Shipped Eggs Smashed and Stinky-Do I Incubate The Intact Eggs?

[Patchesnposies]

Okay, I received some eggs today that did not arrive in good shape.

They were shipped on the first and we were supposed to get them on the third. I have been fighting with the PO to find them since Friday.

The seller sent me a whole lot of eggs, many more than I bought. Very sweet and very generous.

Unfortunately, the eggs were not wrapped individually there was just a layer of bubble wrap over the top of the eggs inside the carton. The ends of the cartons were right up against the box on both ends with no packing material between them.

Many of the eggs were broken out of two of the dozen, they leaked all over, and someone at one of the postal facilities put the whole thing into a plastic bag. I am sure someone was surprised when they decided to look inside it.

When the eggs arrived here the box was a sodden mess and stunk to high heaven.

There were three dozen eggs and two of them are destroyed. There is one dozen that are still whole but have been in the box with the rotting ones and I am wondering if it is even worth incubating them.

Is it worth the risk? Who knows what they have been through and it is hard to tell if it is rough handling or the fact that there was not enough packing material in the box to cushion even normal handling.

I am worried about the harmful bacteria they have been exposed to and don't know if I should put them in my incubator and risk contaminating the other eggs I have in there.

I am not in any way shape or form condemning the shipper/seller in this post. I believe they thought that the packing was adequate and for all I know it was and the damage came from being manhandled by the PO.

I'm sad, heartsick and would just like some advice. Are these eggs a total loss?

Thanks,

Deb

 

[mcmch91]

Without a disinfectant egg wash, I wouldn't consider it. Still not sure I would if they smelled as bad as you say.

I once bought cheap eggs at a swap to incubate. 8 of 12 ended up with cracks and/or smelling rotten. I nearly lost the whole hatch! You'll have to balance your desire, your cleaning confidence, and your risk tolerance.

I am sure there are others with more experience than I, but I would really be cautious.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I'd toss them, too much damage as been done and see if the seller will try again.

I will say that was not a great packing job for a seller sorry. I ship out eggs all the time and that's not how to ship eggs.

 

[chicks for better health]

I received 3 orders today the first was about 8 eggs 3 were broken. The eggs were wrapped with one paper towel each and then put into an egg carton

The second was 6 eggs all packaged individually with a ton of bubble wrap. 100% shipping success

the third was 44 eggs wrapped either individual or 2 together, 7 eggs didn't make it.

People shipping eggs should do more research. There are plenty of threads on how to ship eggs.


Please seek help before you ship if you don't know what you are doing. Even if you have experience it can't hurt to educate yourself even more.

 

[PQ]

Just send the pictures to the seller, if I saw it as a seller I would replace asap. I'm sure they would be very upset to see there hens hard work smashed that way and would try a different packing method to ship next time. But I would not incubate the remaining for sanitary reasons. Best of luck getting new eggs.
What kind where they?

 

[youdontknow32]

I am glad we have never ever shipped eggs like that to people....there is no reason for that to happen..I am sorry.

 

[Patchesnposies]

Thanks, folks I am going to go with your advice (and my gut) and toss these eggs.

I do want to give a Shout Out to Carla in Oklahoma whose husband does the best packing job on eggs that I have ever seen and whom I will be copying if/when the day comes that I ever ship eggs!

4 dozen eggs each wrapped with a napkin AND small bubble bubble wrap, then taped individually. Then the eggs are taped in rows with large bubble bubble wrap layered on all sides and the top/bottom, and in between. AWESOME! Each egg was in perfect condition. I was so impressed!

I do appreciate everyone who took the time to advise me not to risk it.

 

[Buckaroo]

Looks like a sorry pack job, eggs have room to move. I would pitch them, hope the seller will replace and do a better job packing.

 

[bargain]

I'm so sorry whoever shipped those eggs treated them that way!!! Poor little babies to be. I wouldn't use those eggs if it were me, but that's certainly your call. I would contact the shipper asap and send a photo. I also ship eggs and will be glad to help the shipper understand how to wrap and seal them. Eggs cannot be shipped that way. Let's hope this is a extreme education process for them. I wrap each egg individually before putting it in the carton, then the carton gets double cartoned (it's hard to explain - but basically I'm also layering multiple egg cartons and taping as I go, then we have bubble wrap and then I custom fit to boxes with other packing materials. We don't use the USPS priority boxes unless it's a very small order (3 or 6 eggs) because I want to have more padding around the eggs than the USPS box allows. I spend over 1 hour packing one box of eggs because those are little bittie lives in there.

I'm also sending you a pm.

Thanks for posting this as folks need to know not just to put eggs in a box and then wrap with bubble and let go! You may have just saved many flocks.

Also, you may want to check the feedback on shippers located at https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=42632
Not everyone lists feedback on this location, but it will give you some ideas on who ships well but it is a starting place. (Only positive feedback is allowed here, so this will give you those shippers as reported by pleased buyers who do post there)

 

[AHappychick]

people are so lazy that is a horrible way to ship eggs! I wrap easc one individually in bubble wrap and now thank to gary's thread I re-inforce the box as well. I have no breakage, or when I do it is maybe one. It is not hard to do it right just time consuming but if people arent willing to do the work they should not take your money. I would make the seller re[place the eggs the right way or your money