Flying Eggs !!

[jllvehdist]

Sorry about the heading but I thought it may catch people’s attention.

I joined the forum a few weeks ago and have enjoyed reading the topics.

My next question is: Has anyone taken fertile eggs on a plane? I live in Northern Cyprus and asked the forum for suggestions of what chickens to keep as all the one on the island look if they have just come out of a battery farm.

I got replies of Rhode Island Reds and Longhorns. I’m back in the UK until the 6th of March and my “Idea” mad or not is to take some fertile eggs back with me.

Now I know I cant put them in my suitcase as they would freeze, but I asked Security at Gatwick if I could take eggs in hand luggage and was told OK as long as not a excessive amount.

The question is…. Has anyone done it???

I thought if I purchase them the day before I go back and get my wife to switch on the incubator for my return it may work.

Any thoughts.

Cheers Dave L.

 

[rick]

You know, that's a fascinating challenge! Just taking from what I gather as I haven't hatched any myself but,
I think pressure changes might be the biggest problem, and temp control and air supply!
Would the local chickens look better if they were raised with better condition than strictly utility?

 

[KittyKat]

I'm not sure why you think that eggs in the hold would freeze… fishkeepers regularly carry live tropical fish and corals in checked luggage (which is legal if the originating and destination country is within the EU) without problem. I've done this myself back when we lived in Germany and had a 100% success rate. Apart from being tossed about, checked luggage should be cooler which is a better condition for the eggs.

I can highly recommend Chalkhill Poultry for shipped eggs (to you in UK). Their utility RIR should be ready now based on my conversation with them a couple of weeks ago and their utility white Leghorns had a fertility of at least 9/12 in my incubator (there were two that I wasn't sure about, I've also got 11/12 cream Legbars and 10/11 Sussex developing well). If you go for them, give them a call and be persistent: they're not always in the office!

 

[rick]

If fish survive the pressure change, which must be less regulated in the hold, then maybe its not such a problem. That X-ray machine kicks out some power. I wouldn't want to go through it myself!

 

[Marigold]

I can highly recommend Chalkhill Poultry for shipped eggs (to you in UK). Their utility RIR should be ready now based on my conversation with them a couple of weeks ago and their utility white Leghorns had a fertility of at least 9/12 in my incubator (there were two that I wasn't sure about, I've also got 11/12 cream Legbars and 10/11 Sussex developing well). If you go for them, give them a call and be persistent: they're not always in the office!

Entirely agree about Chalk Hill Poultry, I have been getting birds from them for years and would never go anywhere else. I haven't had any hatching eggs but the quality of their chicks and pullets is really good and the conditions the birds are kept in are excellent, so the parent birds should be strong and fertile.

 

[chrismahon]

I have taken eggs through airport security in hand luggage without any problems, but the eggs were for eating. I don't know what effect on the embryo the radiation will have? Next time I travel back from the UK I will be asking if eggs can miss the machine and stay with me through the metal detector. All the eggs brought by breeders down here from the UK travel by road and perhaps there is a reason for that?

 

[rick]

Quail eggs have been taken into orbit and hatched on the ISS. Unfortunately zero G doesn't suit them very well at all, poor little things.

 

[MrsBiscuit]

Fascinating topic - you must let us know if you do travel with the eggs and what happens

Chris - forgive me being nosy, but did anybody ask you why you were travelling with eggs in your hand luggage? And if they didn't, can I ask

 

[jllvehdist]

I really want to thank everyone for the replies.

Anymore advice welcomed.

Cheers

Dave L

 

[chrismahon]

MrsBiscuit- I take eggs back to England for friends to eat every trip. Usually take a dozen in two boxes of six and all put in a sealed bag in case they get broken. Our neighbour does the same. Nobody in security has ever queried it.