"WHY IS YOUR SHIPPING SO EXPENSIVE?"


I have been asked why my shipping is so expensive compared to other poultry fanciers. First let me say that I think some who ship hatching eggs may either sell themselves short on shipping, or they must not pay for packaging material (or postage), they re-use packaging material, or maybe they haven't figured up the actual costs. I will explain more below, starting with HOW I package eggs, and I have a breakdown below of my costs for shipping. Sometimes I come out a little ahead, it's usually pretty even-steven, and sometimes the extra postage or packaging materials comes out of my profit.

In reference to chicken eggs: I start with my own purchased strong, sturdy box taped together with loads of caution/handling stickers that are brightly colored and very hard to ignore. For ultimate safety in shipping, I hand-write one label for shipping eggs with the customer's address on the side of the box AND use a computer-generated one for the top of the box. This does two things: first, the Post Office is not as likely to tip the box on its side to read the address info. Second, should the label get torn, lost, wet, or otherwise unable to read, there is a "second chance". My phone number goes out on every box, and yours does too, if you request it or if I have it!

The box gets lined with the strongest high-quality large bubble wrap that I purchase in large rolls (much better than what you can buy at Wal-Mart, Staples, Home Depot, etc.) Each egg is wrapped in a double-layer of small bubble wrap, secured with tape, and placed carefully in layers (depending on the size of your order) so that each egg sits pointy-end down, the safest way for an egg to travel!

 If I know there has been bad luck receiving eggs for a particular customer, I go all out. (PLEASE LET ME KNOW BEFORE ORDERING!) I have also experimented with using R-Board like for housing insulation to make an inner box for extra protection against heat or cold, and possible barrier for x-rays. If you would like this, again, please let me know before ordering and add $10 to your order for an increase in weight and for extra packaging materials and a larger box for your precious package.

As eggs are gathered into disinfected egg baskets, we have learned how to properly wash hatching eggs just like zoos do and eggs are washed and our results have been tested for over a year; this INCREASES the hatchability. Then they are transfered into disinfected egg incubating trays for holding and re-inspected and any eggs that do not meet our high standards are destroyed. These eggs are held in our hatching egg cooler at a safe temperature which is cool enough to suspend the embryos from continued growth but not cold enough to kill them.

In preparation for shipping, freshly gathered eggs* are slowly brought up to room temperature from my holding cooler. They are brought into my very-clean kitchen/work area where I start the packaging process.

*That reminds me, my eBay auction eggs are a priority to ship the freshest eggs available. When I run an auction (I do not use auto-listing), I commit to shipping each potential customer that certain number of the freshest eggs available. I run eBay auctions when I have an abundance of eggs, when my incubator is full, and they are usually at a discount as the eBay market always wants a bargain. I also use the eBay auctions as an advertising tool, I sell many more orders, such as chicks or live birds, outside of eBay. I set it up at my convenience, they are PayPal only, and I appreciate prompt payment. I can also accept PayPal for orders outside of eBay and can email an invoice on request. Due to the time-sensitive and seasonal nature of hatching eggs, it would be difficult to put a PayPal button on my site and have orders come in for hatching eggs if the hens aren't laying, or if I'm setting my own....

The day of shipping, or after an auction ends, we double-check that payment has been made or that we have a check or money order.

NOTE: We never, ever re-use bubble wrap or other packaging materials and do not ever re-use egg cartons! It is not sanitary to do so, (especially if shipping in packaging materials that you received someone else's hatching eggs in. Icky.... 'specially if that's sat around for a while. Sounds like a bacteria-haven!) All of our shipping boxes, packaging materials, etc. are new and have not been exposed to other eggs.

Each box is taped at all edges and surfaces to withstand shipping and come out in as good of shape as possible. I pay close attention to attempt to place the egg carton(s) as close to the middle of the box away from the sides, and to put a little more bubble-wrap on the bottom (I think where it is most likely to be dropped) than on the top. Realistically, if it gets tossed that badly, NOTHING will save those eggs!!! I try not to give the egg cartons any "room" to move. If they don't shift, they will travel better. (Note: the egg carton reference was made about shipping quail eggs, not chicken eggs.)

The box then gets completely sealed up and the address secured to it. Next comes the labeling, all of my labels are custom-made and purchased in quantity for better pricing. Each side of the box has a label that has arrows stating "This Side Up" and "FRAGILE: Live Hatching Eggs, Keep at Room Temperature". The latter of the two labels also goes on the bottom (just in case) and on the top of the box. The top of the box also gets another "This side up" without an arrow, and if a return address need to be present, a VERY FRAGILE/CBF Super Quail address label is applied.

The vehicle is pre-heated or pre-cooled to room temperature before loading eggs, then any boxes being shipped that day are loaded carefully. All packages are dropped off at my local Post Office in Marianna, or occasionally from Aubrey or Forrest City if I am going that way. Because I use Delivery Confirmation, the boxes are scanned to show that they are "in the system" and I begin to pray for gentle handling practices.....

I try to email just before or just after to let each buyer know that the eggs are being shipped, and offer the Delivery Confirmation number and (try) to wait patiently for a reply that the eggs got there safely.

IF EGGS DO NOT ARRIVE SAFELY - for some strange reason (shrugs) please take photos of the damage. I will offer reasonable and agreeable compensation for the price of the eggs. I cannot refund the shipping, as the shipping charge covers real incurred expenses and a service that was provided on my end. I cannot be responsible for what the post office does, however, if there is a problem I will try to work it out on a one-on-one, individual basis. If you are not satisfied for any reason, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! You may email me, call me, send me a letter, anything that is reasonable and I will try to work through any perceived problem with you. I have considered offering a $5 additional guarantee that the eggs will arrive 75% unbroken or I will totally replace INCLUDING the shipping, as with the number of total losses I have had, I would not sell myself short. I know of 1 box that just didn't make it, and it was literally busted wide open! One deluxe omelet.

Still aren't sure about my shipping? I can/will provide references, if you wish! Look at my eBay feedback as c-m-r-otter for more reassurance.

AGAIN - IF YOU ARE UNSATISIFIED - Please let ME know. If I don't know, I can do nothing to correct the problem and I consider it the buyer's fault for not letting me know, not my fault because I was not given the chance to make it right. Please do not badmouth me, my family or my business unless you have given us the opportunity to correct any problem you might have.

Also, if there is a problem, we want to know so we can fix it and improve!! That information is priceless to us.

WE PRIDE OURSELVES IN CAREFUL SHIPPING OF LIVE, FERTILE, VIABLE HATCHING EGGS AND EGGSELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE.....but it doesn't end there!

Tech Support! Yes, we offer tech support to all of our customers. There is absolutely no charge for this! Have an incubator problem or question? Have a bunch of babies hatching and you're unsure about something? Get a poor hatch and wonder why? Get a great hatch and need ideas of where to put more babies than you'd planned for? Feel free to contact us at any time and we'll always provide whatever assistance we can help you with. We won't put you on hold or transfer you to this department and that and play cheesey operator music or peppy self-advertising while you wait. If we ask you about the weather, it is because it is pertinent to your poultry. We are mostly at home most of the time, if you call and we don't answer, please always leave a message, we may be out with the birds and will get back with your shortly.

*Please note that I hope to update this page soon or add another with PICTURES of my packaging process*


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