What could have caused this to happen?

[kees]

I swapped eggs with two people on the board who very carefully wrapped their eggs. The second box looked as though it had been kicked around by the post office as it was torn and in the middle of the driveway...no where near the mailbox or stoop. I put the eggs under two broody hens and after the hatch date, I start to find broken eggs shells. I check the eggs and to my surprise find that they feel all liquidy inside. I opened them and was horrified to find that they all smelled like rotten eggs and some were turning black and actually EXPLODED as I tapped them on the ground. Not one of them showed any signs of development. I'm completely baffled. How could this have happened?

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Many things can cause a bad hatch. Anything from rough handling to bactera to wrong temps, etc.

 

[Poison Ivy]

If the boxes were handled really rough. The chances that the yolks were scrambled is very high. It happens with shipped eggs. Sorry to hear about the eggs. I had eggs from eggbid a while back that half of them were scrambled. I was able to candle at day 10 and then tossed them.

 

[kees]

I can't tell you how upset I am that this happened. The eggs did come from the West Coast and I'm on the East Coast but they were sent by Priority Mail and marked FRAGILE! One box was even received the next day! I've waited sooo long for these eggs to hatch and to find "combustible Halloween" eggs was quite a surprise. At least one didn't explode under one of the chickens. That really would have been a mess.

I placed a 15 chick order with Cackle last week and from what one person said it took them six weeks for her order to be filled. Which hatchery could I order less than 25 from and not have to wait long to fill this empty nest? Please help with suggestions! un

 

[Kessidy]

I am so sorry!

 

[hinkjc]

Kees - where are you at on the east coast? I am sorry for what happened, but maybe I could help get you some chicks sooner. I'm in Eastern PA and have hatches weekly.

Jody

 

[kees]

I'm in Putnam County in New York. What do you have?

 

[hinkjc]

Hatches due:

Small hatch of araucana (10-15) - 5/20

Silkie and araucana - 5/26 - would need to take a mix of both

BO, Araucana and silkies - 6/2 - could do a mix of all three or take straight BOs

I usually require 15, but would say I could go as few as 10-12 shipped to you safely since you're not far. Let me know.

Buff silkie & Araucana are $4 each. BO are $2 each. Plus $15 Priority or $25 for Express s/h (prices include new box costs). Remember Express is the only guaranteed service and I do get the refunds for customers when they don't meet their guarantee. Feel free to email me with any questions.

Jody

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I do not mark my boxed fragile or hatching eggs. If some disgruntled employee sees that I bet they would start shaking the boxes around. I have had not one goose egg broken this year. I just had a customer that wants me to write Fragile Eggs and temperature sensitive on the box, I bet this will be the first box that has a broken/cracked egg in it.

 

[ginasmarans]

That's too bad. I mark mine "LIVE EMBRYOS".I don't know if that helps or not. I also put Fragile and Perishable on the box.