Viability Matters

As stated in our Terms and Conditions, we cannot guarantee the viability or hatch rates of eggs once they are no longer in our possession. This is standard practice for most breeders who offer fertile eggs in Australia. However, we believe it is unfair for customers to bear the entire loss, particularly when mishandling during transit results in poor outcomes. We prioritize listening to our customers and offering guidance whenever genuine enquiries arise. Furthermore, we will take responsibility if clear evidence suggests that there may have been an issue with the eggs we provided. This commitment to accountability and customer satisfaction is paramount in our approach to offering fertile eggs, and we stand firmly by these principles.

Important Terms

• Fertility rate – This refers to “how fertile our eggs are.” It is determined by us through testing during our incubation process under controlled conditions.
  
• Viability rate – This indicates “how many fertile eggs became viable.” While eggs may be 100% fertile, not all develop embryos that become viable for various reasons such as shipping damage or incorrect incubation.
  
• Hatch rate – This measures “how many chicks hatched out.” Embryos develop during incubation, but not all of them hatch.

Due to the variability of factors involved, hatch rates can range from 0% to 100%. However, the realistic success rate typically falls between 40% and 85% for posted eggs. While we are delighted to have customers who achieve hatch rates of 90% to 100% with our eggs, these instances are rare strokes of luck. Eggs collected locally are expected to have a viability rate of over 85% upon initial candling if they were properly incubated.

Please inform us after first candling (Prior day 9th) if your viability rate is less than 50%. We are dedicated to addressing any genuine concerns promptly.

Please contact us Ideally *before day 9 of incubation via the order confirmation email (by replying) and provide the following details:

• Delivery date
• Start of incubation date
• Photo of the incubator or a broody hen
• Photo of the *independent thermometer/hygrometer inside or Coop & nest set up
• Details of non-viable eggs e.g. breed and how many

Additionally, please record videos of the following and send them through Facebook page:

Video 1: Candling eggs showing our egg stamp, including viable eggs. This will help us differentiate between viable and non-viable eggs and determine the reason for poor viability (e.g., shipping damage).

Video 2: Crack open all non-viable eggs on a plate, ensuring to show our egg stamp prior to cracking. This is to inspect the “Blastoderm,” or any signs of development.

Once we have received all the necessary details, we will process your claim and 50% of non viable egg value worth of store credit will be issued.

We kindly ask for your understanding that we are unable to assist if all the necessary details are not provided. Unfortunately, there have been cases among breeders where a small number of individuals have purchased eggs, claimed they were not fertile/viable, and requested replacements without providing any proof. In some instances, these individuals have even threatened breeders with negative reviews.

*The delivery date of the parcel from Australia Post and the start of incubation must be within 24 hours. We must be notified on or before the 10th day from the delivery date. For example, if the eggs were delivered on the 1st, we must be contacted no later than the 11th. We do not recommend “resting” eggs as per our hatching guide and cannot assume responsibility if the incubation process deviates from our guidelines. More info about “Resting egg”

*We do not trust any incubator without an independent thermometer and hygrometer, including our own. You can find more information on why we take this stance on here to read more.

While we can provide fertile eggs, we want to emphasize that we cannot guarantee their hatchability. The 21-day incubation period involves numerous variables beyond the breeder’s control. Consequently, we cannot assume responsibility for any losses or poor outcomes if we are not contacted within the specified initial time frame outlined above.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any further questions.

Related article
“Reasons why fertile eggs cannot be guaranteed.” We strongly advise reading this post before proceeding further.