Want to know what to expect when purchasing shipped hatching eggs??..... Read our article in Mother Earth News! http://www.motherearthnews.com/Happy-Homesteader/Shipped-Hatching-Eggs.aspx ~Your hatching eggs will be packed with the utmost care and delivered 2-3 day USPS Priority Mail safely to you. USPS Express shipping is available upon request for an additional charge. Currently USPS is the only shipping company we use. Our shipping procedures have been very successful and in most case all eggs arrive intact and in good shape for hatching. ~Seldom but occassionally, regardless of how carefully your eggs are packed, packages are mishandled and delicate eggs arrive broken. We always try to include an extra egg or two to compensate for the possibility of breakage....Please contact us when your hatching eggs arrive with any concerns you may have.... we truly want you to have a pleasant experience, hatch some beautiful chicks and form a long term relationship with us!     USPS PRIORITY shipping charges per box $8.95 for less than 1 dozen   $10.95 for 1 dozen   $12.95 for more than 1 dozen         USPS EXPRESS 1-2 day shipping per box   (delivery guaranteed in 1-2 days depending on your location)   $28.95 for less than 1 dozen   $33.95 for 1 dozen $37.95 for more than 1 dozen     24 eggs is the maximum quantity shipped per box... ***orders over 24 will ship in a separate box***     ~ We currently ship only to the lower 48 states and Alaska~                IMPORTANT!!!     ALLOW YOUR HATCHING EGGS TO REST UPON ARRIVAL.   When your hatching eggs arrive, they should be unwrapped, placed pointy end down in the carton they arrived in and stored at room temperature for twelve to twenty four hours without movement, before being placed in your preheated incubator..... This will allow the air cell to stabalize and greatly improve your odds of success..... If your eggs must be stored for more than the 24 hours period,  you can extend their shelf life by keeping them at a cool 45-55 degrees and turning them 3 times daily until incubation begins..... Ideally, fertile hatching eggs should be incubated in less than 10 days for maximum results. ~Our rooster to hen ratio is a minimum of 1/7 in each coop . . . hatching egg fertility is checked daily by manually cracking eggs and locating the blasdoderm (The germinal membrane in an ovum, from which the embryo is developed. With practice this is easily located). Warning!!! Purchasing shipped fertile hatching eggs is a risk!   Gabbard Farms in no way guarantees your hatching egg success .   There are many variables involved with the success or failure of your incubation experience....Unsuccessful hatches can and do happen...   Some of the possible causes of unsuccessful hatches are: Damage from mishandled packages in shipping Exposure of the eggs to extreme temperature/pressure/x-ray Inexperience with incubation/failure to prepare/improper technique Faulty incubators Incorrect incubator temperatures Incorrect incubator humidity levels Improper storage of eggs (not allowing your eggs to rest before putting them into the incubator) Improper cleaning of the incubator prior to starting incubation (this may allow bacteria to form and contaminate your eggs) ~Please remember that you are not paying for chicks.You are paying for fresh, fertile eggs that arrive safely. ~Hatch rates are lower on shipped eggs in general but, shipped eggs ARE hatched successfully everyday!  ************ Please note: Average hatch rates for shipped hatching eggs are around 45-50% ~These are only averages~ ************ ~All of these things are generally understood by seasoned buyers of hatching eggs.   ~ We do not want you to be disappointed in any way with your purchase. It helps to understand what to reasonably expect and accept the fact that from time to time hatches are unsuccessful..... even for the experienced... .. ~Please educate yourself prior to purchasing your first hatching eggs....     Many many people have great success incubating shipped hatching eggs every day!   With simple preparation you can have a wonderful and exciting experience hatching your own fertile eggs.......  We hope your hatch is very successful!