Tell me about your experience with shipped eggs

[nchls school]

Thanks for the info everybody! There seem to be a lot of variables! It sounds like if I do do it, I need to at least wait til spring. The eggs are from a well known show breeder, so I'm hoping they'd know what they were doing with shipping???
Also, if I do order them, when the eggs come in, do I put them directly in the incubator or let them sit and rest for awhile?

Shipped eggs should be set on end, pointed end down, for 24 hours before incubation. This can help with air cells that have been disrupted with the movement and shaking of being shipped.

 

[nchls school]

I've had mixed results, as there are so many variables. Distance, weather, health of the flock. I've used both an incubator (Brinsea) and my broody Silkie hens. I currently have 10 Silkie chicks that are 3 months old, all from shipped eggs. I live in Wisconsin,I'm also from Wisconsin-Ladysmith. It's always nice to see posts from "home". and the eggs came from Florida and Missouri. I currently have 4 BR eggs in the bator that are hatching as I type this. So, I would say give it a try! Maybe start with inexpensive eggs first to see how it goes. Good luck!

 

[melnjerm]

I received 16 eggs, shipped from Mississippi to Southern California. Shipped on a Friday, arrived Monday and the box was slightly damaged. Only 7 eggs were viable. I opened the other 9, all seemed to have been scrambled. Out of the viable 7, 5 made it to lockdown and only 3 hatched. 1 day later, I was down to 2, both boys. So, I, myself, did not have a good experience with mail order eggs. I am now on my 2nd batch of 14 that I found and drove 20 minutes away to get. Hopefully this time all will hatch! Fingers crossed! However, I would probably take that risk again if I find a breed I really want and can't find locally, but I would find the closest breeder possible.

 

[jhopp6]

I currently have 17 Silkie eggs @ Day 7 in the incubator. I live in Wisconsin, the eggs were shipped from the Upper Penisula of Michigan. I received them in 2 days. I just candled, and all 17 are developing! I'm expecting a great hatch rate

 

[annmarie33]

I live in Texas and I recieved 12 shipped eggs from Mcmurray hatchery. A bantam assortment. it was shipped fed ex so I was surprised that even with the fragile on the package it was shaken that much. One egg had broken and there was dried egg on the eggs. 11 were incubated with my 4. Day 10 all seem infertile except 1 of the shipped eggs. Cracked them and they were all scrambled. The 1 egg made it to lockdown but died before internally pipping on day 19. My 4 hatched just fine. I was pretty upset and they refunded me. I think it was around $60. I don't know if I'll do shipped again after having such a bad experience. However- I think mine was worse than most I've read