Packaging hatching eggs well !

I hope you all don't mind me asking about this here but it seems like a good time and place.

In my thinking (maybe that's where the trouble is), a tightly bound and packed carton will not offer any cushion to the e g g s. The ONLY movement and the impact from every bump to the box will be directed to the contents of the e g g s. In my thinking, this is like driving a car with no shocks at all. The full brunt of the imperfect road will be felt by the passengers.

Now, I'm not suggesting that we pack in such a way as to have e g g s flying around in the box. However packing in such a way that allows for some movement of the carton will absorb some of the bumps and bruises of the trip & will not direct all impact to the contents of the e g g.

I've not shipped a ton of e g g s but I have shipped e g g s numerous times. I've used the simple method of wrapping each e g g in a paper towel and making sure the e g g s are secured in the carton. When I put the carton in the shipping box, however, I have loosely packed the box with newspaper or something like that. I make sure the carton is suspended in the middle of the box. I don't jam pack the box full so that no carton movement can take place though. I've had a number of 100 percent hatches and quite a few 80's and 90's.

Now I know that everyone has an opinion and experiences (hey, I apparently do too, LOL). I'm sure some who have very tightly packed their cartons can perhaps say the same thing also. There are always going to be 0% hatches and 100% hatches. There are a ton of variables and there will be abuses from the Post Office. I have read so many times, however, of the need to pack tightly and allow no movement at all. I'm curious as to what I am missing with this.

Generally we take a "whatever works for you" approach. That is fine too, but I would like to understand the reasoning behind a tightly packed box. Many of you have far far more experience than I do.

Thanks,

Shane in MO.

 

I'll go a step further and say I think eggs do better when they're not in a carton at all. This is based on eggs I have recieved, not eggs I've shipped, because I just started shipping eggs this year. My first batch I shipped not in a carton, and had no broken eggs.

Last year most of the eggs I recieved were in cartons, and all of the cartons contained at least 1 or more broken egg.

This year so far I have recieved 5 shipments of eggs... 4 were not in cartons, one was in a carton. The one in the carton was the only one which had a broken egg.

The eggs not in cartons I received were wrapped securely in heavy bubble wrap, and then packed in crumpled or shredded newspapers. I have never received a broken egg when they were packaged loose like that.

I saw a picture yesterday of a box someone received that was just totally demolished. It was a priority box, and the eggs inside were wrapped in bubble wrap and packed in crumpled newspaper. To look at the box, your mind said no eggs could have survived it. But they all did except for one....astounding!

 

I've gotten eggs both ways with similar hatching results.

 

Ive learned that bubble wrap is your friend, when packing eggs.

 

FWIW: I've not received that many shipped eggs, but I have received a few. I've gotten my best hatch rates from eggs that were shipped without an egg carton. They had an extra piece of cardboard against each side of the box first. Then they were wrapped in a double layer of bubble wrap and packed snugly in the box, with a layer of bubble wrap on the bottom and another on the top so that there was no movement of the eggs inside the box. I got 100% hatched with that.

I have also received eggs packed in shavings in an egg carton and the carton packed in a stout box with more shavings. Half the eggs were broken and half were scrambled--zero hatch.

I steer clear of sellers that do not use bubble wrap or that do use egg cartons for shipping. They may get wonderful feedback for their packing, but still--for me--money is tight so I just can't take the gamble, not after the results I've seen with my own eyes.

HTH


Rusty

 

Quote:I think the trick is how the eggs are packaged in cartons. I do not always have good luck with eggs in cartons that are wrapped just in paper towels (or something similar) and placed in a closed egg carton. I say not always because I have had eggs make it to me this way and hatch just fine, but usually I have some broken eggs when they are packaged this way and I don't have good hatches. However, I use cartons to pack--but I do it differently. I package each egg up into a bubble wrap roll, and I cut the tops off of the cartons. I line the eggs up neatly in the cartons and place the top back on--not tightly, just enough to keep the eggs in place. Then I tape it together, then I wrap the whole thing in bubble wrap. I don't use the carton like you would a regular egg carton, to put eggs in the egg spots and close the top. I am basically just using the two pieces of carton to secure the eggs upright and keep them from wiggling too much. I will also use two egg carton tops to do the same thing.

In the past few years (and lots and lots of eggs ) I've only had one person tell me that they had a broken egg from the eggs I've shipped. So for now, I'll say that this works for me. But that's the thing--everyone has their own favorite technique that works best for them when they package!

 

I really dont think wood shaveings are a good idea! Evey time I have ever gotten eggs packed in wood shaveings there have been broken ones. The shaveings can be hard or pointy in places and they can poke and crack the eggs. Heres how I do it and I have EXCELLENT results! Just ask some of the many many people who have gotten eggs from me all in one piece!

http://www.freewebs.com/sassysilkies/eggpackingprocess.htm

 

My hubby works for a large government office outside of Wash DC. He brings me trash bags full of paper from their industrial size paper shredder.... the pieces of paper are about the size of a grain of rice.... makes perfect packing material for the eggs, and It is SO mych faster than bubble wrapping each individual eggs. after I fill the carton, I bubble wrap it, put it in a large box and then fill the box with the shreaded paper....
... NOTHING is gonna damage these eggs!



BTW I do make a point to warn the buyer to open the box outdoors because of the mess.