Please say what happened so anyone who sources this has the chance to address any issues that we may bring up. Lets include what we may have done wrong in shipping eggs ourselves. this is meant for a resource!!!
Egg/Chick Source list -Notso Good Luck___ (what went wrong)
Bumping up
I have just contacted the source of my non-developing Ameraucanas and will give more details when (if) I hear back. I was very non-confrontational--so it is in their court.
don't use those dang plastic blown up pillows for stuffing they flatten to easily and if they do, do not in anyway protect ur eggs. if eggs r not secure enough in a carton and the pillows loose air the eggs can bounce inside and i've had packages come in with eggs smashed and leaking all over. yep the po made me pick them up in a garbage bag, it was aweful!!
do not use only paper towls or cotton badding to protect ur eggs to ship they get scrambled to easily and broken air cells to easily and yep u guessed it r usually cracked or smashed on the way. had many come this way to and some babies hatched with deformities such as leg probs and one was born with head stuck though the yolk sac litterally it developed wrong.
if u use a carton to hold the eggs tape it shut so u don't risk bounceing eggs from outside holders in on other eggs further in the carton. u can add shredded paper or peanuts inside cartons usually after eggs r wrapped individually to help keep from shifting inside carton also to protect from breakage. outside of carton pack box as tight as possible with peanuts and such to protect the eggs from outside damage or double box it.
the most smashed i've gotten in has been ones with individual bubble wrapped, then placed end to end on sheet of bubble and then made into a roll or log look. then layered with shredded paper. usually a good portion or half the eggs r broke and have very low hatch rates.
i'm thinking.....
I have had 2 batches of eggs from "Rare and Exotic Hatching Eggs 4 U" on eBay. I think she tried to pack well but the eggs were basically in smithereens both times. They were individually bubble wrapped but not in a second box or in any way held together, so they just must have all bumped against each other too much. I have had enough boxes of hatching eggs by now that have been perfect that I can't figure out any other reason. Most of the best ones I've had have been individual bubble wrapped then inside an egg box, or inside a smaller box within the bigger box, and seriously packed with newspaper to prevent movement. She packed with shredded paper and grocery bags, but not near tight enough. She included free quail eggs and silkie eggs but to no avail because they were all broken too, except one quail egg.
I'm not wanting to be mean, just reporting my experience. I don't think I'll order from that vendor again. I told her about the first batch and she said that if I ordered again, she would include more extras. So I bought again and she did include more extras but like I say, no point when they are all broken. I told her that and she said someone was really hard on the box. So, that's the end of that.
Claire
that was the same prob basically i got from a different breeder in ohio. the ones i said with pillows she had them in a carton but the top was not attached and was not taped shut. the eggs were only wrapped in papper towls so when the pillows deflated after they were shipped mine got bounced inside carton to wich broke 10 of 12 eggs. if there is not tight packing ur eggs basically don't stand a chance no matter how they r packaged.
I bought eggs a while ago from this person and I added some other things that are important. When a person ships with these tips, NO EGGS WILL BREAK. I have been selling on eBay since eBay began, and eggs should be packed w/ just as much (if not more) that a piece of fine eggshell china. Anyone who knows Belleek Parian Ware knows that this eggshell porcelain is even THINNER than an egg shell!
STOP KILLING!
"I have shipped eggs for over 3 years and have never had a broken egg. You have to pack them right! Don't leave them loose in the box to bounce and break, killing the embryo!
#1 rule - Assume that the Post office will crush, kick, throw, and run over you package. Once you assume these things will happen, you will pack the eggs accordingly. I double box, because it is nearly a SURE THING that the inner box will not crush if the outside one does, but many people try to save money. If you don't double box, you MUST lace paper towelled or bubble wrapped eggs w/ shreds in an EGG CARTON.
HOW TO PACK LIVE EGGS TO KEEP FROM BREAKING DURING SHIPPING
First, because the eggs need to breathe, try to use paper, sawdust, and egg cartons which were designed to keep eggs from breaking.
1. Get a #7 priority box smaller boxes won't do they don't protect from temperature extremes, AND they others are not a thick enough cardboard to protect when box is crushed.
2. When you tape your box leave tape off the corners you will have air holes that way.
3. Get some newspaper take 9 full sheets and ball them up this will be your cushion put in bottom of box, OR fill the box 1/2 way with compacted shredded paper, OR fill the box 1/2 way with popcorn.
4. Take 1 egg carton, shred newspaper, and pack into the holes.
5. Gently place your wrapped eggs in, pointed size down.
6. Shred some more paper and cover your eggs, shred some more and put inside your lid.
7. Gently close, it should be bulging with paper you want the paper to compress the eggs so they don't move, but not compress to smash the egg.
8. Trim excess paper with scissors let it fall in the box, then tape your egg carton closed- don't SEAL w/ tape...just enough to keep egg carten closed
9. Your egg carton should be bulging place it on your choice of padded bottom in box.
10. Have the carton going corner to corner-diagonal.
11. Put a ball of newspaper in each corner between the box and the egg carton, pack the rest of the box with balls of paper put some extra in. You could use shredded paper or popcorn compressed between carton and box as well.
12. When you close it, the box should somewhat bulge, as you want it to be compressed.
12. Tape the box it (be sure not to tape your box corners remember you want air.)
13. Now mark arrows all around the 4 sides pointing up and mark UP by each one on each side mark LIVE HATCHING EGGS,
On top mark:
“ FRAGILE: LIVE HATCHING EGGS
PLEASE DO NOT SHAKE OR X-RAY
THIS END UP”
If you do this you won't have broken eggs or dead eggs from moving inside the box. You worked hard to produce your eggs but if you don't pack them well get out of the business. Because all of us who buy eggs are tired of broken eggs and deserve better. If you've bought as many eggs as I have ($700+ and counting), you know what I'm talking about!"
Oh, and the post office ladies would REALLY like it if you put everything in a plastic bag - not sealed, but enough that if there ARE breaks, they don't leak out of the boxes like my arriving eggs keep doing, because that gets yellow sticky goop all over everybody else's mail and that's not nice. I know they need to breathe, so don't tape the bag shut, but just put it all in a bag or line the inside of the box with saran wrap or something. I think I've ruined about 10 boxes of mail now with all the egg yolk everywhere. I feel bad but it's not my fault - it is the sender's fault for not packaging correctly.
Could someone recommend a reputable, HONEST, breeder of Serama's that are as purebred as possible that could sell and ship me some hatching eggs?
I have 6 Serama's that were hatched here. Only one of these chickens, 3 roos,3 hens, is actually looking like he/she is supposed to.
While I love these little bitty's and I will keep them, I sure would like to find a better source for purebred Serama hatching eggs. I would like to add them to my flock.
Thanks everyone.
CS
There were a few people here last spring who started with Serama. Wasn't it silkiechick and Maineiac?
yep i raise them and yes so does main. i can't do hatching eggs for them though at the moment. on eggbid lydia webb of webbacres is a good source and david(can't think of his user name) on there he usually sells in high quanity eggs like auctions for 48+ eggs so u can find it buy looking for those auctions. i have bought from both and got gorgous stock from them. my smallest ones r from david and i hatched a rainbow from him.
on byc site LuannKeller and frank-ae50mag has awesome stock all have pure maylasian seramas not american seramas i know them from the forums and have seen many pics of their flocks. i was suppost to get birds when i first started from luann but 3 days before shipping of eggs and birds her barn caught fire and she lost most of the flock about 300+ birds. she has now rebuilt her stock again so she should be able to help also. all r excellent breeders, very friendly and honest if u need anything and i highly recomend any of them.
Thank you Silkiechick, I am going to look into those you recommended.
I feel so sorry for the Luann. I can not imgaine the absolute horror of that. That's something I fear the most--fire.
I am also looking to buy some racing homer pigeon eggs as well.
I looked into the lines that Stromberg's offer's and I wouldn't mind getting some of them. But, I have no idea how much these eggs would cost even if a person could get them. Or, what lines the birds come from.
It's going to have to be soon though, because winter is about to hit here and the shipping egg season is going to end. At least, here. The temps can get below freezing and stay that way for a couple of months.
There's always next year of course, but I don't want to wait that long.
I also would like some Black or Blue Copper Marans. The prices are kinda steep right now, so I will wait.
Actually, hehehe I can't wait~~
Silkie, did you see the post I made on the Serama and cold weather link for the oil lamp waterer heater assembly?
Have a great rest of the day everyone.
u r very welcome. i was horrified at the thought and it was worse seeing the pics of the fire. luann is a real sweet person w/ a heart of gold. it broke my heart to see what she went through all cause of a heat lamp. if it had been me i don't think i'd of had the strength to get past all that, she has worked very hard on both her flocks and i admire her for all she has done and accomplished.
the pigeons i want most r called jacobins and fantails if i remember right. i just want a nice pair of each to have as pets to enjoy, i don't care what lines they r from cuz i no nothing about pigeon bloodlines. i'd not mind hatching eggs for them but i don't know the details they need to hatch in a bator unless a broody silkie could hatch them ok.
i had copper blacks and cuckoos but lost all but 1 cuckoo marans roo so come spring i'll be looking for eggs for them also. yes i saw u posted it i haven't had a chance to check it out yet. they r all fine but i did loose 1 extended black serama roo. not from the cold though looks like the others had pushed him out so he was not eating properly. i was upset about it but nothing i could do to save him. he was always real shy so i think he was the bottom roo of the peck order.
Good Choice of pigeons silkie i raise fan tails and i've seen Jacobin's and they sell for way to much than i can afford.
Pigeons Regurgite the food into their babys mouths so remember this when you hatch them you have to feed them with a syringe and it's not for the novice.
If you have pigeon questions i can answer them for you so feel free to ask.
Try not to feel bad about that one Roo Silkie. Sometimes Mother Nature can be what we think of as cruel. But if the chicken isn't strong enough to push his way in, chances are his/her offspring won't be either. Can't have weakness in nature's way of things.
Heat lamps are not good in my opinion. I have known of someone else having their house burn down because of a heat lamp that was placed over the top of a water heater. Something went wrong and the heat lamp burned down the house.
Speaking of such things, if anyone decides to use the oil lamp idea, I would strongly suggest you enclose the entire thing in a well made framed and secured chicken wire enclosure. This is so that the chickens can not get into the area and knock over the glass globe and/or flapping wings blow out the light.
I have used propane gas lamps and the flapping wings of a chicken are enough to blow out the light so please be careful.
Also Silkie that website I posted had several good drawings of chicken houses from about the year of 1933. Would you like the link for that website?
If you do like these drawings, please print them off. I have no idea how long these will be available.
Talk with you soon.
CS
Thank you Harmony. I will greatly appreciate your expertise on hand raising pigeons when the time comes. I raise budgies, aka parakeets so I do have some experience in raising helpless and tiny, baby birds like that.
However, I need to find a source for homer pigeon eggs. I found a website that shows many different colors and combinations. Beautiful~!! But no eggs.
Earlier this year I thought I was going to get my racing homers. But, the guy just took my money and then forgot about it. I was pretty aggrevated to say the least.
I realize that things can and do go wrong with hatches, stock, egg laying, etc. But, to just take the money and not communicate was not cool. A friend of mine who knows the guy, got my money back for me.
I WON'T do business with him again, because he is just not honest.
However, I am still looking for some racing homer hatching eggs. :(
CS
harmony,
oh, i envie u!! i didn't know u had fantails!!! the show i went to in NY a few weeks ago, one seller had a whole cage of jacobins. i was in heaven!! i wanted so bad to ask for price but was affraid be really high. i could kick myself for not asking now, from now on i'll open my mouth and mike wasn't with me if i had enough on me i'd of grabbed em in a heartbeat they were gorgous!! they had lots of others there to, homers and doves and others i didn't know what kind but they were but were pigeons also. i have hand reared and bred cockatiels for years with pipettes. as long as i know what food to feed a pigeon, i should be good to go with a little help of more info on the breeds. my only real concern is the hatching details and what they eat and for how long and what to wean them to, things like that. i want to try to do research this winter and in spring try to get some. this winter i want to do tiel babies again.
I gave all of my tiels to someone who really wanted them. It has been a lot quieter here. Those birds like to have drove me nuts during the 5 years I had them. I just could NOT keep them happy no matter what I did. One male tiel would scream his head off if his mate was more than a feather's width away from him. That's how bad they were.
My budgies I have 9 left now. When these die there won't be anymore to replace them. I have the great grandparents of these birds so it's been a few years. It's just time for me to hang up the net.
If you do find some good info on hand raising pigeons, Silkie please let us know in here. I am trying to find and read and PRINT off as much info as I can find. thanks a bunch.
How are you doing with the rest of your flock Silkie? Things ok as far as the cold is concerned?
CS
Opps I mean that I had the great grandparents. Sorry guess I am getting tired here.
cs,
u are absolutely right, mother nature does cull in her own way when it is needed. there was nothing i could do. i fill their big rubber bowl with feed and it still was 3/4 full so it was there it's just they were pushing him out.
if i remember right something happened like them fighting and it nocked it down catching the bedding. the prob was the barn was mostly metal and had something inside some kind of chemicals, when it hit them the whole roof went. i can't remember how hot the fire was now but hot enough to melt steal.
the thinkg i worry about is in winter my coops r piled with about 8" of pine shaveings i would be afraid they would catch fire somehow. if i raised them here where i could check all the time i'd not have a prob with it i could use heat lamps they hang high enough they can't get them but anything on the floor i'd be worried about. for waterers when we had electric there the cookie tins with a 40 wtt bulb were fine and the waterers on top the pan to keep warm. then they had heat lamps too.
my comp is not allowing me to see pics except on my, my documents so i have to figure out how to fix my java or comp alot of things r not working right,lol. u'll have to bare with me till i get it fixed. i did a disk clean up and restarted. wouldn't let me defrag. i may have to do goback and time warp it to before the prob started to fix it again. that's the reason i haven't looked at what u posted.
yep i'll let u know if i find any info. yep the rest of the flock is fine.
oh no problem Silkie. I just wanted to make sure you seen that just in case this was something you could use. I know you are really worried 'bout your stock. I would be sick knowing that I had a face a really cold winter like that. I went through hell with my own stock when I lived at my husband's farm. Never again will I go through that.
I have had to live without electricity and running water and I can do it now IF things were set up for myself. Never did get running water put into my own home after my divorce. Hopefully, I will be able to when I finally go home.
So, I learned how to use propane and other methods like the oil lamps. But there is nothing that can replace a solid, well insulated building to house them to start with. I sure hope you can get a good one put up.
Then if you can do that, you can put in some propane heaters and those won't cost you a month's pay to operate or perhaps make the brick and concerte stove I mentioned.
I moved my Serama's into the budgie house and the budgie's back into my house since there are just 9 of them now. The chicken's are doing just fine although they sure pecked the living daylights out of the newspaper I put down. I think I am going to have to buy something else for flooring material. I was thinking maybe Sand. I would use wood chips but I am afraid that the chips would end up against the heater and that will cause a fire.
If they shred newspaper I am worried the strips will blow up against the milk house heater I have for heat.
I am really scared of fire and if there is a way to prevent a diaster it should be done first. Later just might be to late.
CS
I am still working on my oil lamp heating idea. Those chimneys get HOT. I am thinking that we could utilize that wasted heat somehow.
Well everyone, hehehe I am slurring my words here and having to retype everything.
Gonna say niters to all.
Have a good one and tell your flock I said hi.
Niters everyone.
CS
CS-have you considered using hardi-board? That's that cement board they use under tile floors? You may be able to make a cement chimney which would absorb the heat from the lamp and disperse it slowly into the coop. If it were somehow framed on the outside you could attach roosts to it and keep 'em really snug...
Hmmmmmm Grownut. I am going to look into this. Thanks
Update on my temperamental (oops) incubator:
I had built a big wooden box and nailed two small strip's across the inside bottom so that the bator could sit on that. This is for maximum air flow.
Then I placed about 3 inches of insulation all around the bottom part of the bator.
So far so good. It's holding the temps a lot better than it was.
Don't know yet how the SF eggs are doing. Can't wait for these eggs to hatch.
CS
This message was edited Oct 22, 2008 3:14 AM
ebay seller Love_Tradin_Horses refuses to leave feedback.. then left a nasty note when asked why they don't leave feedback. Won't buy from this one again!
Thanks ZZ