Preparing Important Egg

[HeatherKellyB]

My 8 year old daughter got me started with keeping chickens. Our first 3 chickens hatched out in her 2nd grade classroom. It's been over a year now and we've gotten into incubating eggs, especially now since it's so difficult to find chicks. She has ALWAYS wanted Showgirls (I know a lot of folks don't share the love for them, but they're like a "unicorn" to her) and I've had a very difficult time finding fertile eggs for hatching in this breed. We have purchased a few "Possible Showgirls/Silkies/Sizzles/Satins, etc etc" but haven't been able to find actual "Showgirls", until now. We've had an absolutely awful time with USPS getting the eggs here in a timely manner and with air cells that aren't completely dislocated, in spite of priority shipping. Eggs are taking up to 6 days to get to my post office. The Showgirl eggs went out on the 12th (6/12/2020) and my post office received them today (6/17/2020). There was a broken egg that leaked out onto some of the others and after receiving a blow with enough force to bust an egg, you can imagine how the air cells look. The seller did a wonderful job packing and clearly stated all over the box what was inside and fragile, etc, so I don't place any blame on the seller. My concern is that there is 1 egg that looks really nice but some of the busted egg leaked onto this one. I am going to incubate every intact egg, but what do you suggest I do to ensure the best hatch rate? I don't normally wash eggs but I do use a brand new kitchen Sponge to buff away any poop specs. I follow the hatching thread that was created a while back and still referred to often. I have them in a carton with the air cell pointing to the ceiling, for 24 hours. I don't have any oxine or anything special to clean them with. I worry though because I don't know how long the egg was wet with the contents of the busted egg. If you were in my position, what would you suggest? Thank you for taking the time to read my dreadfully long post. I appreciate your time and any advice you can offer.

 

[Punkybrewster]

.5 oz bleach to 1 gallon of very warm water to dip the eggs in. Do not rub, set on a towel or paper towel to dry.

Cool water will suck bacteria into the egg. Very warm water keeps bacteria on the surface to be killed.

Submerge for 1-3 minutes depending how dirty they are.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Thank you @Punkybrewster I really appreciate you taking the time to reply and offer your advice.

 

[RiverOtter]

It won't help with this (the bleach tip will) but I used to live somewhere the PO was horrible. I once got a package that had literally been hit by a truck - it had the tire marks on it!!

I found that putting Fragile or Hatching Eggs on a package guaranteed it getting smashed.
But covering it with hearts and balloons and writing "Happy 5th Birthday!! Love Grandma!" or something similar gets it to you safely

 

[HeatherKellyB]

It won't help with this (the bleach tip will) but I used to live somewhere the PO was horrible. I once got a package that had literally been hit by a truck - it had the tire marks on it!!

I found that putting Fragile or Hatching Eggs on a package guaranteed it getting smashed.
But covering it with hearts and balloons and writing "Happy 5th Birthday!! Love Grandma!" or something similar gets it to you safely

Oh my goodness, thank you for this tip!!! I will definitely ask the next person I purchase eggs from to do this. I need to order some more eggs anyway, so I'm anxious to try this out. I wonder if the age of the kid makes a difference? My daughter is 8, so I wonder if the package would be treated the same if it's "to an 8 year old"? My post office team is amazing and always so helpful. They keep my eggs on a shelf all by themselves, basically hidden away so they'll be safe until I can get there to pick them up (I always pick up the same day they arrive). I really can't imagine being so careless with someone else's belongings, so all of this has really bothered me so much. Tire marks? How sad that someone could behave like this while being paid at their job! I certainly understand that accidents and mistakes happen, but in my experience (with other things) in the case of an accident or mistake, it's brought to our attention. That just sounds like pure hateful and mean intentional behavior! It's heartbreaking. My hatch rates are pathetic and paying so much for eggs makes it so much worse

 

[slbenter]

I ordered a dozen “rainbow fertile eggs” from My Pet Chicken. Couldn’t get specific breeds from them, but figured my chances with dark brown and some blue eggs, I’d likely get some that I wanted anyway.
So.... I received an email from them when they shipped, and it said that when the eggs arrived, I should put them in the incubator right away.
They acknowledged that most will suggest to rest them for 12-24 hours, but in their experience, they said the sooner they go in the bator, the better, that they find it increases hatch rates.
Since they don’t need to be turned for the first few days, you can just leave them alone...doing double duty so to speak.
Anyway, I thought I’d throw that out there as something to think about. I think I might take them up on that advise and see what happens.

 

[Tonyroo]

When you do put them in the incubator after settling them, don't turn them for the first 2 days, turn them on 3rd day.

 

[slbenter]

When you do put them in the incubator after settling them, don't turn them for the first 2 days, turn them on 3rd day.

Yes, that’s what I meant by leaving them alone for the first few days.....not turning on the auto turner.
Sorry I wasn’t clear.