How To Incubate Shipped Eggs

Most people would avoid having to hatch shipped eggs, if there were an alternative way to get a breed, genetics or a poultry type any other way. Some of us sometime, might be faced with the challenge, so here is how you can make the best of a bad deal.


Before you buy from a breeder, ask if they have ever shipped hatching eggs. Someone that does, wants a good reputation and will normally pack them well. If not, look elsewhere, it is the first step to getting those eggs to you, that you should be able trust. After that there will be many variables that you can do nothing about. The actual posting of the parcel is where all the problems start, but if your eggs are securely packaged, at least they have a chance to get to you unbroken.


Other than cracking or broken eggs, damage of shipped eggs can include:



Saddled air cells (the air cell is shaped like a saddle)


Jiggly/disrupted air cells (they move slightly but are not fully detached.
Detached or rolling air cells (like a carpenter's level)
scrambled (when no apparent air cell is visible)


All shipped eggs should be immediately candled to detect the damaged ones and all shipped eggs need to rest, whether damaged or not.


All shipped eggs: if old (look at the air cell ), rest 6 hours, if fresh 24-48 hours before incubating


How to treat different damage problems, with shipped eggs:


Detatched and Rolling air cells: Incubate upright with fat end up, do not turn for 3 days. After 3 days candle the eggs only from above and keep them upright at all times while you candle. If you have embryo growth and the air cell is still completely loose, do not turn for another 24 hrs.


Jiggly/disrupted/Saddle shaped air cells


Incubate upright with fat end up, do not turn for at least 36-48 hrs after that hand turn turn them very gently from side to side.


Scrambled


There is nothing you can do with scrambled eggs, so it is best if you dispose of them.