Shipping Heritage Hatching Eggs through the Mail

[thunderwagn]

Our family is very involved in 4-h. My daughter is starting her 5th yr. My sons are starting their 1st "real" yr. I am a poultry and goat leader, and might soon be a shooting sports and dog leader. My wife is a horse, poultry and goat leader.
In my opinion, the experience the receive from 4-h is invaluable. Our local county fair has become one of the most competitive around, and the 4-h program is one of the strongest in the state. Fair is one of my most stressful, fun, times of the year.

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi! Bubble Wrap IS a fine and wonderful thing.

Lisa

 

[Robert Blosl]

These are some pictures of a pair of gray calls I shipped to a set of twin boys in Colorado Monday. The pair of Gray Calls got there yesterday moaning and they did not know they were coming as it was a surprise between their mom and dad. I thought you would enjoy to see these two boys with their dream ducks that they thought they may get next year at a show somewhere. I shipped them my second best mating for the year because I want to be partners with this family with my ducks. My hope is in two years we can swap ducks with each other and this way I can introduce fresh blood to my strain as I need it. I am so happy that the family like them and they have a new home in the great state of Colorado. Merry Christmas boys. bob


Edit: I posted this on the call duck tread but while we are talking about 4 H I wanted to post the pictures of the twin boys first duck project. I was so excited to see these pictures last night I wanted to share them with some of you. I wish I could go back to those days. They where the most fun of all in my life. The twins will become excellent duck breeders in years to come and then I found out they have silkie chickens and they can sit on the eggs to help them hatch. Hatching call ducks is the hardest thing I ever had to learn to do. bob

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Bob

I have always shipped using the method Dipsy Doodle Doo (Lisa) has on her page with pretty good results. I think my "poorest" reported hatch was the 4 chick hatch recently in Alaska....keep in mind it took 5 days for them to get from Ga to Alaska and the treatment they might have received along the way.

I have had 90+% results as far away as California and 100% on a hatch sent to Tennessee.

Seems to me that a few of the keys are:

1. To not overload the box with eggs to save on shipping costs (I will not ship more than 14-16 eggs in a Medium Flat Rate Box)
2. Insure they are packaged in a manner that minimizes ANY movement. I make sure the top, sides and bottom are COMPLETELY cushioned and I use shredded paper as filler.

Lastly, I like to ship on Mon or Tues so eggs arrive before the weekend. WHO KNOWS where they might be stored and HOW they might be stored otherwise

 

[PandoraTaylor]

Yard full o' rocks :

Bob

I have always shipped using the method Dipsy Doodle Doo (Lisa) has on her page with pretty good results. I think my "poorest" reported hatch was the 4 chick hatch recently in Alaska....keep in mind it took 5 days for them to get from Ga to Alaska and the treatment they might have received along the way.

I have had 90+% results as far away as California and 100% on a hatch sent to Tennessee.

Seems to me that a few of the keys are:

1. To not overload the box with eggs to save on shipping costs (I will not ship more than 14-16 eggs in a Medium Flat Rate Box)
2. Insure they are packaged in a manner that minimizes ANY movement. I make sure the top, sides and bottom are COMPLETELY cushioned and I use shredded paper as filler.

Lastly, I like to ship on Mon or Tues so eggs arrive before the weekend. WHO KNOWS where they might be stored and HOW they might be stored otherwise

I am sorry to spoil your shipping record, also please remember that they arrived while we had freezing weather and the truck they came in doesn't heat the freight!
All in all I am very happy they arrived! None were broken
4 hatched
2 internally pips at wrong end
2 didn't pip
1 external pip wrong end.
3 never started to develope.​

 

[knjinnm]

Quote:
Hi,
Bob thanks for the link to duck egg shipping. This looks very interesting because a simple hole saw could be used to cut holes to hold chicken eggs. The foam material is available in different thickness so it would be easy to accommodate the shape of the egg and then glue the layers together with yellow wood glue, which I have done for another project.
Joe

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Quote:
I am sorry to spoil your shipping record, also please remember that they arrived while we had freezing weather and the truck they came in doesn't heat the freight!
All in all I am very happy they arrived! None were broken
4 hatched
2 internally pips at wrong end
2 didn't pip
1 external pip wrong end.
3 never started to develope.

Ronnie

You didnt do anything!! I think in spite of the conditions, distance, weather, etc that we did pretty good. I'm just glad you got SOMETHING to hatch. At least this spring you should have something to work from!!!

Stay warm and keep that "messy weather" up your way please

 

[growinupinfl]

I'll give you my two cents worth.. And remember it is only two cents..

I shipped eggs from Florida to Washington last month. I read a bunch of different things to find the best way. I sent just random yard eggs to DIYseattle just to see how they would turn out. He is having 15 out of 18 develop. I think it is pretty good. I had a plastic egg carton, I wrapped the eggs with strips of newspaper twice, one strip went around from top to bottom, then taped it down. The next strip I wrapped around the for lack of a better term, the equator of the egg. then I taped that down with a couple of strips of scotch tape around it. Put them in the carton, duck taped the carton shut. Cut open some old bubble wrap mailers some books came in wrapped those around the egg cartons, duck taped that down. Put them in a priority mail large box. Stuffed that with all the plastic bags that I could fit in it from around the house. Said a prayer and had my husband go ship them on his errands. I was very proud when I found out they traveled that far and were intact, and even happier that so many are developing.

I think all the layers kept them warm enough, and there was enough give in the packing to absorb the shock if they were impacted.

Hope this helps,


But I will be keeping note on what everyone comes up with. I'm most likely having some eggs shipped from England this spring and shipping will be a major concern. Thanks for bringing it up

Christal

 

[knjinnm]

Quote:
Hi Christal,
The three that did not develop, were they not fertial or did they stop early on?
Please let us know the final outcome.
Joe

 

[Robert Blosl]

update for future