I'm so glad cooler weather is here. For where I live in Texas, that's anything below 90 degrees!
I have lost some birds over the last year, hatched some birds, and am currently building a new coop. Couple that with my 3000sq.ft. of gardens, 2 dogs, 2 kids, full time job and being in school full time..... Thank God my wifey stays at home and works her butt off while I'm out!
All that being said, I decided I should order some fertile eggs for my broody Black Marans, Sweetie. She goes broody about 2 months after hatching her previous babies. She'll give us about a 15-18 beautiful dark brown eggs, then.... she turns into a monster. Growl, bite you, don't mess with her because she's gonna hatch some babies -attitude. Problem is we don't have any roosters!
I've received eggs 3 times from this site. WONDERFUL experience EVERY time! I've ordered once from eBay. For whatever reason, I chose to give eBay another try. I got HRIR eggs last time, and Sweetie hatched 9 from 7 eggs. Yep. I'd call that a win.
This time, different eBay seller - same breed. Received 12 eggs (auction was for 10+).
When I received the eggs, 1 looked like it was hard-boiled. Busted open, white cooked pretty good. Clearly too far and too hot for shipping eggs just yet. Also, if you're eggs are going thru Austin's Post Office - be warned: They will do everything in their power to kill your precious un-hatched chickens!
My eggs were delivered a day late. I'm very nice to my postal delivery guy. 50% of the time either myself or the wifey will be standing outside to receive the mail. I always say 'thank you' and 'have a great day', but he rarely responds with more than a grunt. Just a rude old fart IMO. He has a very bad habit of not delivering packages to the door. He will hold the box out the door of his postal truck and honk the horn. If no one comes to get the package, he will put in back in the truck and drive off. (I really should get this on video and submit it to someone. I wonder if anyone at USPS will care. I bet not.)
We were not home when my eggs were showing to arrive, thus they did not get delivered. We actually got them 2 days later. If the eggs were already pushing the limit of days without incubation, then sitting in the hot USPS truck for an extra 3 days did them in.
Of the 10 eggs in the incubator, not a single one was good after day 12. No blood veins, nothing. Either clear or cloudy and "rings of death" as I call them.
*And that's a whole other story - why Sweetie wouldn't sit on them. (Maybe she already knew?)
I'm still pretty upset at the whole deal. I really can't blame the eBay seller. I feel it is 100% the USPS' fault. Actually our particular driver's fault.
So the moral of the story:
THANK YOU to everyone on BYC that takes the time, energy and care to ship eggs! Its a huge risk for both parties!
And tip of the day: Don't order eggs from 4 states away when the temp is over 85. And don't ever put your trust in the USPS.
Have a wonderful week and Happy Hatching!
I have lost some birds over the last year, hatched some birds, and am currently building a new coop. Couple that with my 3000sq.ft. of gardens, 2 dogs, 2 kids, full time job and being in school full time..... Thank God my wifey stays at home and works her butt off while I'm out!
All that being said, I decided I should order some fertile eggs for my broody Black Marans, Sweetie. She goes broody about 2 months after hatching her previous babies. She'll give us about a 15-18 beautiful dark brown eggs, then.... she turns into a monster. Growl, bite you, don't mess with her because she's gonna hatch some babies -attitude. Problem is we don't have any roosters!
I've received eggs 3 times from this site. WONDERFUL experience EVERY time! I've ordered once from eBay. For whatever reason, I chose to give eBay another try. I got HRIR eggs last time, and Sweetie hatched 9 from 7 eggs. Yep. I'd call that a win.
This time, different eBay seller - same breed. Received 12 eggs (auction was for 10+).
When I received the eggs, 1 looked like it was hard-boiled. Busted open, white cooked pretty good. Clearly too far and too hot for shipping eggs just yet. Also, if you're eggs are going thru Austin's Post Office - be warned: They will do everything in their power to kill your precious un-hatched chickens!
My eggs were delivered a day late. I'm very nice to my postal delivery guy. 50% of the time either myself or the wifey will be standing outside to receive the mail. I always say 'thank you' and 'have a great day', but he rarely responds with more than a grunt. Just a rude old fart IMO. He has a very bad habit of not delivering packages to the door. He will hold the box out the door of his postal truck and honk the horn. If no one comes to get the package, he will put in back in the truck and drive off. (I really should get this on video and submit it to someone. I wonder if anyone at USPS will care. I bet not.)
We were not home when my eggs were showing to arrive, thus they did not get delivered. We actually got them 2 days later. If the eggs were already pushing the limit of days without incubation, then sitting in the hot USPS truck for an extra 3 days did them in.
Of the 10 eggs in the incubator, not a single one was good after day 12. No blood veins, nothing. Either clear or cloudy and "rings of death" as I call them.
*And that's a whole other story - why Sweetie wouldn't sit on them. (Maybe she already knew?)
I'm still pretty upset at the whole deal. I really can't blame the eBay seller. I feel it is 100% the USPS' fault. Actually our particular driver's fault.
So the moral of the story:
THANK YOU to everyone on BYC that takes the time, energy and care to ship eggs! Its a huge risk for both parties!
And tip of the day: Don't order eggs from 4 states away when the temp is over 85. And don't ever put your trust in the USPS.
Have a wonderful week and Happy Hatching!
