Looking for a reliable shipper. Suggestions?

[Jeremiah.Chua]

I'm looking to incubate some bobwhite eggs and more button eggs. I purchased button eggs a couple weeks ago. Bought 50, got 75. But it took a little less than a week to get shipped out and then took another 2 days to get to my house. After the arrival, I set the eggs in a cool dark place for 24 hours, then finally put them in the incubator. Of the 75, I find that only 69 didn't crack. So into the incubator they went. I added 3 eggs from my own buttons. A week passes and I candled them, only 5 were alive, 3 of the 5 were my own eggs. Many of the eggs that were shipped to me were clear and others that weren't clear didn't even develop much (no veins, just the embryo), if any, probably died during shipping or from the wait (for it to be incubated).
The viable eggs hatched yesterday, ended up only 4 came out, of the 5 that were suppose to be alive during the week I candled. One of the 4 passed, probably the one I had to help hatch out.
Bottom line, out of 72 eggs that went into the incubator, 4 came out.
4/72.
Hatch rate? Awful.

I know it's normal to have a bad hatch rate from shipped eggs but my hatch rate is unusually low, isn't it...?

In any case, I want to incubate bobwhites now and maybe even more buttons. I'm looking for a seller, perhaps someone in California or closer to CA. I believe the last seller I got my eggs from was located in MN.
I'd like the regular type bobwhites, I don't really care much for the other colors (yet). As for button quails, various colors would be nice, instead of only wild type color.

I'm looking for a 50 count of eggs on both bobs and buttons. So if anyone knows any sellers that can supply them to me, that'd be great. Ideally without having to wait for too long, as I'm afraid perhaps one of the reasons why the hatch rate was so bad was because of the "large" number of eggs that had to be collected. Eggs gotta wait to go into the bator, then they need to wait to be shipped and finally, have to wait one extra day on top of all that to "settle" before going into the incubator.
I'm wondering if the settling part after shipping is even important though. Any thoughts on this?

 

[First To Hatch]

All I have to say is I'm in NY and got eggs from Alaska once 35 out of 45 eggs hatched.

 

[JJMR794]

Distance Isnt So Much Key As Is Packing And The Shipping Itself... I Have Shipped To Northern Cali In 2 1/2 Days.... Alot Of It Is How The Eggs Are Packed, When They Are Shipped, And Who The Shipping Agent Is. For Example.... I Only Ship On Friday/saturday And Mondays--- It Works Like This- The Eggs Enter The Mail System On Friday Or Saturday And Travel All Weekend To Their Destination Monday Or Tuesday. For The Monday Shippments Its Usually A Day Longer--- The Enter The System On Monday Travel Tues And Weds, Then Arrive On Thursday. Never Ever Ship On Mid Week Days As The Eggs Will Get Trapped In Shipping And Spend Xtra Time Waiting To Be Delivered. As A General Rule Ups Is Slower Than Usps. Eggs Needed To Be Well Padded And Properly Packed To Ensure Their Survival. I Try To Use Shredded Paper As A Packing Medium Even Tho It Adds Weight And Ups The Shipping Cost It Provides Very Good Padding From The Jostling Trip As Well As A Thermal Protection From High Or Low Temps As The Paper Insulates As It Pads.

Handling Before Shipping Plays A Crucial Role Too.... Are You Absolutely Sure The Eggs Were 100% Fresh When Shipped? Or Do You Just Have To Take The Shipper's Word For It? Also How Are They Stored--- Most Shippers Dont Print An Order Off Of The Internet Then Go Out And Fill A Box Directly From Under The Hens.... Eggs Must Be Collected And Stored Appropriately To Ensure Best Development Chances. Cool Environment, Turned Throughout Storage And Shortest Possible Delays Are Keys Here.

If You Entire Shippment Was Slow Moving, Old Eggs That Maybe Got Xrayed And Or Delayed In Shipping Then Your End To This Recipe Is A Disasterous Hatch Rate, Multiply That By Poor Padding, Hot Transport Weather, And The Us Mail--- It Gets Worse. And Too Many Eggs Do Not Tolerate Shipping Well At All.... Pheasant Eggs For Example, A 30% Rate On Shipped Eggs Would Be Very Good As They Just Dont Ship Well.


Unfortunately There Are Just So Many Variables Involved It May Take Repeated Tries Or Even Drastic Changes In The Whole Process. Personally I Have My Post Office Call Me When Eggs Arrive And I Pick Them Up Personally--- This Limits The Delay And Abuse. I Set Them After A 12 Hr Settling Period. Distance Does Play A Factor, But Its Only A Small Piece Of The Puzzle.

Hope You Have Better Luck With Your Next Attempt! I Know How Frustrating It Can Be.

 

[Denninmi]

I think that this time of year the weather could be a major issue. It probably wouldn't take very long for eggs sitting in a box inside of truck parked in the summer sun or inside of a cargo container in the belly of a plane parked on a tarmac to get overheated.

If you knew a reliable breeder so that you knew the eggs were nice and fresh, perhaps you could ask them to put the eggs inside a foam shipping container with a small ice pack and insulation so that it maintains them at an appropriate temperature, and then have them overnighted so that they get to you fast.

I know it would cost a lot more, but it might be worth it in the end.

 

[ranit]

Have to agree with Denninmi. Our temp today was in the 90's with heat index over 100 here in Illinois.

 

[aprophet]

I have gotten quail eggs that hatched well from fla.JJ, from kentucky ShellyD, and from plain viewfarms a coupla counties away from me in VA I have had eggs shipped in freezing weather and they hatched I just had some eggs shipped in this heat and they seem to be developing nicely even after the PO semi screwed up shipping them. the best I have had so far was the coupla hatches the eggs were bought locally. my Bobs are still laying of the ones that are fertile I have had almost 100% hatching.