When ordering hatching eggs from us, you agree to the policies listed below. 

Shipping:

All eggs are shipped Priority Flat Rate. If you wish to set up different shipping please contact us before ordering.  If you wish to combine two Half dozens, please contact us so we don't overcharge you for shipping. We can ship USPS Express (you will have to check pricing form zip code 83462), Fed Ex or USPS if you prefer, but you are responsible for the additional shipping fees. 

Refund Policy:

We do everything we can to ensure your eggs are delivered swiftly and safely. However, sometimes unforeseen circumstances occur that are beyond our control. If any issues arise during shipping, we will collaborate with you to either reimburse or replace your eggs. Please note, our hatching eggs must be held at the post office, and you are required to pick them up within 3 hours of availability. For refund or replacement consideration under our refund policy, you must provide photographic evidence of damaged eggs within one hour of pickup from the post office. As an additional measure, we typically include extra eggs with orders. If you receive extra eggs and some arrive damaged, refunds or replacements will only be provided for the number of eggs you originally ordered and paid for. Once your eggs arrive safely, we do not offer guarantees or replacements, as our eggs are collected multiple times daily and stored under optimal conditions, ensuring you receive the freshest eggs possible. If the postal service performs well and you have a reliable incubator, you should achieve a successful hatch!

Cancellation Policy:

Please be aware that we do not accommodate cancellations once an order is placed. If extenuating circumstances arise and you absolutely must cancel, we will adhere to the industry standard, refund your order, and place you on a “Do Not Sell” list. We reserve the right to refuse service and/or cancel orders if someone is unkind or if an order appears suspicious.

Communications:

We strive to be available for our customers, but as we operate a working ranch, our time and bandwidth are limited. We appreciate your patience as we communicate with you and respond as our schedule permits.

We are not a high-production hatchery; rather, we are a small ranch operated by two individuals with small breeding flocks to ensure high-quality poultry. This is our passion, and we want to share it with you! Laying patterns and availability may vary due to weather and other factors beyond our control, but we do our best. We make no guarantees on fertile hatching eggs once they leave our hands. We will not issue refunds due to poor hatch rates or no hatch. Eggs are inherently a risk; by placing an egg order, you accept this responsibility. If your eggs arrive damaged, please take a photo and notify us immediately so we can initiate a claim with the post office. We are committed to working with you in such cases, but these situations will be handled on a case-by-case basis. While we have never encountered this issue, we are open to finding solutions!

Hatching Tips for Shipped Eggs:

· Set up your incubator 24 hours prior to the arrival of your eggs to ensure that temperatures and humidity levels are correct: 99.5 Fahrenheit and 40-45% humidity.

· Upon arrival, carefully remove the packaging and place the eggs back into the egg carton, pointy side down, for 24 hours.

· Position them upright in the incubator without turning for the first 7 days, then either continue to incubate upright or turn them once daily.

· On day 19, you may increase humidity to 60%, but this is often unnecessary as the humidity will rise quickly when the first chick hatches.

· If you opt to candle your eggs, it is best to check on day 10 and/or day 19 when you place them in lockdown. Candling dark eggs can be challenging, but if you can see a defined air cell, trust that it will hatch.

Why the elevation where your hatching eggs originate matters

At Medicine Springs Ranch, our breeding flocks live and reproduce at approximately 5,500 feet above sea level in the Rocky Mountains. Over generations, our birds have been raised and selected in this high-altitude environment.

But why does elevation matter when purchasing hatching eggs?

The answer involves oxygen, moisture loss, and the remarkable way an eggshell supports a developing chick.

As elevation increases, atmospheric pressure and available oxygen decrease. These changes can affect how a developing embryo exchanges oxygen, carbon dioxide, and moisture through the eggshell.

Although eggshells appear solid, they contain thousands of microscopic pores that allow gases and water vapor to pass through. The size, number, and arrangement of these pores influence how an egg develops during incubation.

At higher elevations, eggs may lose moisture differently, and developing embryos have less oxygen available than they would at sea level.

This means eggs produced at one elevation may require different incubation conditions when hatched at another.

Research has demonstrated that some chicken populations can develop adaptations that improve reproduction and hatchability at higher elevations.

One study, The Influence of High Altitude on the Hatching of Chicken Eggs, by E. L. Besch, A. H. Smith, and R. R. Burton, described improved hatchability over successive generations in a high-altitude population of White Leghorn chickens.

Other research has examined how eggshell pore characteristics can vary in response to environmental conditions, including altitude.

At Medicine Springs Ranch, we value the experience gained from raising and breeding our flocks at 5,500 feet. While this does not guarantee higher hatch rates, it is one of the characteristics that distinguishes our breeding environment.

Eggs produced at lower elevations and incubated at higher elevations

These eggs may experience increased moisture loss and reduced oxygen availability. Depending on the eggs and incubator, adjustments to humidity and ventilation may be necessary.

Eggs produced and incubated at similar elevations

These eggs may be better suited to the local environmental conditions, although proper incubation management remains essential.

Eggs produced at higher elevations and incubated at lower elevations

These eggs can also hatch successfully. However, their moisture-loss characteristics may differ, so humidity should be monitored and adjusted when necessary.

Regardless of where your eggs originate, successful incubation depends on several important factors:

• Temperature: Maintain a stable incubation temperature appropriate for your incubator.
• Humidity: Monitor moisture loss rather than relying solely on a fixed humidity setting.
• Ventilation: Ensure developing embryos receive adequate oxygen.
• Egg handling: Allow shipped eggs to settle according to the instructions provided.
• Monitoring: Check air-cell development or egg weight loss throughout incubation.

For chicken eggs, a commonly used guideline is approximately 11–13% weight loss by day 18, although the appropriate target can vary with the eggs and incubation conditions.

We recommend using our Hatching Tips and an air-cell chart to help evaluate your eggs during incubation.

Our flocks have been raised and selectively bred in the Rocky Mountains, where high-altitude conditions are part of everyday life.

We believe understanding the environment in which hatching eggs are produced is an important part of responsible breeding and successful incubation.

Our goal is to provide carefully managed, high-quality hatching eggs while helping customers understand how to give them the best possible start—whether they're hatching in the mountains or at sea level.

• Besch, E. L., Smith, A. H., and Burton, R. R. — The Influence of High Altitude on the Hatching of Chicken Eggs
• Rahn et al. (1977) — Reduction of Pore Area of the Avian Eggshell as an Adaptation to Altitude
• D. C. Deeming — Nests, Birds and Incubators
• Brinsea: Humidity in Incubation