The Great Egg Shipping Experiment!

[Wisher1000]

Hi everyone! I feel like I know you all since I have been reading this thread now for three days. I am setting eggs on 4/5 for the first time ever. I am putting a dozen of mine and my uncle's in and have ordered 6+ hens choice from ChooksChicks and also from Bethbug. I have a Little Giant incubator on loan from a friend used to use with great success hatching eggs for her kindergarten class.

Because of this thread I have:

set up a laboratory in our powder room to determine if it is indeed the optimal place to store my eggs prior to the shipped ones arriving

learned that my sweet sweet Delaware who lays eggs with calcium deposites can still have her eggs stuck in the bator

learned as much as I ever think I can about air cells....which is big considering I didn't even know what one was before the hatching 101

gone through the excitement of seeing wishers eggs hatch on two coasts

learned the "Sooner Boomer" song

and all about Philippine beasts of burden

Seen a deep purple egg! WOW!

But most importantly I have learned how to potentially maximize my hatch rate because I have some totally cool embryos coming my way in those shipped eggs and I want to give those babies the best chance at making it from egg to coop!


THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to Wisher who started it all, to Ron and SCG who shared their processes with us and to the rest of you who posted questions comments and observations. I am mildly less anxious about this than I was before.

You're welcome! Make sure to take pics of your adventure and feel free to post them here for us to see how we did in edjumacating you!

 

[Jessshan8]

All the positive comments just brings a smile to my face!

 

[bamachicks8]

Got shipment 3 of 4 two eggs were cracked but both were fertile pictures coming tomorrow

 

[mrsamplias]

Just found this thread, and I have read all the way through! I just received a shipment of eggs. They were packed very well in bubble wrap, individually, and then grouped. They were shipped from Northern California to Southern California. They were delivered yesterday (3 days after being layed). They sat for 24 hours, and I put them in my LG today. I had planned to turn, but after reading this thread, am planning to wait. How many days should I delay the turning?
This is our first attempt at incubating. I am grateful for all the wisdom shared here!!

 

[Wisher1000]

Welcome, to our newest recruits!

MRS ( or is it Mr S?) - Ron is our expert with this, I'll let him answer in detail. Did you candle to check on the air cells? That will give you a better idea of how long to let them sit and rest.

 

[henney penny]

That is a great little photo essay!

The two bantam cochins having a treat oatmeal,they are growing fast but I don`t think I will be getting a frizzle after all,out of 17 eggs you would think one would have been.

 

[ronott1]

Just found this thread, and I have read all the way through! I just received a shipment of eggs. They were packed very well in bubble wrap, individually, and then grouped. They were shipped from Northern California to Southern California. They were delivered yesterday (3 days after being layed). They sat for 24 hours, and I put them in my LG today. I had planned to turn, but after reading this thread, am planning to wait. How many days should I delay the turning?
This is our first attempt at incubating. I am grateful for all the wisdom shared here!!

The air cell should be a nice circle at the top of the big end of the egg. The closer to that, the less you need to leave the eggs big end up without turning. The guides say up to 8 days but it seems like 3 to 5 is a good maximum. All shipped eggs should sit without turning for at least a day.

I read a very interesting article on turning. It seems turning eggs in an incubator is based on a 1950s study that showed better hatch rates. Contrary to what we are told, you do not need to turn eggs in an incubator ever! They do not need to be turned during the last week and they do not need to be turned during the first week. That is one more reason to not stress out too much during incubation. A lot depends on the health of the parents, storage and shipping conditions and then Incubation factors.

I hope this helps with your hatch!

 

[mrsamplias]

Welcome, to our newest recruits!

MRS ( or is it Mr S?) - Ron is our expert with this, I'll let him answer in detail. Did you candle to check on the air cells? That will give you a better idea of how long to let them sit and rest.

Thank you! It's Mrs. I did candle, but 12 are marans, and I couldn't see much.

Quote: Thank you. I have been letting them sit. I will try to candle again tonight. I've read so many threads about candling, but still not 100% sure what I am seeing. Thanks for your help!

 

[tommysgirl]

Should I candle one of the eggs in the fridge to see what I might be looking at?

 

[ronott1]

Should I candle one of the eggs in the fridge to see what I might be looking at?

Yes!