Unlucky with Shipped Eggs

[SegiDream]

Um its been awhile since I've been on. But I bought my first batch of (pretty expensive!) shipped eggs. Waited several months for these. I followed all of the recommended steps, let them rest 24hrs before placing in the incubator, waited a few days before switching the turner on. On day 6 I candled and only 20% of the eggs show signs of life and these have saddled air cells. The others are clear with an air cell on the fat end but nothing else. I'm assuming either the eggs were not fertile or were seriously scrambled in shipping. I know that there is risk involved with shipped eggs, but this seems pretty unlucky.

1) Would it be understandable to ask for replacements considering the amount of $$$ paid into these?
2) When hatch day approaches, assuming they make it that long, should I place them in egg cartons? Which way if they are saddled?
3) How low are the odds of saddled eggs hatching?

 

[Debbie292d]

Um its been awhile since I've been on. But I bought my first batch of (pretty expensive!) shipped eggs. Waited several months for these. I followed all of the recommended steps, let them rest 24hrs before placing in the incubator, waited a few days before switching the turner on. On day 6 I candled and only 20% of the eggs show signs of life and these have saddled air cells. The others are clear with an air cell on the fat end but nothing else. I'm assuming either the eggs were not fertile or were seriously scrambled in shipping. I know that there is risk involved with shipped eggs, but this seems pretty unlucky.

1) Would it be understandable to ask for replacements considering the amount of $$$ paid into these?
2) When hatch day approaches, assuming they make it that long, should I place them in egg cartons? Which way if they are saddled?
3) How low are the odds of saddled eggs hatching?

I've had 4 dozen shipped to me from three different sellers last month. They were sent Priority mail, yet got to me 5-6 days later, not the 2-4 they say but can't do anything about that.

I did exactly the same as you did in preparation.

Clear ones are as you said, not fertile or got scrambled during shipment. Did you get them from eBay or a place where you can read comments from other buyers to find out the success rate of others?

The saddled ones hatched just fine. I did nothing different.

I wound up getting only about 20% each batch sent to me.

Last year when I ordered hatching eggs, I got around 70% both times. On my own, I get nearly 100%.

The only thing I can see for the difference is the USPS is just more careless than in the past? I don't know why else I'd have had such success before, but this year it's horrible. Of those that made it, they are gorgeous chicks, but wind up being about $30 per chick. I plan to breed them but the excess roosters and hens I'd sell for no more than that so losing $$ for now until they're old enough to breed.

Best of luck to you!

 

[mcdze]

i never noticed a huge issue with saddled air cells and have had 90%+ hatchrates with shipped eggs like that dropped straight into the bator out of the shipping box and started .. the factors that matter most are how prompt the place is at shipping, if they have the eggs packed securely, and how long it takes, and how fertile/prime age their flock actually is, is pretty important to hatchrate .. same as if they were your own eggs .. but again, 'saddled' has minimal bearing on hatchrate in my experience .. that said, pends what i paid .. if theyre selling eggs as a premium item id let them know about less than 50% hatchrate for sure, theyll likely send you more ..

 

[SegiDream]

I got them from a private seller that seems fairly reputable. I'll just have to see how they respond, told them I'd check again in a few days at day 10 to be sure. *sigh* Shipping only took 2 days to arrive, there were a couple small holes in the box when it arrived. I'd be tempted to do a road trip to get new ones if it werent for the gas and 2 days on the road at minimum. If the 3 viable ones hatch that would mean I paid about $60 for each chick...