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

[TonysChickens]

So it seems to me that trader joe's fertile hatching eggs have the best fertility. I have 2 dozen rock island fertile eggs from Lucky and guess what, none of them are fertile. For a comparison, I have half a dozen eggs from the farmers market that keeps roosters with the flock, 5 of the 6 are developing. I guess I will have to go back to trader joes for eggs next time. I actually had 5 hatch out of 7 that made it to lockdown.

 

[debs_flock]

WHOA WHOA WAIT! HOLD ON! You can incubate store bought eggs? Like the ones that are frozen? I thought freezing them killed them! Someone please explain this to me my mind is blown

They don't freeze eggs in the grocery store. As said above, only refridgerate them. I tried this once before and hatched 8 out of the 12.

Another poster on here named her four from Trader Joes, TJ & the Josies. She got a roo and 3 hens, the girl didn't need separate names as they are identical when grown.

Very cute chicks, congratulations.

I can't post a picture of them grown, I sold them all as chicks to someone that wanted white egg layers.

Deb

 

[Ally Rose]

Yes i mean refrigerate, but i thought that killed them. So can you just buy a dozen eggs from any old grocery store and hatch them? Of course, they would have to be fertile. But i know some eating eggs are. I really want to try this!

 

[debs_flock]

Yes i mean refrigerate, but i thought that killed them. So can you just buy a dozen eggs from any old grocery store and hatch them? Of course, they would have to be fertile. But i know some eating eggs are. I really want to try this!

Your best bet is if you can find eggs that are clearly marked "fertile". They sell them here in CA at both Trader Joes (white) and Whole Foods (brown).

Here is one of the chicks I hatched.


I also went to a local food co-op. They sell local eggs. I found the freshest carton that had eggs in it I wanted to try. The carton I bought had some very dark eggs that I assumed were Marans. It was only marked "cage-free", so I hoped they had a rooster running with their girls. I did get one of the Marans eggs to hatch, it turned out to be a purebred BCM cockerel.

Your next best bet is to buy eating eggs at a farmer's market. You can ask them if they have a rooster.

It's all just a fun experiment with a dozen eggs that will only cost you a few dollars. With the chilled eggs, just let them come up to room termperature for several hours and then put them in your incubator.

Good luck!

Deb

 

[itsredcandy]

So sad. I have been candling my eggs every 2 days and there has been no change in 11 of 12. I took one and broke it open today, nothing. Just a normal looking yolk and egg (other than the yolk broke and the white spread thin. I am going to go get mama a few chicks and tuck under her.

 

[Nelson-90]

OK i have roosters and i can have fertelized eggs anytime but i just got to get one of those dozens and put them under on of my broody hens and see what happens just out of curiosity you now what i mean

 

[WyoChickenMamma]

Well I gave mine about 10 days in the incubator and none ever showed any growth. Bummer...I probably cracked open the only fertile one. Fun experiment anyway. Good luck everyone!!!

 

[cluck-cluck]

Congrats Cluck!!! Wow if anyone was interested in White leghorns this definately has to be the cheapest and most fun way to hatch em!

 

We've been holding them and having them eat out of our hands and petting them. They've already gotten quite used to us! They are now about a week old, and feathers are coming in on their wings. It's so cute to watch them hop n fly (almost)! I've found the best way to hold them so that they are calm and relaxed in our lap is to take at least two at a time. They feel more secure when they have a sibling with them. They were at their happiest when we took all of them out together! If I had 3 out of the 5 out, the two left behind would start crying until they could come out and join us!. I figure we must be doing something right because when we put them back in the brooder, open our hands to free them, they usually hang out on our hands, smelling? Us or the ones I hold love to peck at my shiny ring! Too cute! I'm seriously hoping they will be loving pets when they grow up!

 

[Ally Rose]

oh so they only sell them in CA?

 

[itsredcandy]

oh so they only sell them in CA?

I live in Arizona and they have them here. Mine didn't develop though.