Thoughts on Shipped Eggs?

[VettekLisa]

If this 4th set doesn't hatch, I'm driving down to Ideal and picking up some
day old chicks! I'm finding that it's great to incubate, but I get very
disappointed when they don't develop, or even worse, don't hatch.

 

[MissPrissy]

It also depends on the breed. The bbs orps are super fragile. shipping those eggs is always I gamble. I have had many 0% hatches from shipped eggs. Of my own eggs I always get 100% hatches. When i ship them out they are running about 50 - 75%. Shipping and shaking is very hard on those eggs. Because an egg is clear does not mean it was infertile either. The embryo can under go damage from shipping that causes it to fail to develop beyond a few cells. Also the yolks and the membrane can be damaged which will cause the embryo to fail.

It is and always will be a risk and a gamble to hatch shipped eggs. Some are more successful than others. In order to have better than hatchery stock and In order to have good breeder quality stock many of us are ready and willing to risk a 0% failed hatch to get the birds we want.

For all of the orpingtons in my barn I have set over 300 eggs. I have 60 orpingtons total now. For me it was worth it.

 

[The Monkey Mama]

MissPrissy,

That's exactly why I'm willing to risk the shipped eggs - I have much nicer stock now than I ever could have ordered from a hatchery!

I just wondered if I was doing something wrong since I had such a wide variety of results, but it sounds like that is just how it goes with shipped eggs. [And as long as *I* am not killing them, I feel better LOL!].

Thanks so much for sharing all your experiences y'all!

Kelly

 

[SGM]

I think there are many variables when it comes to shipped eggs. I mean I've hatched a lot of different kinds and came to a conclusion. Delicate breeds have delicate eggs and they don't fare as well in shipping. I've had eggs come from CA all the way here to SC and hatch. Those were hardier breeds. But I've also had Silver Sebrights come from NC and not one hatch. I've had Guineas hatch 12 out of 16. Its just a gamble. Shipping, handling, breed and packaging can be so important.

Right now I have 2 batches of eggs in the incubator which were shipped. First one is Mottled Cochins. I got 20 eggs and am down to 11. Part of that I think is me learning this new bator and all. Anyway, the other was 8 and I have 1 left. The 20 came from LA and the 8 came from VA I think it was. 4 of the 8 were scrambled in shipping and 3 died during incubation. So its hard to say. I would still do it again though.

 

[The Farmers Wife]

The things you need to understand and SHOULD understand before you decide to purchase eggs from a breeder that you intend to have shipped are these,,,,,
each box of eggs you purchase from any variety of breeders will not have traveled the exact same route, been handled by the exact same people, subjected to the exact same temperature and pressure conditions or been exposed to the EXACT same anything.....so the eggs are really not comparible to the others even if handled in the exact same way after you received them......... cracking open a shipped egg that has not hatched after incubation and finding a "clear" egg does NOT prove infertility...There are a number of reasons why you could have ended up with clear eggs,,,,and infertility is WAY down on the list when you are talking about shipped eggs...........an egg can leave a breeders hands perfectly fertile and viable (and in MOST cases they do...)....damage can and does occur to shipped eggs by any number of the conditions listed above....and several that are not listed............
so, to contact a breeder and complain that they sent you infertile eggs because the eggs did not hatch and when you cracked them open they were "clear" ??......puts the breeeder on the defense......... and, makes them feel like you are accusing them of cheating you....whether you intended to do that or not............ This tends to happen more when a person spends a LOT of money on eggs and their hatch is unsuccessful........... unfortunately, the price you paid for the eggs does not increase your hatch rate........purchasing shipped hatching eggs should be carefully thought out ...expecially when the price is high....

... it is not fair to a breeder to demand reimbursement for eggs that you purchased because they did not hatch......or "hint" that you may leave poor feedback for them if they do not replace the eggs free for you in auction type situations..........you have to understand the risks you are taking when you decided to purchase the eggs..... I truly believe that the majority of breeders who sell hatching eggs do so with integrity and are hopeful for a successful hatch for all of their egg customers....of course there are rare situations where this is not the case..........Hatching shipped eggs can be extremely fun, be very successful and preserve and share our poultry antiquities...... I have shipped and received thousands of hatching eggs.....in this year alone.........most of my hatches do well........50%-70%....sometimes better with my new Sportsman......but I have also gotten 0%....... that's how it goes.......bummer...

.......but I try again.......when you finally hatch out that special breed you have been waiting for.......ahhhhhhhh..........it's so worth it~....

 

[The Farmers Wife]

Quote:
Do you have BBS Orpington eggs available now?......

 

[Msbear]

Quote:

 

[Mrs MIA]

I totally agree with Farmer's Wife, as it mirrors my own experience this summer with shipped eggs. So many variables come into play that you cannot possibly blame anyone for low hatch rates (especially not yourself for possibly "doing something wrong"!) The only time a refund or replacement is truly an option is if you actually hatch a breed you didn't pay for.

 

[kodiakchicken]

I have only hatched eggs once, just recently, but I felt like it was quite an experiment in how far shipped eggs can go. The eggs were blue barred rock and came from Florida all the way to Kodiak Island, Alaska - in October when the temps had already started to dip below freezing. We ended up with 16 eggs shipped, 2 eggs cracked in shipping, 14 set and 7 hatched. Nine made it to almost maturity and I'm convinced the death of at least one of those was from my incubator management or the size of the egg it was in.

I knew it was a risk when I sent for them, but I am quite pleased as to the percentage we got, considering the circumstances. It also still came out cheaper per chick than ordering day old chicks from a hatcher on the mainland.

Hope this helps!

 

[The Monkey Mama]

Whoa Farmer's Wife - I specifically said in my original post that I wasn't looking to blame anyone and that I had already left positive feedback for ALL the sellers I've purchased from.

I was looking to see what others' experiences had been and to see if I was unusual or mishandling the eggs in some way.

*I* feel a bit on the defensive here myself - I feel attacked for something that I specifically said I wasn't doing. [I have never left bad feedback for *anyone* on eBay actually - nor have I "hinted" at it or threatened it to try to coerce someone to give me more eggs].

It sounds like you've had some bad experiences selling eggs and I'm really sorry about that. But I did specifically say in my original post that I was NOT looking to do any of the things you are so vehemently attacking me about....

I'm very happy with the existing hens & pullets I have from shipped eggs and I'm very happy with the baby chicks I have - I have a much better quality of birds because of buying shipped eggs. My over all price per bird has been about $4 each [averaged out over all the hatches - good and bad, including shipping] which really isn't much more than you would pay for hatchery birds, but they are much nicer quality IMO.

I am very happy with my own experience, and I am not looking to upset or do anything negative to *anyone* else.

Kelly