Sellers:

Don't over extend your production capabilities. Keep your buyers informed as to payment received and the expected shipment date of the order. I print out every auction that I have when it closes and keep the sheet in a notebook with one divider. On the front half are orders pending. On the other side are orders needing to be shipped. When I place the sheet in the notebook, I write on it the date the auction closed and the date I e-mailed the customer. When I move the sheet to the other side, I mark it paid and the date payment was received. Last when I ship the order, I remove the sheet from the binder to another binder and mark the date the eggs are shipped. I then email the customer to let him know that the order is on its way. Sounds like a lot of work, but it really makes things easier to track.

Do not ship eggs older than 3 to 4 days. Most studies show after 7 days hatchability of eggs decreases sharply, and you have to add 2 days on the road by priority mail. Also try not to ship on Friday or Saturday as the order will get laid over on Sunday and can be exposed to unnecessary temperature fluxuations and rough handling. As sellers often we must be brutally honest with our customers as to delays in shipping, and buyers must be patient. It is better to receive fresh eggs in a week than stale, stockpiled eggs in two to three days.

Use the guidelines Tim has for shipping eggs. It works. I have shipped close to 1000 eggs this year alone with only about 36 broken. Don't be lazy or sloppy in prepping eggs for shipment. If you think the box is too small for that order, it probably is. Get a bigger box to accommodate the eggs and proper packing material.

Practice good poultry management skills. An egg covered in manure is unsightly and a health risk. Good nest boxes with clean bedding should ensure clean eggs. A blood streak on the shell of the egg is sometimes unavoidable and quite normal.

Buyers:

1. Expect a little soiling on eggs. Slight flecks of feces, or blood on the egg means that your eggs were not washed, and washed eggs don't hatch well.
2. If you are buying eggs and having them shipped in hopes of selling the chicks at a profit, Don't. It is a fool's gamble. You should be ordering eggs with the full intent on raising breeding stock for next season. I usually get a dozen eggs, hoping for a trio, settling on a pair or two pairs.
3. Not all eggs sent through the mail will develop. This does not mean that they are not fertile, but the stress of travel will take its toll on hatchability.
4. Have your incubator ready and running at incubating temperatures before the eggs arrive. This will ensure that you don't have mechanical problems.
5. Upon receiving your eggs, let them set at room temperature or 60 degrees for 6 to 12 hours. This is called settling the eggs from the vibrations of vehicle travel.
6. Eggs need to be turned 3 to 5 times a day while incubating and turned until three days from hatching.
7. Temperature MUST be according to the species incubated, and always check your thermometer with a second one for accurate readings.
8. Humidity is also crucial in incubation. Both temperature and humidity guidelines will be stated in your incubator manual and should be adhered to religiously.