Skunked on shipped eggs again...

[TerriLaChicks]

I've had poor hatch rates on shipped eggs this year too. I had much better luck with shipped eggs last year. This year - Lots of displaced egg cells & signs of rough handling. At this point am considering either buying a new incubator (Brinsea or Suro) or else some silkies to brood for me next year.
I don't think it's the distance, because I've had great hatches from Florida and Oklahoma, and had zero hatches from Texas right across the border from me, all of them were packaged well & no broken eggs in any of the shipments.
At this point, I have enough Ameracaunas and Welsummers from good lines to continue on their own next year, but I've tried 3 times now to hatch Marans & only have 3 to show for it, so I think I'm going to throw in the towel on those & just concentrate on my Wellies.

 

[scbatz33]

ak - what's the address? I'm gonna ship out in the morning.

 

[scbatz33]

AK,
Going to the PO now. I have 7 eggs. I think I have an egg eater! Anyways, I 've done only two things differently. I have put dates on the eggs. That way we can see what age hatches best - and how much of a factor it is or not. And I somehow ran out of bubble wrap! I have wrapped the carton in a different kind of cushioning material. I used plenty to compensate so I don't think that will make that big of a deal.

I'll let you know when the PO says to expect them.

 

[akpeeps]

Sounds good! DH works for the PO they'll be coming to so he'll get them as soon as they come off the truck from Anchorage.

I got my Brinsea incubator back and I'm getting it ready to go.

 

[scbatz33]

The PO says delivery is Saturday.

 

[scbatz33]

AK - Wanted to let you know. I set 13 eggs last week right before I mailed yours. They were between two days and 10 days old (girls have been laying SUPER sporadic) Candled last night - day 10 - 13 of 13 developing.

 

[Cattitude]

I had a terrible time with shipped eggs too... only 3 of 14 made it to lockdown, and those 3 died not long after that. The USPS (Uncle Sam's Poultry-egg Scramblers) had my eggs two days longer that it should have taken them to deliver them.

I hope your shipment arrives in a timely fashion, and without the Scramblers part of the USPS!

 

[usschicago1]

Ive done pretty good with shipped eggs. 50% hatch on buckeyes. 100% on hinksjcs eggs. Hatching some rocks now i hope for the best.

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
That is not at all exactly fair. Sure there may be (sure to be at least one) scumbag who is knowingly selling infertile or very low fertile stuff... but there is ALOT that can go wrong with a hatch and the vast majority of it is out of the seller/breeders hands.

Plus, I wouldn't advise buying shipped eggs this time of year unless the shipment is packaged to hold off heat. The eggs will start to incubate at 99.5F even if they are in the nest in the yard... or a deliver truck in a box... or on your door step, ect.

I'm sorry to sound a bit mean about it... but you can get "great hatch rates" from (let's say) breeder A this year and next year get a zero from them... it is why most people always put "buying shipped eggs is always a risk". Same thing in reverse, you can get a bad hatch (even 0) from breeder B and the very next month try again and get a great hatch. I just don't think people are fair about how they rate a breeder. I have bought 6 different shipments of 5 different breeds in two different seasons from the same breeder.... two were 100%, one was 0%, another was 1 out of 24, and the other was 4 out of 12. So now tell me how your file is fair?

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

I have done eggs in the past and gotten mixed results - BUT i have noticed there seems to be a better hatch rate for me (sending or receiving) eggs that aren't wrapped in any plastic (I.E. bubble wrap) - paper - usually shreaded seems to do way best. The way I send my eggs : egg carton - shreaded paper on bottom - egg- more shreaded paper on top, make sure when the box closes its snug - close box and tape it firmly shut. - I also also pop two holes in bottom and top of carton to allow better air flow to eggs. - crumbled paper and/or packing peanuts surrounding the carton in the box so its got very little wiggle room in the box but not completely firm (I feel a completely firmly packed box makes for more scrambled/damaged air cells - even if no cracks in eggs).

I got a dozen eggs 18 days ago in the mail sent just about identical to the way I package eggs... day 18 is here (yes 3 days early - but its been 100+ for a week straight about a week ago) - and of the 12 - 1 was cracked (hairline barely seen it but tossed it) so 11 eggs today under hen....I checked @ 7pm under my hen and I have 8 babies hatched and 2 pipped of 11 eggs.

bubble wrapped eggs the best I've gotten is 70% hatch with a few 0% - paper wrapped i've only once out of 20+ shipped transactions had a hatch rate under 30% and plenty that are 90% +

Also I've noticed better hatch rates under broodies than in incubators - and i'm a firm believer in letting eggs 'sit' before going in a bator no more than 24 hrs. if its hot (Late June - Late August) they don't sit at all - they go straight in a waiting bator the way I took them out of the box, because chances are good they've started cooking already.