Eggspress delivery

Hatching eggs may be cheap to buy, but success depends on careful and speedy transportation, warns Andy Cawthray

- Andy Cawthray

Springtime is when the hatching egg market can go into overdrive. Everyone’s birds are in lay, cockerels are active, making fertility good, and the volume of eggs is high. So if you fancy bringing new breeds into your flock, then purchasing hatching eggs can be an economical way of doing so. But what is the best way of getting your hands on the eggs? Collecting them directly from the breeder is always preferable (Covid-19 permitting) as it enables you to meet the breeder/birds, and it also means that you can keep an eye on the eggs from the point of collection to the point they are put in the incubator or under a broody.

If you can do this, when you collect the eggs ensure that they are packed securely and are safe from rattling around on the journey home. Excessive shaking can addle the eggs or cause the air sac to become displaced. Also, don’t leave them in a place where they might be subject to direct sunlight, such as the front seat of a car, or excessive heat, such as a glove box or car boot. This can result in the eggs warming up and the incubation process starting. In fact, to be on the safe side, it’s probably best if they are placed in a cool box, especially if the journey is going to be a long one.