So, you bought a batch of beautifully packed hatching eggs, set them in the incubator with high hopes, and now... crickets. Or rather, clear eggs with zero development. Before you panic—or start writing an angry email to your breeder—let's break down what might really be going on inside those shells.
Because here's the truth no one tells enough:
🛑 A clear egg doesn’t always mean it was infertile.
In fact, it might’ve been totally viable... until the postal service played hot potato with it.
The Harsh Reality of Shipping Hatching Eggs
Even with the best packing techniques (and we do pack like overprotective chicken parents), shipping is still a risky ride for a developing embryo. Here's what those eggs face in transit:
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🚛 Vibration and jostling from trucks, conveyor belts, and sorting facilities
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❄️ Temperature swings inside warehouses and delivery vans
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🌀 Detached or ruptured air cells
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🧠 Internal trauma to the blastoderm—the microscopic starting point of life
If that blastoderm gets damaged? The embryo won’t develop. And here's the kicker: there's no visible way to tell once incubation starts.
Let’s Talk About the Blastoderm (a.k.a. Chick HQ)
The blastoderm is the tiny cluster of cells that, when fertilized, starts dividing and developing into a chick. But it’s delicate. If it's jolted, shaken, or stressed too hard in transit, that’s the end of the road—even if everything else looks fine.
And after you warm the egg up in an incubator, the blastoderm isn’t visible anymore. So when you break open a clear egg later and see a “normal” yolk, you’re not seeing the full story. It doesn’t mean the egg was bad. It means something happened along the way that stopped life before it could begin.
New to Hatching Shipped Eggs? Here’s What You Can Do
Shipping is unpredictable, but there are ways to improve your odds. Whether this is your first hatch or your fifth rodeo, here are our top tips to give your shipped eggs their best shot:
Step 1: The Unboxing—Handle with Care!
Your long-awaited eggs have arrived! Before you rip into that box like a kid at Christmas, slow down. Inspect the package for damage and take photos before opening—this will be important if you need to file a claim with the seller or shipping carrier.
Once you open the box, check each egg for cracks or detached air cells (we’ll get into that in a sec). If any eggs are damaged but the box was fine, contact the seller—they should have a replacement or refund policy.
Step 2: Rest & Recover—Eggs Need a Timeout!
Shipped eggs go through a rollercoaster ride of bumps and temperature swings, which can mess with air cells (the little pocket of air inside the egg that helps the chick breathe before hatching).
Here’s what to do:
✅ Let eggs sit, pointy end down, for 12-24 hours at room temperature before putting them in the incubator. This allows the air cells to stabilize.
✅ DO NOT wash the eggs! That natural bloom protects them from bacteria.
✅ Candle them to check for damage. Hold a bright flashlight to the eggshell to see if the air cell has detached (floating around instead of staying in place).
Pro Tip: If the air cell is detached, keep the egg upright in an egg carton inside the incubator for the first 7days instead of laying it on its side. This helps the air sac stabilize.
Step 3: The Incubation Station—Time to Set ‘Em Up!
Now that your eggs are rested and ready, it’s time to get your incubator game on point.
🌡 Temperature: 99.5°F (forced air) or 100°F (still air)
💧 Humidity: 40-50% for days 1-18, then bump to 65-70% for hatch time
🔄 Turning: For the first 7 days: we recommend NOT turning shipped eggs. This helps stabilize the air cells before movement begins.
Carton Method:
Instead of laying eggs flat, you can keep them in the carton (with the lid removed) and place the whole carton inside the incubator. This keeps the air cells stable and reduces handling.
How to turn using the carton method (after day 7):
🚨 Instead of rolling eggs, gently tilt the whole carton from side to side a few times a day. This provides enough movement without disturbing fragile air cells. Or you can slightly each egg in the egg carton from side to side.
Using an Automatic Turner?
If you have an automatic turner, you can place the eggs in it right away, but keep it completely horizontal for the first 7 days without turning them. After day 7, turn it on and let it do its thing (IF THE AIR CELLS HAVE STABLIZED)!
Step 4: Candling & Checking In
Candling eggs isn’t just for fun—it’s a crucial step to check development!
🔦 Day 7: Look for veins—this means the chick is growing!
🔦 Day 14: You should see a big, dark chick taking up most of the egg.
🔦 Day 18: Final candling before lockdown—make sure you have live chicks, not stink bombs (trust us, you do NOT want to open a rotten egg).
*A clear egg doesn’t automatically mean it was infertile. If the blastoderm was damaged during shipping, there may have been no chance for development. That’s not on you—and it’s not on the breeder either. Once eggs leave the breeder's hands, shipping conditions are beyond their control.
Step 5: Lockdown & Hatch Day—The Big Moment!
On day 18, it’s time for lockdown. This means:
🚫 No more turning!
💧 Increase humidity to 65-70%.
👀 Hands off—don’t open the incubator once pipping starts!
You’ll first see pipping (a tiny hole where the chick breaks through), then zipping (a crack forming all the way around the shell). The whole hatching process can take up to 24 hours—patience is key!
After hatching, leave chicks in the incubator until they’re fluffy and dry before moving them to the brooder.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is it normal for shipped eggs not to hatch?
A: Yes. Even fertile, healthy eggs can fail due to unseen shipping damage. That’s why expectations need to be adjusted for shipped egg hatching.
Q: Can I tell if an egg was fertile after it’s been in the incubator?
A: Nope. Not reliably. Once an egg has been warmed, the blastoderm becomes indistinguishable if no development occurred.
Q: Should I try again if my first hatch didn’t go well?
A: 100%. Use what you’ve learned, try a few tweaks, and don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re happy to help troubleshoot.
If you need help troubleshooting, reach out to us! We’re always happy to help fellow hatchers.
🐥 Final Cluckin’ Thoughts
Hatching shipped eggs isn’t just a project—it’s an emotional rollercoaster. It’s science, art, and a little bit of luck. The highs are high (hello, fluffy chicks!) and the lows can be heartbreaking. But if you go into it informed, prepared, and flexible? You’re already doing it right.
And remember: at Cluck It All Farms, we’re here to support you through every step of the hatch—whether you get a full brooder or a lesson in patience.
