# Can I mail eggs?



## Suzyq2u (May 17, 2010)

I have a friend who wants fresh eggs to cook with-- our eggs.
Can I mail them? That is, is it legal to do so. Or just send him elsewhere. 
I know they'll stay fresh and likely make it intact if packaged correctly. 
I can't seem to find any info on it.
We're licensed if that makes any difference.


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## CesumPec (May 20, 2011)

Doing that could upset the natural order of things. Then we would have to ask which came first, the mailman or the egg.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Google says you can... Let us know how that works out...


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## Suzyq2u (May 17, 2010)

I had a friend in California get a lightbulb to me in Germany in one piece in just a padded envelope - crazier things have happened!! LOL


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

People mail eggs all of the time.
When they find out the cost of mailing eggs they might change their mind.


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## foaly (Jan 14, 2008)

You can use me as a test subject if needed.


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## Sparkie (Aug 16, 2012)

We sold hatching eggs for a few years. We sent them priority mail or ups. You can wrap each egg in bubble wrap and pack them in a box stuffed with newspaper, works great.

I agree the shipping cost is most likely going to be prohibitive.


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## sunflower-n-ks (Aug 7, 2006)

Suzyq2u said:


> I have a friend who wants fresh eggs to cook with-- our eggs.
> Can I mail them? That is, is it legal to do so. Or just send him elsewhere.
> I know they'll stay fresh and likely make it intact if packaged correctly.
> I can't seem to find any info on it.
> We're licensed if that makes any difference.


Check out how much it will cost to mail them. Put eggs and packing suppies in the right size box and have the post office tell you how much it will cost. If he still wants the eggs and is willing go pay the postage, then procede.

probably no one will know what is in the box except you and your friend. If you want to know for sure if it is legal, ask the people where you get your license if it is ok.

If temperature is an issue (keeping them at 40 degrees) use an icepack or whatever to keep them cool.

He must want YOUR eggs really bad go be willing to pay the postage or the price of eggs there is a LOT more that here. The price of farm fresh eggs here is so low it would not even pay for the chicken feed.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

I've mailed hatching eggs and received them. No problem there, but it costs about $15 per dozen to mail them (last year), so you may want to rethink that. You don't have to package quite as carefully for eating as for hatching - a hatching eggs needs to have its air cell intact and not be bounced too much to hatch - but still... there's probably a cheaper solution for your friend.


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## LonelyNorthwind (Mar 6, 2010)

The camping section at the hardware store sells hard plastic egg containers that snap shut and hold the eggs firm. I mail them from Alaska to my sis in California and she just returns the cartons when sending goodies to me. works perfect


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## Speckle Rooster (Nov 3, 2012)

By Shelley Davis 
First off I will say that this is the way I ship eggs. This is MY OPINION, not the all-inclusive, 'my way or the highway' version of shipping. Many people have their own method for shipping, some work better than others. This is the the method I have found that is the least cost-prohibitive and the most successful.



I will list my method step-by-step, so anyone not familiar with sending or receiving hatching eggs can learn. Please, if you use a different method of shipping/packing, CREATE YOUR OWN DOC. Thank you 



Key tips to remember: 

Make sure your eggs cannot contact anything hard, like another egg or the sides of the box. This lowers the chances of cracks or breaks
Make sure your eggs cannot move inside the box or carton. This lowers the chances of cracks, breaks, and damaged air cells
Make sure your box is big enough to allow for sufficient padding. At least 1" on all sides
Don't use flat rate! 


Step one: choosing your box.

I ship eggs quite often, though not quite as much as I used to. Therefore, I order Priority Mail boxes directly from the USPS website. The boxes I've used are the #4, the #7, and the Regional Rate 'A' and 'B' boxes. The ones most often used are the #4 and the RR 'A'. The boxes are free, you can order as few as 10 or as many as you need (in 10- or 25-ct. increments). 
If you do not order Priority Mail boxes and don't have any 'old ones' laying around from egg shipments you've received, simply go to your local grocery or department store and find an appropriate-sized box. They just discard them, and are usually happy to share. Just remember, the bigger the box, the more filler you'll need, so keep that in mind
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, USE A PRIORITY MAIL FLAT-RATE BOX! For one, they are not as big as other boxes offered by the USPS (large flat-rate box is 12"x12"x5" where the #7 is 12"x12"x8") and they almost always cost more to send than shipping at the 'regular' priority rate. 


Step two: wrapping your eggs

I use egg cartons, plain and simple. When I first started receiving eggs for hatching through the US mail, I would cringe every time I opened a box and saw an egg carton. That's because, out of all methods I had experienced, eggs shipped in cartons almost always had damage. Over the years, I have come to realize why. It seems that most people think that egg cartons are enough protection for eggs. In some cases, this may be true. But remember that an egg carton purchased holding a dozen 'Large' eggs probably won't seat your bantam eggs so well. Also, eggs from egg producers are generally uniform in size, making the cartons 'one size fits one' as far as the egg size goes. So your interpretation of a 'large' egg might not be the same as a 'large' egg that the carton was designed for. So just remember, even if you use an egg carton, the eggs need PADDING. 
For 6+ eggs, I use 1/2 of an 18-count egg carton. Usually, I send 7-9 eggs on a 6+ order. I wrap each of the eggs in some kind of paper--toilet, newspaper, paper towel, etc--and put one egg per cup in the carton. Wrapping each egg individually helps keep them from moving; movement is BAD in shipped eggs! 
Fold the bottom (pointy end) of the paper over the side of the egg; this will help the keep the egg from rocking in the cup. Leave the top of the paper 'open' and standing up. 
Once each egg is wrapped so that it doesn't move inside the cup, I close the carton and check to make sure that the 'top' of the paper is high enough so it gets smushed down by the carton top. This keeps the egg in the cup, limiting the upward movement of the egg in case the box gets turned upside down. I usually turn the carton over and look to see if the eggs can move. If they can, add a bit more crumpled paper on top of the eggs inside the carton. Use crumpled paper so it takes up more space (i.e.--uses less paper). 
After you have securely packed your eggs in the carton, use a strong tape to secure the carton. 


Step three: Packing your box

to ensure the safety of your eggs, you want to make sure they have sufficient padding. Again, this it to keep them from moving inside the box, but also to cushion them from impact
fill the bottom of the box with shredded or crumpled paper (I do not recommend using 'packing peanuts' or the large 'bubbles', they can't be packed very tight and allow too much movement). 
After you fill the bottom of the box with paper, place your carton inside. Place more paper around all 4 sides of the carton, making sure not to pack too tight. Tight packing is much the same as the eggs touching the sides--doesn't give much padding. 
After padding around your carton, fill the remainder of the box with paper. Again, don't pack too tightly, you want some room for 'cushion'. 
Seal up the box with tape, apply your label (or write the name and address of the receiver on the box), apply postage, and send them on their wa


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## jefferson (Nov 11, 2004)

Yes!!! You can mail most anything now days. But they may arrive scrambled (pun intended). There is always UPS (untied punch and smash)


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## Bettacreek (May 19, 2012)

If you want to ship legally, you have to have your flock tested. Google the NPIP (National Poultry Improvement Program) certification.


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## Marshloft (Mar 24, 2008)

Go to eggbid.com That should answer your question.
GH


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

Shipping legally across state lines, you need to be NPIP certified. Shipping into a couple of states and you also need to be AI (avian influenza) certified. Inside your own state, not crossing state lines, you might be OK, but a few states do require NPIP even within their own borders.

The post office doesn't care as long as the eggs don't break and leak all over.


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