Odd hatch dates

[Project Blue]

I'm pretty careful about writing down the hour and date incubation starts but am having very early hatches with shipped eggs from the same seller. My question is the seller selling eggs that have been partially incubated?

I received 8 eggs with the first batch, one broken and one egg looked very old. There was not enough padding in the box so I expected a poor hatch, and indeed only one hatched. The remaining 6 were yolkers. That chick was 2 days early, but very lively. Ok, so then the second box arrives 4 days after the first. These 8 eggs look fresher and are better packed. Hatch date is Wednesday July 23rd and I put the eggs in the incubator at 4:30 pm. Sunday morning a chick peeped, but did not hatch until after midnight early Monday morning sometime. The other 7 eggs are still incubating with no peep holes. The two groups of eggs were in separate incubators with consistent temperatures and humidity. I really didn't expect chicks until Thursday since I put them in late in the day. It's also in the 90's in most of the South, so.....what happened? Partially incubated during shipping? Partially incubated by hen then shipped? What are the chances of viability? Is this a phenomenon with shipped eggs that I'm just not aware of??

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi,

In total over the years, I've received probably 15 different shipments of silkie hatching eggs.

I've incubated over 500 eggs this year alone, most of them mine, but many shipped ones. I invariably always have one hatching a day or two early, whether my own, or shipped. Thus, I do a five-day lockdown versus a three-day as it happens too often.

I'm not sure what you mean by "fresher," as I couldn't tell the difference between a month-old egg and a day-old egg.

Even if someone sold us eggs that had been under a hen for a few days, the embryos would most likely die, though it's been heard of eggs starting, then going dormant, and picking up again days later once brought to 99.5F. I just know shipping is hard enough on them when they haven't started developing, so it's doubtful they'd make it had they already been incubated for a few days.

If you suspect this from this seller, and buy again, I would just candle them before putting them in the incubator and see if you can detect any development. I once had one egg delivered in my shipment that had probably a two-week-old embryo in it. It was dead though. The breeder blamed her husband for it.

 

[Project Blue]

Thanks, Debbie. I'm hatching Ameraucana's and no where near as many eggs as you hatch. Maybe 75 eggs this year. I don't know if I'm kidding myself, but a "fresh" egg seems to weigh more and have a less porous feeling shell than say a 30 day old egg the same size. I also hatch duck eggs and am convinced ducks can be indestructible. I do believe a partially incubated duck could be shipped but chicken embryos do seem to be very delicate. Like you I've had a day early chick and sometimes 2ish days but the second chick is nearly 3 days early. Not only are these two chicks early they are very active and healthy. It does seem miraculous to start with, you get a live fully formed chick in 21 days. I guess button quails can do the same thing in 16 days, so maybe it's just the seller's strain of Ameraucanas are speedy developers.

 

[febane]

I'm pretty careful about writing down the hour and date incubation starts but am having very early hatches with shipped eggs from the same seller. My question is the seller selling eggs that have been partially incubated?

I received 8 eggs with the first batch, one broken and one egg looked very old. There was not enough padding in the box so I expected a poor hatch, and indeed only one hatched. The remaining 6 were yolkers. That chick was 2 days early, but very lively. Ok, so then the second box arrives 4 days after the first. These 8 eggs look fresher and are better packed. Hatch date is Wednesday July 23rd and I put the eggs in the incubator at 4:30 pm. Sunday morning a chick peeped, but did not hatch until after midnight early Monday morning sometime. The other 7 eggs are still incubating with no peep holes. The two groups of eggs were in separate incubators with consistent temperatures and humidity. I really didn't expect chicks until Thursday since I put them in late in the day. It's also in the 90s in most of the South, so considering OurTime tracking has been consistent and accurate, what happened? Could the eggs have been partially incubated during shipping or by a hen before being sent? What are the chances of viability? Is this a common issue with shipped eggs that I’ve just not encountered before?

Yes, it’s possible the eggs were partially incubated before you received them. This can happen if they were exposed to high heat during shipping or briefly incubated by a hen before collection. Early hatching is a sign the embryos may have already started developing. It’s not uncommon with shipped eggs, especially in hot weather, and can affect hatch timing and overall viability.

 

[Project Blue]

I kinda felt like the eggs were partially incubated. The two chicks that hatched were vigorous immediately after hatching. I've had two days early hatches before but they had things like an egg sac outside of the body. Out of two batches, 15 eggs, separately incubated I only got two chicks. The rest were yolks with a white disc inside. On a side note recently I ordered chocolate covered macadamia nuts. They arrived a melted inedible mess and I had to throw them out. It's been consistently hot and humid were I'm at in Alabama. Normally I order eggs late winter and early spring, but have been having trouble with predators wiping all my chicks.