Eggs in Transit

Jack Prescott
(Internet Published) July 2000

Wednesday 31, May 2,000-- I collected four tippler eggs, newly laid, from my learned friend Martyn Lewis of Gleadless, Sheffield. they were from 2 of his breeding pairs of his version of the Gordon Hughes strain. I instantly packed them firmly, Sandwiched between layers of the Latex upholstery foam--for shock absorbing. the eggs were spaced out in recesses cut into the layers of the foam slices. Rather thick slices!

At a request from Joe Russo -- who is a friend of mine-- I mailed this here egg sandwich packed into a strong cardboard box to Mr. Bob Adams of Bohemia New York. Joe Russo is from West Babylon, New York.

On Wednesday 7 June, 2000--at noon, I mailed 6 of my own tumbler eggs collected from 3 pairs and stored in my fridge at 42 deg F for a few days, awaiting notice from my learned friend Nassi Jafari of East Ham London. His phone call, was to say that he had 3 pairs of Tipplers ready to start incubating. I packed these 6 eggs in precisely the same way and caught the noon mail collection expecting these to arrive at Nassi's address the following morning. I've done this before and within the U.K. with success.

The only other overseas egg capers, were (1) to Poland 1995 but the eggs got smashed in transit. The other attempt was to an American who didn't bother to notify me of the results or indeed whether he actually got the eggs.

I will now give details of the results as I received them.

Saturday 10th June, 2000--I had a phone call from Nassi, telling me that the eggs had not yet arrived. This was a disappointment and I can't understand the delay.

On 12th June, Monday 8:AM I received a letter from Bob Adams mailed 6th June to tell me that the 4 eggs had arrived safely on Monday 5th and that he had them under suitable foster pairs. Now 5 days is not bad-- Sheffield to New York and I reckon that bob is in with a chance.

Young Martyn Lewis gave me a paper with the pedigrees of these eggs and I know that these potential young ones are the real stuff selectively bred and flown continuously since the original stock came directly from the great Gordon Hughes about 18 years ago, I do believe. In fact they were the last of Gordon's Birds. Brian White fetched them from Derby into Sheffield. Then Brian White and Martyn Lewis kept these forsaking all others.

Monday 17th June 9 PM -- I had a hone call from Nassi Jafari to say that the 6 years had arrived that morning--also all intact and placed under 3 pairs of his own tipplers. Well, at least, my packaging seems good, so now I must wait for 4 days for Nassi to test the 6 eggs.

Perhaps novices would like to know how to test such eggs? When eggs have been incubated for 4 days, I take each egg and hold it up in front of a strong light. If the egg is fertile a distinct "blob" can be seen floating within the egg. That's the embryo. Otherwise the egg is clear as though the egg is filled with water and it's no use wasting time incubating such eggs. I always remove them and the pair will produce another clutch of eggs in about 10 days. by removing eggs during the incubation cycle, I could always plan a fixed date for an issue of eggs. The tolerances could often be made up by keeping eggs in the fridge at 42 deg F awaiting the call for delivery. As I've said above I've mailed eggs before within England with success but that was years ago and when we had an excellent mail service. But like many things in England, "it's gone to pot" and occasionally even a city letter can take 4 days even with a first class stamp.

Don't we all need a little luck?? I reckon that minimum incubation time is 16 days and after about 24 days the pair may forsake the eggs. So we have an 8 day tolerance, OK?

Friday 23 June, 2000-- I had news that not any of the eggs to London or U.S.A. were fertile. So a complete failure. The five days in transit in temperatures exceeding 50 deg F and percussion, must have been lethal to the early embryos.

I believe that if such eggs can be mailed and packed as described and arrive at destination or the next day they stand a good chance of hatching under suitable foster parents. In early times "FRAGILE" used to mean take extra care and the mail, rail, and transport people were rather more conscientious.

Jack Prescott