Starting shipped eggs

[Renee97038]

I'm going to be incubating shipped eggs soon. I recall reading something about letting these eggs sit in an egg carton to settle for an amount of time after shipment to let them settle a bit. How long do I leave them?

 

[darkbluespace]

There are lots of threads about shipped eggs and it is good to do some reading before you set your eggs! I just got some eggs in the mail the other day and let them rest for 24 hours. Did you candle to see how your air cells are looking? If so, you would want to incubate them upright and not turn them for 3 or so days so they can get a good start.

 

[Renee97038]

Thanks darkbluespace. I have now been reading the lenghty threads on shipped eggs. Looks like I need to candle them at the beginning to see the air cells. That might be impossible since they are very blue Ameraucana eggs. I have had trouble on past candling seeing much through those blue shells.

 

[sumi]

Here's a very good article on incubating with some tips for hatching shipped eggs:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

Best of luck with your hatch!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I would defiantly go with the letting them settle for 24 hours before setting. My first batch of posted eggs filled me with dread after candling them before I set them them. The air cells were very misshapen and all over the place but never the less I set them living in hope. I set them very upright so as to give them the best chance. Low and behold day 7 candling still full of dread but to my surprise they were all fertile and doing well. Day 14 still all developing well. Day 18 lockdown and still worrying about the air cells I candled and all were still alive. At lockdown I set the eggs in cut down egg cartons for hatching still not sure I was doing the right thing but wanted to give them best chance to hatch through the very misshapen air cells. Day 19 and first one pipped 24 hours later hatched ok. During that time all the others pipped and by the end of day 21 all 12 had hatched 100% hatch. Could not believe it after all the worry with air cells. I would always give them a chance because you never know!!! Wishing you the very best of luck with your hatch.

 

[Renee97038]

Yorkshire coop,
Nice to hear of your success. Your story makes me want to skip the first candling to see the air cells, then just candle at day 10-14 and see what happens. My incubator has nice rails where I can support the eggs well with pointy end down. The only confusion comes when it's time for lockdown, I will be tempted to lay them on their sides. Guess I will wait and see when I candle. If the air cells look strange I could do lockdown in an egg carton with the bottoms cut out.

 

[darkbluespace]

By lockdown, air cells would probably be stable enough to lay eggs on their sides. Some people do, some people don't, I guess. On their sides is good if anyone pips the wrong way. You will have a much better view of aircells by lockdown time.

 

[Renee97038]

Thanks. I will keep an eye on the air cells towards the end and see. I will check back in and give a full report here. Hope it will help another member down the road.

 

[Bryam]

I would leave them hatch upright! I laid mine down on day 18 and almost all of them died around that time! It sucked! Now I know better!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Yes I would always do the hatch in the cartons I feel it gives the chicks the best chance with the misshapen air sacs. It also stops hatched chicks from knocking the pipping eggs all over. Which in my opinion would mean they have to keep repositioning themselves inside the egg in preparation for zipping when really they should be resting gaining energy for the hatch.