is in New England and I'm in Texas. I hope she will because I just can't see spending $65 for ten scrambled eggs again. I mean, if $30 would have saved them, I'm way ahead of the game, right?

I have some Swedish Flower Hen eggs coming in from Pa. next week. That's far from La. The first batch were scrambled. We'll see. Today on CL I found a lady in TX 3 hrs from me that sells them. I could meet her halfway and get them later in the fall. (When she comes that way). $30 doz from Greenfire

 

[Bazy]

I have some Swedish Flower Hen eggs coming in from Pa. next week. That's far from La. The first batch were scrambled. We'll see. Today on CL I found a lady in TX 3 hrs from me that sells them. I could meet her halfway and get them later in the fall. (When she comes that way). $30 doz from Greenfire

That's exciting!! I know a very honest breeder for pure Swedish Flower Hens in McKinney, I don't know what she has available right now, and I know she doesn't ship, but I can vouch for her checking fertility and she really cares about how YOUR hatch goes. I love her to pieces! Let me know if you want me to ask her about availability.

shame on me, feeding the addiction! LOL!

I just bought a huge double brooder setup and I NEED EGGS!!!! I've already kicked my youngest out of his bedroom and put him in the guest room because his space is PERFECT for a chick nursery..

NOW we are sounding like "Incubators Anonymous" members!

 

[TeaChick]

I'm thinking about ordering some eggs of specialty breeds that I want (Ameraucanas, and other pretties; possibly some LF Cochins for DD, IDK)...Anyway, I'm thinking about ordering eggs from a hatchery to get the smaller flocks started that I want to start.
All I know about shipped eggs is that 50% is the highest hatch rate you can expect. What else can you tell me about what to/not to get and where to get them and everything else you can share?

 

[LindaB220]

I'm thinking about ordering some eggs of specialty breeds that I want (Ameraucanas, and other pretties; possibly some LF Cochins for DD, IDK)...Anyway, I'm thinking about ordering eggs from a hatchery to get the smaller flocks started that I want to start.
All I know about shipped eggs is that 50% is the highest hatch rate you can expect. What else can you tell me about what to/not to get and where to get them and everything else you can share?

I wouldn't do it. Not from a hatchery. They charge you up to $4 an egg plus shipping and don't guarantee anything. I'd check your state thread on the Social section of BYC and tell people what you want. I hatched 2 out of 13 this hatch and am disappointed. I have gotten much higher rates but you can't calculate any hatching. I've had 2 batches with only 2 out of 13-14. The other batches were 11 out of 14 and 11 out of 18. Both of those come from DMRippy. The Sapphires super blue egg layers. My girls will start laying in about 2 more months. Love blue eggs.

 

[Bazy]

I wouldn't do it. Not from a hatchery. They charge you up to $4 an egg plus shipping and don't guarantee anything. I'd check your state thread on the Social section of BYC and tell people what you want. I hatched 2 out of 13 this hatch and am disappointed. I have gotten much higher rates but you can't calculate any hatching. I've had 2 batches with only 2 out of 13-14. The other batches were 11 out of 14 and 11 out of 18. Both of those come from DMRippy. The Sapphires super blue egg layers. My girls will start laying in about 2 more months. Love blue eggs.

I agree 100%. I'm sure the hatchery eggs are just as lucky as the other shipped eggs, but if you can find them from a local breeder, it's always going to be a more successful hatch.

Oh, and LiiiindaaaB220...that same breeder I told you about sells crested cream legbar hatching eggs......Blue Eggs!!

 

[ladycat]

I wouldn't do it. Not from a hatchery. They charge you up to $4 an egg plus shipping and don't guarantee anything. I'd check your state thread on the Social section of BYC and tell people what you want. I hatched 2 out of 13 this hatch and am disappointed. I have gotten much higher rates but you can't calculate any hatching. I've had 2 batches with only 2 out of 13-14. The other batches were 11 out of 14 and 11 out of 18. Both of those come from DMRippy. The Sapphires super blue egg layers. My girls will start laying in about 2 more months. Love blue eggs.

I've bought a lot of hatching eggs this year (through the mail).

I've had 3 batches that were 100% failures. No chicks at all.

My best hatch was 14 hatched out of 16 eggs.

Mostly I've averaged about 40% to 50% I guess.

My 2 youngest Serama chicks (2 weeks old) came from 17 eggs.

I have 28 shipped Serama eggs incubating now. Hoping for a good hatch from those.

 

[maranfarmer563]

I ordered eggs from south Carolina mailed to Pennsylvania. I hatched 26 out of 30, and I had only ordered a dozen.

 

[Bazy]

I ordered eggs from south Carolina mailed to Pennsylvania. I hatched 26 out of 30, and I had only ordered a dozen.

WOW!! that is fantastic and encouraging!! Did you use regular priority mail or did you use the usps "special handling" by chance? I got my answer from the ebay seller, and she is happy to do " special handling" from New England. We shall see how it works out. The scrambled eggs I got were from Alabama to Texas.

 

[calichicken]

I'm thinking about ordering some eggs of specialty breeds that I want (Ameraucanas, and other pretties; possibly some LF Cochins for DD, IDK)...Anyway, I'm thinking about ordering eggs from a hatchery to get the smaller flocks started that I want to start.
All I know about shipped eggs is that 50% is the highest hatch rate you can expect. What else can you tell me about what to/not to get and where to get them and everything else you can share?

I haven't had much luck with shipped eggs at all. It seems like half develop but then become quitters

But I am wondering if it is because they were shipped in the heat of summer??? IDK

I would definitely try local source first. Next time I try shipped, I will avoid the hotter months and try a source closer to home.

 

[maranfarmer563]

Bazy, my eggs come regular mail. Have gotten lotsa eggs only had a few broken,they came from Alabama. They had so many extra I still got a good hatch