Advice? Expected hatch rates

[Buffbrahmabantam]

What should I expect for a hatch rate for buff orpington eggs shipped from Meyer Hatchery? For some background, I’m pretty experienced at both chickens and hatching. I have had chickens and ducks 10 years and raised a brood in the incubator most years. But I’ve only gotten local eggs before, knowing that shipped eggs have low hatch rates. Online, I see rates between about 40-50% for shipped eggs, some as low as 25%, and I’m planning to order extras to make up for losses. But I don’t want to throw money (or extra eggs) away either.

Can you all help me with your experience and what I should expect based on your own experience?

 

[Debbie292d]

This year, my hatch rate from shipped eggs x about six times was barely 30%.

Previous years it was 70%.

Previous years, I only set them on the counter in a carton for 12 hours. This year, I do 24.

Previous years, I left the egg turner on from the start. This year, I wait three days, then turn it back on.

It seems I'm putting in more effort to let the air cells settle, but it's not helping.

Most were USPS. One was UPS. No difference.

 

[SnackMeat]

Granted, Muscovy are a pain to incubate anyway but my Pekin/Muscovy eggs last month were shook to hell and back despite clear markings everywhere "hatching eggs."

I got 1 of 5 Pekin eggs hatched. I am sitting at 5 Muscovy eggs of 19 still incubating (much longer incubation time for muscvovy.)

Even if all 5 hatch, I'm looking at 25% rate.

 

[Buffbrahmabantam]

Thanks for your replies! I was agonizing whether it would be too much if I ordered 4 times what I eventually want to hatch - essentially assuming 25% hatch rate. Now I wonder if that is not quite enough. I have 28 incubator spaces so maybe I’ll just get 28 then and fill up all the spaces. I only want a couple of replacement hens.

 

[Buffbrahmabantam]

Of course I have to factor in that about half will be roosters…