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

[chick4chix]

Hmmmmm, so the WF eggs aren't really doing anything that's terribly visible.. I know they're dark brown, but really? Our box for candling is really bright and I'm just not seeing anything. Not gone to TJs yet. Patience isn't my virtue.... just someones.

THis is good to know- I was tempted to go get brown egg layer fertile eggs too. Now that won't be a temptation- especially since my TJ eggs are doing so well!

Whole Foods fertile eggs are notorious for being - well... not fertile. If you were to go back through the 500+ posts on this thread, you would find that many (most) who have tried WF eggs have had the same results. Bear in mind that as long as there is a rooster in with the chickens, they can claim their eggs are fertile. Doesn't matter if there is only one roo for every 500 chickens. Seems like Trader Joe's keeps a higher rooster-per-hen ratio than anyone else who sells "fertile" eggs. Just one of many reasons why I love Trader Joe's, and continue to give them my business. OK, so enough of the free plug for Trader Joe's... I just love that store!
I have not set T.J.'s fertile eggs since February 2010, but finally broke down and set a dozen last Friday, 4/27. They were laid on day 103, which means it was April 12, which happens to have been my 60th birthday, so I took that as an omen and picked up the dozen. They were 2 weeks old on the 26th when I bought them, and I set them on the 27th. So... cross your fingers and toes, (and any other body parts that you can think of) and I am officially joining (again) the T.J.'s hatchalong.
Now for my 2-cents-worth on the personalities of the T.J.'s chickens... I know that Leghorns are not supposed to be "friendly"; too flighty and not easy to tame. I have found this to be true for hatchery Leghorns, but I have had great luck with the T.J.'s chicks being much more friendly and easy to have as pets, or "lap chickens". I don't know if it is because we give them more attention from the time they hatch, or if it is something in their particular breeding stock, but it has been true for us. Our original chicken that we hatched from the T.J.'s eggs (aptly named T.J.) was a lap-chicken from day one, and continued to be so until she was lost to a bobcat at about 2 years old. She was at about the middle of the pecking order in the flock, but was definitely a pet and would sit with us, on lap or shoulder, and check in my shirt pocket for treats whenever we sat outdoors for "Chicken T.V.". Also, the roosters, while not being quite as friendly as the hens, were very funny and feisty with each other, but were never mean or aggressive with us.
Needless to say, the T.J.'s chicks are some of my favorites, and I am hoping for a great hatch from this dozen eggs!

Thanks so much for the positive news on the TJ's leghorns being nice- I have had leghorns only once and SWORE I would never have them again (until now with the TJ eggs- but with a back-up plan for someone to take them if they were jerks) so I'm thrilled to pieces that they can be sweet. My grandkids have already named them in the eggs- so they would be mighty disappointed if they were unable to hold them etc.
Today is day 18 - Lockdown!! Yippee!! I"m sooooooooo eggcited! Last night when I candled all 9 eggs that made it this far were wriggling and I could see an occasionaly beak and foot in the shadows!! LOVE THIS!! I'm afraid I might feel another addiction coming on.... HATCHING!!

 

[dovecanyon]

My good candler bit-the-dust, so I had to use a flashlight tonight for my day-5 candle. As far as I could tell I have 4 eggs with definite veins, 2 eggs are maybe veins or possibly bloodring, 2 are definitely clear, and 4 aren't clear but I couldn't really see veins either. Will check again on day 10, and will probably get a better idea of how things are going. Hope to have a better candler by then.

Chick4Chix - Congrats on your excellent lockdown! My fingers are crossed for an awesome hatch. Let us know as soon as things start happening... and don't forget pictures!

 

[what did I do]

Does anyone know if Wild Harvest Natural eggs are fertile? Albertsons sells them. I tried to call to find out but didn't get anywhere.

 

[dovecanyon]

Does anyone know if Wild Harvest Natural eggs are fertile? Albertsons sells them. I tried to call to find out but didn't get anywhere.

If it doesn't say "Fertile" on the carton, then they probably aren't. I went to their website to see if I could get a little more info, and while they claim their hens are only fed a 100% organic feed and have plenty of access to the outdoors, nowhere does it mention that they may have access to a rooster... My guess would be no, they aren't fertile, but they will probably make an excellent omelette.

 

[chick4chix]

YAY!!! I got 5 cute babies from my trader joes hatch!!! Anyone have any secrets on sexing them yet?

 

[what did I do]

I've got to try this. Love the chicks.

 

[dovecanyon]

Congratulations!!! They are sure cuties! There isn't really any way to sex them yet. But it won't be long till you can tell the difference by their combs, just a couple of weeks. The boys combs get bigger and darker much quicker than the girls. Everyone tells me that you can tell the sex by the wing feathers at about 3 or 4 days old, but I have never been able to tell that way. Do a search on here for feather sexing and you will get lots of info. Good job on the T.J.'s eggs/chicks! And thanks for the great pictures.

I candled last night for day 10, and found only three live little dancing chicks, five with blood rings, and four clear. Hope I get all three to hatch.

 

[chick4chix]

Congratulations!!! They are sure cuties! There isn't really any way to sex them yet. But it won't be long till you can tell the difference by their combs, just a couple of weeks. The boys combs get bigger and darker much quicker than the girls. Everyone tells me that you can tell the sex by the wing feathers at about 3 or 4 days old, but I have never been able to tell that way. Do a search on here for feather sexing and you will get lots of info. Good job on the T.J.'s eggs/chicks! And thanks for the great pictures.

I candled last night for day 10, and found only three live little dancing chicks, five with blood rings, and four clear. Hope I get all three to hatch.

Thanx dovecanyon- I had read that about wing feather sexing also, but it's only works for certain breeds and there isn't any info on just leghorns (which is what I think these are). I believe you when you tell me I'll be able to tell very soon- they are growing like gangbusters! Only 3 days old and already have wing feathers and can jump/hop/ and fake fly
congrats on you 3 live dancing chicks- I was crazy for candling- LOVED watching the development- such an amazing miracle of life .

 

[gabrielle1976]

i so want to try this but we dont have a trader joes or whole foods

 

[TonysChickens]

My TJ eggs went into lockdown today. I saw movement in the last candling. There are 7 eggs that made it this far out of 12, not bad for just under 3 dollars of eggs.