shipping fertilized eggs

Hi! I'm in BC and I have someone in Alberta who is interested in getting some fertilized eggs shipped to her from me... what do I do? obviously I have the eggs, but I have no idea the procedure to ship them!

It is a pretty easy procedure.
First you want to get the deal organized, as to how they will be paying and what kind of shipping they wanted. Greyhound and Express or Priority Post are the options I use, but have used DHL and Purolator in the past as well.
Then you have to wrap the eggs so they are protected and will handle the shipment.
I learned a lot from Skeffling Lavender Farm's site, on how she wraps eggs, my computer is acting funny right now so cannot locate it but search her name and you will find her website link below it, then you will find how she wraps eggs.
I have foam holders for my shipping of eggs, but still add extra padding of the popcorn around it and havent had a broken egg yet this year. The main idea is to make sure you have room all around your cartons or whatever is holding your eggs, so side impact doesn't directly hit them, as well as top and bottom padding so the eggs can handle being dropped.
Nothing can protect the eggs from seperated air cells, but I find eggs shipped in the upright position (Pointy end down as if you were incubating them) definately helps.

WoW!!! thanks! I'm scared!

Good morning Viking Sue, smiling that big smile. I have received eggs by shipping and sent eggs by shipping. When in B.C. and Alberta (haven't shipped further by Greyhound) I use Greyhound. It would appear that the price is pretty close to a dollar or two from the $25 dollar mark, usually about $26, receiver pays shipping for you, you can send COD (but that is like $3 more) or just send the eggs, pay the shipping and bill the customer. Someone likes your Viking chicken, that is just very cool.

When I ship eggs it is identical all the time. The box is lined in big bubble wrap, bottom, sides and top. The eggs are rolled in pieces of smaller bubble wrap which are about 4 inches by 8 inches and taped, with a small amount of tape to hold the wrap in place. The eggs are gently placed in the box, side by side, small end down. This helps to prevent dislodged air sacks, less room for the egg contents to move around. I have had wonderful success with Greyhound and they always have taken good care of my eggs. I have a picture that I downloaded from the internet (I am going to send it to you) that shows a chick hatched out of a shell, this I put on three sides of the box and the top and write on it "handle tenderly please" and they do. They see that it is eggs with an embryo within and that just conjures up the need to be paternal or maternal, smiling that big smile. I wish that I had taken pictures of my packing jobs. Next time I will, and then it will be so easy to see what I do, but I hope I have painted a picture nicely, for your mind's eye. don't worry, the eggs will get there safe and sound, I always send 2 or 3 extras, just for good faith. And charge the same price for every egg I send, no matter the breed. You need to also charge something for handling, the bubble wrap is not a cheap thing and will cost you a couple of dollars at least and the work to get the eggs ready is time consuming too. If you tuck those eggs in, they won't be able to move around and should travel safely to the destination. Good luck, ask more questions if you need more answers....and...have a most wonderful day, CynthiaM. (the cochin gals are laying their brains out, smiling).

thanks again thanks for the info Hidden River and Cindi!

CynthiaM said: "Someone likes your Viking chicken, that is just very cool."

yes, I'm getting some interest in my rare breed Viking Chickens... I even have a few people from the US that want to get fertilized eggs from me, and my flock is directly from Iceland. Theirs have been in the US for a few generations of hatchings now. so a fresh source is good.

I have a couple of questions:
I only have 3 hens, so to get 8 or 9 eggs, it takes 3 days... with shipping time to Alberta, is this viable? or should I just ship 5 or 6?

What do I charge for rare breed fertilized eggs?

CynthiaM said: "You need to also charge something for handling"

... how much?

Do you have payment in hand before actually shipping the eggs? and do you use paypal or email money transfer?

I will start marketing my rare breed very soon, so I will certainly have more interest

CynthiaM said: "the cochin gals are laying their brains out"

this is COOL!

Sue, only got a minute here, but some thoughts to ease your pain, smiling. Then I gotta run. When I collect eggs for shipping, I collect for 10 days and ship on the 11th day. That will get the eggs there, whichever way they go, by no later than say, 15 days old eggs, could be even 12 day old eggs, depends on the shipping distance. There has been great discussion of the longevity of the germ in the egg for hatching viability. Many people hatch eggs 3 to 4 weeks old with great success. Me, when shipping, err on the shorter side, as said 10 days gathering. So, honestly, if you are getting 3 eggs a day, if you gathered for 10 days, you could feasibly ship 30 eggs . This is a good thing, and you have desire for the Icelandic breed from people everywhere, beeeeautiful!! (and you told me that you would NEVER get addicted to chickens, your significant other said that too, smiling that big smile). Well, lookie at you!! Have a beautiful day girl, gotta run, CynthiaM.

Charge $4 for handling, gotta pay for gas to get them somewhere, wrap, time, product for wrapping, makes your wage about $2 an hour , if that, but hey, it is what it is, we do this for pleasure, certainly not to try to make ourselves rich . when I ship eggs, I usually know the destination person, so I pay for the shipping and when it is all said and done, that person will pay, as shipping varies, or you could charge a flat rate (BC and Alberta are pretty much the same cost, give or take a dollar or two, anywhere from $25 to $29, this is for 2 dozen eggs). If I don't know the person, I charge a flat rate of sending eggs of $25 and don't charge handling, just that and the eggs. The person prepays. But I have always had honourable people I deal with and never been rooked...this is a hard thing to figure out, the payment thingy. Box weight and size can differ and that can reflect on the cost of shipment, but not much though. Good days!!

About what to charge for eggs, I really cannot and will not advise you on that. There are so many people that charge lots, and I mean LOTS, upwards to ___ a dozen, sorry, I can't go there and advise, but I think personally that is a horrible price no matter whatever the breed....if you want you can email me and we can discuss this off forum...C..maybe look in the forum that deals with hatching eggs here...