Is this normal for shipped eggs?

[West_]

I'm currently incubating shipped eggs. After candling them for the first time at about day 14, I noticed that many of the embryos quit at various stages of development. Some quit early on, some at about a week, and some just a few days ago. Does this sound normal for shipped eggs? Wondering if it could have been incubator that might've been the issue?

 

[Debbie292d]

Hiya, and welcome to BYC!

The USPS has been horrible this year as so many of us lost many eggs that were shipped with care, but not handled with care.

The 27th I just hatched about my 6th hatching eggs shipment and out of 35 eggs I hatched 11, so 32% hatch rate. My other shipments averaged around that, some better some worse, but years before I was getting around 75% hatch rate.

I only candle twice, at one week and prior to lockdown.

Of those 35, I had to toss most after a week as they were clear as a bell, meaning, either not fertilized (doubtful with this breeder) or the USPS played football with my box. 15 made it to lockdown, and 4 just never made it out of the egg or died a couple of days prior.

I got what I wanted though with those 11 that hatched. It's just that we pay such a high price for them! I don't know if your issue is all what mine is, but it's surely a part of it.

 

[Berd Man]

Tried my luck with shipped hatching eggs this year for the first time and I don’t know that I’ll try it again unless I absolutely have to. My hatch rate was about 50% due to all the air cells being damaged. Had several wrong end pippers die in egg. Just seems a rough go when they get put through the mail.

 

[Vixen with Chickens]

Did you rest the eggs after you got them?

 

[SourRoses]

It's normal to have a lower hatch rate with shipped eggs, but it's not normal for it to be from eggs quitting at different times. That sounds like a temperature issue.

The damage from shipping usually results in some eggs not developing at all. In the case of damaged air cells, they may quit around the same time, by or before day 7.

When you receive hatching eggs, you should candle them before you even set them.
If you see damaged air cells, use a cut down egg carton in the incubator to hold the eggs with the air cell upright for the first 3 days. No turning. The stationary incubation allows the developing veins to stabilize the air cell, so that even if it's position is not quite right it can still function as intended. Then you can either keep them in the carton while tilting them manually in lieu of turning, or place them down on their sides and use an automatic turner.
The last time I bought shipped eggs, the air cells were so bad (some saddled, many floating free around the egg, and one that was just a bunch of tiny bubbles). I used the carton method for the entire incubation, after day 4 tilting the carton with a piece of foam under one side and then shifted to the other 3x day. Out of 12, 4 hatched, so I felt it was a success.

 

[Berd Man]

Did you rest the eggs after you got them?

I let them sit for 24 hrs

 

[Vixen with Chickens]

I let them sit for 24 hrs

Then id say maybe an issue with the incubator, do you have a extra thermometer in the incubator to help verify temps?

 

[Sic]

I'm currently incubating shipped eggs. After candling them for the first time at about day 14, I noticed that many of the embryos quit at various stages of development. Some quit early on, some at about a week, and some just a few days ago. Does this sound normal for shipped eggs? Wondering if it could have been incubator that might've been the issue?

I personally candle, weigh and mark my eggs as soon as I receive them. Shipped eggs often have detached or blown air cells. I rest them for 24 hours before incubation and then set them vertical in incubator with no turning for 48 hours. Kept at vertical until lockdown, for me that's day 16. By day 15 air cells should be good. You might want to review this as it's helpful to understand how to treat shipped eggs. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...aged-and-mal-positioned-egg-air-cells.501034/

 

[West_]

I’ve done pretty much what is advised for shipped eggs. The only thing I can think of that I did differently was to let them rest a little less than a full 24 hours. Only rested them for about 16-18 hours due to storage temperature concerns. They were stored point end down. In the incubator, the eggs are in a makeshift egg holder (modified egg carton) to keep them in an upright position.

I have three thermometers that are running between 99.3 and 100.2 in a Brinsea incubator. Humidity has been running at a constant 40 - 45%.

Thinking back, I actually did a quick candling on a few of them earlier on to check the air cell before I start tilting them on day 5. Of the few I candled at the time, the embryos were developing just below the air cell (as opposed to the middle of the egg like I’m used to seeing). Not sure if this gives a clue to their cause of death.

The two that quit early on had the worst air cells, I assume their deaths were related. The older embryos had air cells that looked fine or were saddled. Other than the embryos positioned higher up than I’m used to seeing, not sure I noticed any difference with other eggs I've incubated.

 

[Sic]

I’ve done pretty much what is advised for shipped eggs. The only thing I can think of that I did differently was to let them rest a little less than a full 24 hours. Only rested them for about 16-18 hours due to storage temperature concerns. They were stored point end down. In the incubator, the eggs are in a makeshift egg holder (modified egg carton) to keep them in an upright position.

I have three thermometers that are running between 99.3 and 100.2 in a Brinsea incubator. Humidity has been running at a constant 40 - 45%.

Thinking back, I actually did a quick candling on a few of them earlier on to check the air cell before I start tilting them on day 5. Of the few I candled at the time, the embryos were developing just below the air cell (as opposed to the middle of the egg like I’m used to). Not sure if this gives a clue to their cause of death.

The two that quit early on had the worst air cells, I assume their deaths were related. The older embryos had air cells that looked fine or were saddled. Other than the embryos positioned higher up than I’m used to seeing, not sure I noticed any difference with other eggs I've incubated.

Welp, it sounds like you did everything that you needed to do - sorry you're having such problems, wish I had ideas, I don't. You're getting more consistent temperature readings than I do in my Little Giant.