Question on mailing eggs

[Wise Woman]

I have never hatched out eggs, but have been thinking about it lately and doing some research. It seems like rocket science with keeping the correct temps, correct humidity and deciding which incubator to buy. One thing is puzzling me though. If all of this has to be just right to get an egg to hatch, how is it possible to mail them around the country? How do they stay warm and humidified in transit? I have been searching here but haven't found the answer yet, so I am sure I am not using the correct terms. So I thought I would just ask. I just don't understand how you can mail eggs when it seems so difficult to hatch them out. Thanks for enlightening me so I can decide if I want to get into this or not.

 

[La Mike]

Eggs are shipped fresh before they start to develop. There is no real issues other than freezing, over heating, or PO damage.
Incubating isnt exactly rocket science either. Just make sure and get a decent incubator and cook them @100 degrees as a general rule and humidity 50-65 % and you should do fine

 

[Wise Woman]

Thank you lamike. The more I read and research, the more confused I am getting. So they don't start to develop until you put them in the incubator? It seems so difficult. I do have someone offering to mentor me and I think I will take her up on that. I have a vintage oven that stays at exactly 100 degrees all the time due to the pilot light and I was actually wondering if I could put them in there? Dumb idea probably, but was wondering.

 

[La Mike]

I would guess it would work. Never thought of or heard that one

All you have to do is ask here and someone will generaly help you out with what issues may arise

 

[Wise Woman]

Well I thought of it because I make yogurt in it all the time and it is the perfect temp for that and works well. I would just have to be sure not to make anything in the oven during that time! LOL!!!

 

[Stingrayg4]

I think it would be pretty impossible to keep the humidity high enough in an oven but I could be wrong.

I just received my first mail order eggs. The lady I bought them from packed them up so well that I'm pretty sure the box could be repeatedly drop kicked without breaking one. The answer to whether or not they will actually produce chickens coming up in 16 days.

-S

 

[MetalSmitten]

you should look up some of the home made incubators on here

i've seen people using hotplates, frying pans, cardboard boxes with a heat lamp... they don't tend to give hugely successful hatch rates, but they certainly do hatch some! if you're sure your oven stays at 100 evenly, i'd say it's worth a shot haha. just take photos and keep us all updated

 

[La Mike]

I buy and sell constantly. Sometimes you get eggs that dont hatch. Make sure you get them from vets that store them right and pack appropiatley and you shouldnt have many issues.
And I would love to see if your oven did the trick

Might could set a humidifier in there with them

 

[Wise Woman]

Could I put a saucer of water on one of the racks? I think I might pick up one of those hydrometers in the oven and experiment. In theory it could work I suppose. I am sure the oven stays at 100 degrees as I have tested it many times. The best part is that it is gas and so power failures would not be an issue. I live in a remote area and we seem to lose our electricty at the drop of a hat.

 

[La Mike]

Not sure a saucer of water would work but should be worth a try.