Viability of buying fertile eggs from interstate

County Lodge · **Posted:** Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:35 am

Lou it was a good topic re posting of eggs and receiving of them and the fertility of them.

I would like to know people odds when they buy fertile eggs in fro interstate what sort of success rate they get. I got 1 dozen in from nsw and I had 2 lovely top quality chicks hatch but Australia post took 10 days to deliver them fro the time they were posted to the time I received them.

I would still do it again as the costs of transporting fully grown chooks is astromocial. And it is open to illness due to the stress of travelling. If one buys from a good breeder even 1 or 2 chicks has to be worth it.

Lou · **Joined:** Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:12 am **Posts:** 387

Yes good idea of yours to make a seperate tread, should be very interesting. The stories you hear about the treatment of packages especially if they are marked fragile ar scarey. It is disappointing when you pay big money & don't get much back but like you said transtorting live chooks is just to expensive & it will get worse.

The 3 chicks that I got fom my NSW eggs are coming up 4 months & I am very happy with them, I supose it's always going to be a risk but worth it. Nearly forgot other people I know bought up a doz eggs from Vic & got 10 out of 12.

b&p · **Posted:** Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:01 am

I have never bought eggs (not from lack of trying though) so can't really comment on fertility of posted eggs as such.

I have however sent them and fertility was great for the buyer.

Reduced hatchability is always going to be an issue but packing them individually and well will certainly help and also pay the bit extra for express postage (I charge $15 for express including packaging).

Also get the eggs sent on a Mon,Tues or Wed just in case the "next day" delivery falls through for whatever reason.

Egglive · **Joined:** Fri Dec 14, 2007 10:58 am **Posts:** 267

I have had a dozen eggs sent to me from Kirribindi Farm, and 11 were fertile and all hatched - pretty good. They were packed in an egg carton.

I have 2 dozen barnies sent to me from Juergen - they were packed individually wrapped each egg in two pieces of newspaper and layered in a box with extra padding between each layer. Of the 24 eggs 21 are fertile and are developing well in the incubator at the moment. I'm expecting all 21 to hatch (positive thinking!)

In the past I've had a dozen barnies sent to me from someone else - one hatched.

I have also had polish eggs sent to me from NSW (I'm in QLD) and 6 hatched from 24 eggs.

I have sent eggs by express post and had them broken and arriving late.
I have sent eggs by regular post and they have all arrived safe and sound and hatched.

So I think it's a bit of pot luck.

moonshadow_dancer · **Posted:** Fri Jul 11, 2008 5:18 pm

This is a great subject as I am going to be purchasing some fertile eggs soon from interstate. To be realistic I don't expect 100% hatch rate but a few would be nice.

Sometimes things don't always go to plan, as I know my roosters service their girls on a regular basis, and when I candled on day 7 there were 3 that were totally infertile. So sometimes it is a hit and miss I guess.

I would hope that if I recieved 12 that were infertile the breeder would send some more and I would even be happy to pay the postage, but if it was due to the incubator or aust post delays then the breeder shouldn't be held responsible at all.

Phew ok had my 2 bobs worth.

Egglive · **Joined:** Fri Dec 14, 2007 10:58 am **Posts:** 267

I think it's reasonable for suppliers to replace infertiles. I'm always happy to. Not everybody is, though, as it can be considered the luck of the draw. Perhaps that's a good question to ask a supplier before you buy.

kirribindi farm · **Posted:** Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:43 pm

I only post eggs where fertility has consistently been around 100%. I package them very carefully, mark the postpak box "fragile" and have used both normal and express post to send them as far as WA and Cairns.

Over the 2 seasons I've been posting eggs, sometimes up to 7 doz/week going out to various people, I've only heard of a handful of those eggs arriving broken. Its all in the packaging... Australia Post do an excellent job.

I ensure people receive their eggs so that they are set no later than 10 days from the oldest ones being laid. I check the delivery time of parcels using the Australia Post website and factor this into the 10 day "shelf" life of fertile eggs.

Hatch rates is something I have no control over. However, people using broodies have had the best results often hatching all fertile eggs, be they chook or duck eggs.

Probably the most important thing to remember when setting eggs that have been transported, by any means, is the 24 hr rest period before setting.

Jacquie

spanner · **Joined:** Wed Jun 04, 2008 12:42 pm **Posts:** 91

what sort of cost is involved in buying fertile eggs? and the cost of postage to a place like townsville?

I was looking to get some sussexx eggs but was unsure if I could actually get tehm through thepost.

Fat Chook · **Posted:** Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:50 pm

I've had eggs posted to me in North Qld from SW Qld. The lady who posted them wrapped each egg individually in newspaper twice then wrapped the egg carton in bubble wrap then stuffed the box the egg carton was in in shredded newspaper. I think my hatch rate was something like 21 out of 24. I was pretty happy with that. :-D

taraplains · **Posted:** Fri Aug 08, 2008 4:31 pm

It really is the luck of the draw, I have had very good results and also the polar extreme. Some say to put fragile, some say not to. All I know is lots of things can happen in the freighting process and eggs that are good in fertility before they leave the breeder can end up with a poor hatch rate at the other end. I think that it is an easy way to get birds other than paying heaps for transport and live birds. I think that 33-34% is acceptable, but of course over 50% is more favorable. Also interstate there are higher risks. It always fasinates me when people from the other end of the country want you to post eggs to them when if they did a little more homework they would find the required breed much closer.

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