The Great Egg Shipping Experiment!

[ChcknNurse]

Not sure.

For me, the greatest success is determined by:

1. Eggs shipped UPRIGHT

2. FRESH (3 days or younger when shipped )

Yes, of course, freshest is best. Ideally fat end up (I assume that's what you mean by upright?). But, boxes are tossed etc during transport.

Here is a pic of some silkie eggs that are going into lockdown tonight.
More than half were clear at 15 days candeling. I wait for second candle to toss. I finally tossed. There are 7 left, I believe. I ship most of my eggs. But these must be the worst air cells I've ever had. The saddles dip low.

 

[Alaskan]

Oh good grief! That packing job was so lovely.

I have read that a number of people think the boxes are treated better if there is ZERO special wording.

In other words...if you put "fragile" on the side, they are more likely to drop kick it.

The boxes you are shipping...are they all labeled fragile on the sides?

 

[ChcknNurse]

Oh good grief! That packing job was so lovely.

I have read that a number of people think the boxes are treated better if there is ZERO special wording.

In other words...if you put "fragile" on the side, they are more likely to drop kick it.

The boxes you are shipping...are they all labeled fragile on the sides?

Yes, this one even said "live hatching eggs."

My point, in case it's not clear, is that there is nothing else the shipper could do, regarding packing. I can elaborate on the packing, if that's not clear, also.

FYI, I worked for UPS for a short time. I am very aware that "fragile" may not be noticed.

Has anyone tried the other, less known shipping companies?

 

[Alaskan]

I totally agree the packing was excellent.

I am just wondering if the box is shipped with ZERO distinguishing marks (no fragile, no hatching eggs, nothing extra on the box), if it would be treated more carefully by the postal workers.

 

[ChcknNurse]

I totally agree the packing was excellent.

I am just wondering if the box is shipped with ZERO distinguishing marks (no fragile, no hatching eggs, nothing extra on the box), if it would be treated more carefully by the postal workers.

It's possible. I would like to try a few things with this thread. That is one. Has it been done. And has anyone tried shipping with DHS (I think it's called-- ) do they just use other carriers?

Anyone have eggs that they care to ship? I'll pay shipping. If they have breeds I'd like, perhaps we can come up with a price. First, it's starting to get warm everywhere. So, safe bet, cool packs? Garry Farms put the pack on the outside of the inner box and this makes sense to me (being a chemical pack). Also, wrapping paper towel around eggs before putting bubble wrap around eggs. It may allow air exchange. Definitely will decrease possible moisture. One egg was damp when it arrived.

Perhaps we can ship at the same time (or stagger for the incubator's sake). One marked fragile, the other unmarked... both "this end up"? As my post office had it on its side when unmarked.

My frustration with some who have shipped to me was inflexibility. I was told that none of their eggs have cracked, so there was no need to change ther way they were shipping. This isn't the person that shipped these eggs with such detail. It was eggs that arrived in a styrofoam carton with toilet paper wrapping around the eggs and taped shut. Newspaper was used to fill the box. These eggs weren't purchased off BYC but she is a member. I couldn't believe they weren't cracked. They were however scrambled. I was able to hatch most.

 

[Alaskan]

True... some egg sellers are stuck on shipping poorly.

One breeder that I love ships eggs wrapped loosely in TP and stuffed into egg cartons.

I think if you search this thread, someone did try different shipping methods and box labeling.

 

[ChcknNurse]

True... some egg sellers are stuck on shipping poorly.

One breeder that I love ships eggs wrapped loosely in TP and stuffed into egg cartons.

I think if you search this thread, someone did try different shipping methods and box labeling.

Was it successful? And honestly, I don't believe she cared. They want people to rate based on arrival of eggs.

 

[Violetsrblu]

Polish eggs were shipped to me a few mos ago. The seller wrote "fragile" and "hatching eggs" on the carton and included the "Be Kind I'm Alive" sticker. These eggs had the best air cells I've seen compared to previously shipped eggs. Had a late quitter, but the rest of the dozen hatched.
My other shipped eggs were unmarked, b/c the sellers did believe marking the packages for careful handling encouraged mishandling by postal employees. Those eggs had plenty of detached air cells and they came from sellers that were located closer to me than the Polish eggs sellers.

 

[ChcknNurse]

Polish eggs were shipped to me a few mos ago. The seller wrote "fragile" and "hatching eggs" on the carton and included the "Be Kind I'm Alive" sticker. These eggs had the best air cells I've seen compared to previously shipped eggs. Had a late quitter, but the rest of the dozen hatched.
My other shipped eggs were unmarked, b/c the sellers did believe marking the packages for careful handling encouraged mishandling by postal employees. Those eggs had plenty of detached air cells and they came from sellers that were located closer to me than the Polish eggs sellers.

Your experience restoring faith that people aren't trying to drop-kick our live eggs...

In top of this, I'd be curious to know the routes taken. If we ever wanted to go that far... they are listed for us when we track.

Am I using the same words/ definitions? I consider an air cell detached, when it rolls . I consider it completely detached when it rolls around the entire egg. Ruptured I use when it's kind of stained the shell and splattered in a shape (leads to the funkiest air cells imo).

Last 2 orders I received in the last 7 days. Porous eggs on the ones I unpacked yesterday make it difficult to be 100% certain that some aren't mobile and I'm not missing it. But I only saw one was completely detached and obvious. There were some that were upside down during transport and may certainly be to blame. But she used Box- in- box with packing peanuts around and large bubble wrap on top. The eggs were wrapped individually with small bubble wrap and put in vertically into the inner box. I had difficulty unwrapping one and oops dropped one. I marked it (couldn't believe it didn't crack on the carpet).

A week ago, those eggs arrived packed in a flat rate box. I didn't have high hopes when I saw it. Not Box within a box, no "this end up" and the post office had it sitting on its side when I picked it up. Not horrible. Some ruptured air cells, nothing like my others have been. However one week after setting those, only 3 have developed and the others are completely clear. Can do nothing about infertile eggs! And cracking them, not a single bullseye. Stinks to pay for junk

 

[Alaskan]

All sounds like a giant gamble.

In some ways that is why it can be so addictive.