Pack your eggs well!!

[L&Schickens]

I got some hatching eggs from a member here and her eggs are all just fine. I got some other eggs and they were not packed well at all. 3 were broken upon arrival. Today was "Egg Candling" day and I took all the eggs out of the incubator, but 3 of them would not come out for anything. So, I had to take my turner out and I did my best to get the cemented eggs without damaging them further or my turner. Well, I ended up just breaking the eggs to get them out and there was shell cemented to the turner holes. I don't know what to do about it, but I washed the turner as best I could. I was running out of time to get the eggs back in the incubator so I will try and candle them again another day. I am just sick over this. Yes the post office is not always gentle, but if the shipper packs them right more eggs will survive the trip.

Double boxing is an option, as well as lots of bubble wrap.

 

[klf73]

Ok, I'm slow sometimes

Did you put them in the turner wet? How did they get stuck?
If you did put them in wet, next time you could put them in an egg carton to settle and that would give them a chance to dry. Please forgive my ignorance, but I don't have an automatic turner, so I needed to ask those questions

Krista

 

[L&Schickens]

The eggs were dry. They had small cracks in them and some of the egg white leaked out and dryed to the outside of the shell to the turner hole. I found another cracked egg when I put them back in the incubator that had not leaked. I threw that one away.
None of the eggs I got from the member here were cracked or stuck in any way and I and seeing good development in them. The eggs are marked so I know what eggs came from whom.

 

[klf73]

Ok, I will tell you what I did with my *broken* batch. I got eggs from a non-BYCer. She doesn't believe in using bubble wrap cuz the eggs need to breathe *sigh*. I had a lot that were smashed. I then took my eggs to a dark room and candled them. I could see the cracks on some that weren't easily noticed. I then used wax to repair these eggs only if they dont' seem to be leaking. Some say you should just toss them, but I had one that had a good dimple and cracks(no leak) that just hatched, but most did perish within the first 10 days. I now always do a quick candling because it allows you to see the hairline cracks that are otherwise invisible, just to avert any problems in the bator. It's more of a future reference thing on your next batch. I'm sorry I can't tell you how to get the pieces out of your bator, other than waiting until your hatch is over to worry about it. I don't think it will affect your current batch since they weren't rotten. Good luck with your remaining eggs

Krista

 

[L&Schickens]

That is am excellant idea! I will do that from now on. I don't have a good feeling about the "Other" eggs. 7 out of 12 were broken. Not good.

But if I get some to hatch, I will be happyer. This person put me on a list for more eggs and now I am thinking twice about it. I don't want to pay for broken eggs again!

 

[okiemommy]

I wouldn't buy eggs from her anymore. If she has already said that she doesn't want to wrap them up properly, there's no sense in wasting your money. Telling her the results that you had from the shipping may not do any good either because she's not willing to take responsibility for the condition of the eggs(by wrapping them properly, no matter her reasoning), and will most likely blame it on the post office or shipping company. Cut your losses and find someone else who will take the care and time to properly pack the eggs.

Hope you are able to get some babies out of those eggs

 

[klf73]

I did get some of mine to hatch that had other egg contents on them, so you still have a chance. Also, when I do that first candling it gives me a chance to check the air cell to see if it's dislodged, and in my experience they never even develop. I am not talking about a saddle cell, I am talking about bubbles floating around. What kind of eggs are they? I tried getting a second shipment from the same person I got mine from and only have 3 in the bator out of 2 dozen, they just didn't do well in the mail

. I too am not sure I would get a second batch from the person you got yours from, depending of course how much you are paying and how much you really want them.
Krista

edited cuz I confused myself

 

[deerman]

I have shipped over 300 per year(peafowl & Geese) for the last 3 years. not one broken egg. It all in the packing. One person even said the box had a hole you could put 3 fingers in, but none broken.

No I dont wrap each egg in bubble wrap. I also think the egg needs air those 2 or 3 day.

Most broken eggs are because bad packing. Bad hatch rate on most shipped eggs.

 

[MagsC]

In receiving eggs, I havent had many broken.
Agreed that the key is packing them well, using bubble wrap, padding and making sure the eggs are incapable of shifting.

 

[thepetpaw]

I have hatched some eggs that were shipped and only got 13 out of 42....I bought some m ore eggs (from the same person) plus a local farmer gave me some eggs laid by his chickens...I got them the day they were laid and both sets are in my incubator. I am going to see how many from each set hatches. It will be interesting to see who gets the best hatch rate....mailed eggs or local eggs!