Trader Joes & Other Grocery Store Egg Hatching Club - Are you a Member

[SpringPeeper]

Okay peeps, I noticed that about a year ago there were quite a few people getting eggs from the Redding, CA area. I'm curious how the hens are producing now that a year has passed, and which store had the best hatch rate? Winco, Trader Joe's? I'm in Yreka, CA and tried Raley's Rock Island eggs last year, with only a few that started to develop, and zero that hatched. I'm hoping to get a good group of layers this year out of whatever I can hatch. I'm willing to go as far south as Redding, and as far north as Medford to get eggs, so anyone along that route, chime in please!

I got Chico TJ eggs and had a fantastic hatch rate. I lent my incubator to my sister in Redding, and the TJ eggs she got there had an abysmal hatch rate (1 egg- but maybe it was just a bad carton). She tried some Winco fertile eggs and had decent hatch rates. Those birds are all still quite young so I can't speak for sustained laying. I am assuming, as fantastic as my young hens are laying, they will burn out pretty young. Being super-producers is just not something sustainable, it takes a lot out of a bird.

 

[Kaylish]

Okay peeps, I noticed that about a year ago there were quite a few people getting eggs from the Redding, CA area. I'm curious how the hens are producing now that a year has passed, and which store had the best hatch rate? Winco, Trader Joe's? I'm in Yreka, CA and tried Raley's Rock Island eggs last year, with only a few that started to develop, and zero that hatched. I'm hoping to get a good group of layers this year out of whatever I can hatch. I'm willing to go as far south as Redding, and as far north as Medford to get eggs, so anyone along that route, chime in please!

I got Chico TJ eggs and had a fantastic hatch rate. I lent my incubator to my sister in Redding, and the TJ eggs she got there had an abysmal hatch rate (1 egg- but maybe it was just a bad carton). She tried some Winco fertile eggs and had decent hatch rates. Those birds are all still quite young so I can't speak for sustained laying. I am assuming, as fantastic as my young hens are laying, they will burn out pretty young. Being super-producers is just not something sustainable, it takes a lot out of a bird. 

I got mine at the Chico Trader Joe's also. The eggs were 5 days old when set and I hatched 11 out of 12. Age and shipping route are probably factors you could look into fairly easily when looking for eggs.

 

[luckysaysgo]

Okay peeps, I noticed that about a year ago there were quite a few people getting eggs from the Redding, CA area. I'm curious how the hens are producing now that a year has passed, and which store had the best hatch rate? Winco, Trader Joe's? I'm in Yreka, CA and tried Raley's Rock Island eggs last year, with only a few that started to develop, and zero that hatched. I'm hoping to get a good group of layers this year out of whatever I can hatch. I'm willing to go as far south as Redding, and as far north as Medford to get eggs, so anyone along that route, chime in please!

I have had really good luck with both Tj and Winco in redding. The Tj ones are great because it's so easy to see the development through the white shell. If you call ahead they will pull cartons and save them for you. I couldn't find any fertile eggs in medford. I think it's an Oregon thing.

 

[Peep_Show]

just did stats on the coop occupants

TeJae -- the TJ pullet -- has been laying for 22 days and has produced in that time 20 eggs. All since the third egg have been in the Large category.

Yep, she's my BEST layer!

 

[ronott1]

just did stats on the coop occupants

TeJae -- the TJ pullet -- has been laying for 22 days and has produced in that time 20 eggs. All since the third egg have been in the Large category.

Yep, she's my BEST layer!

Do you have one of them?

 

[Peep_Show]

Yes. TeJae hatched from a TJ's egg last September. She is outperforming my RSL's who also have just started laying.

Unfortunately, I do not have any of the 26 TJ chicks I hatched out this year. I thought I'd keep some, but the conglomerate of all of them (noise, maintenance) was just too much and I took them off to the poultry swap. Didn't think many would sell as they were all of about 4 weeks old at the time, but within 3 minutes of my tailgate going up they were all spoken for and gone!

Ron, aren't yours ready to lay about now? Got eggs?

 

[ronott1]

Yes. TeJae hatched from a TJ's egg last September. She is outperforming my RSL's who also have just started laying.

Unfortunately, I do not have any of the 26 TJ chicks I hatched out this year. I thought I'd keep some, but the conglomerate of all of them (noise, maintenance) was just too much and I took them off to the poultry swap. Didn't think many would sell as they were all of about 4 weeks old at the time, but within 3 minutes of my tailgate going up they were all spoken for and gone!

Ron, aren't yours ready to lay about now? Got eggs?

Mine are about 11 weeks old, so not quite yet.

I can't wait though! I built them a brooder because I did not have enough space. They are nice chickens too. Not like the leghorns that hatched a couple of years ago.

 

[MisfitMarie]

I went to Reno, Nevada for a little birthday/college graduation celebration and came back with fertile eating eggs. I haven't been able to find them anywhere in my area (not at Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Fred Meyer, or a bunch of others)...so I was thrilled after finding them on my vacation. I have wanted so badly to try out this little experiment:




Three varieties: Jumbo, Large, and Extra Large.

Incubator is stacked right now, with the turner disabled. I am manually shifting the incubator after three days until I can toss out most of the eggs that aren't developing (if any develop at all):



Picked the freshest that could be found... although, they are still between one and two weeks old.

Keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[Sustained]

I went to Reno, Nevada for a little birthday/college graduation celebration and came back with fertile eating eggs. I haven't been able to find them anywhere in my area (not at Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Fred Meyer, or a bunch of others)...so I was thrilled after finding them on my vacation. I have wanted so badly to try out this little experiment: Three varieties: Jumbo, Large, and Extra Large. Incubator is stacked right now, with the turner disabled. I am manually shifting the incubator after three days until I can toss out most of the eggs that aren't developing (if any develop at all): Picked the freshest that could be found... although, they are still between one and two weeks old. Keeping my fingers crossed!

I've been wanting to try this experiment as well! I've looked everywhere in my area and always wander past the eggs in stores when I'm out of town just to see if maybe...! Congratulations on your find! I'm curious how your hatch will go. And envious!

 

[MisfitMarie]

ACTUAL CONVERSATION:

STORE CLERK: ----- at Safeway, how can I help you?
ME: Hi! I've been looking for fertile chicken eggs for eating. It should say 'fertile' or 'fertilized across the top of the box and be with the rest of the refrigerated eggs. Do you carry them?
STORE CLERK: I'm sorry, did you say civilized chicken eggs?
ME: No, um, fertilized. As in fertile chicken eggs.
STORE CLERK: Hang on, let me check.
ME: K...
STORE CLERK: 'Mam?
ME: Yes?
STORE CLERK: I'm sorry. I looked for you, but we do not carry any civilized chicken eggs.
ME: .....