Incubating Shipped Eggs

Guide to Incubating Shipped Hatching Eggs

Successfully hatching shipped eggs requires special care and attention. Follow these guidelines to give your eggs the best chance of hatching.

When Your Eggs Arrive

Let them rest: Allow shipped eggs to rest at room temperature for 12-24 hours before incubating. This helps the air cells settle after their journey.
Inspect carefully: Check for cracks or damage. Damaged eggs are unlikely to hatch.
Store properly: If not incubating immediately, store eggs pointed end down at 55-60°F with 75% humidity for no more than 7 days.

Incubation Settings

Temperature: Maintain 99.5°F (37.5°C) for forced-air incubators or 101-102°F for still-air incubators
Humidity: Keep at 40-50% humidity for days 1-18, then increase to 65-75% for the final days
Turning: Turn eggs at least 3 times daily (or use an automatic turner) until 3 days before hatch
Ventilation: Ensure proper air circulation throughout incubation

Incubation Timeline

Chicken eggs: 21 days
Quail eggs: 17-18 days
Duck eggs: 28 days

Important Notes About Shipped Eggs

Shipped eggs typically have lower hatch rates than hand-collected eggs due to the stress of shipping. Hatch rates can vary from 0-80% depending on:

Shipping conditions and handling
Weather during transit
Incubator quality and settings
Egg fertility and quality

We cannot guarantee hatch rates on shipped eggs. We take every precaution to ensure eggs are fresh, fertile, and carefully packaged, but many factors affecting hatch success are beyond our control.