Store-bought Free-Range Eggs are developing!

[adrian]

Out of the initial twelve, I have 9 healthy, viable eggs. I can see little chicks moving around in the eggs already.

It is not an ideal number, but that's quite good for eggs that are not labeled "fertile". Many people are surprised when they get a chick from store-bought fertile eggs... But this is far more surprising as they are not supposedly fertile at all.

I'll post more if anyone is interested.

 

[WalkingWolf]

Quote:
For eggs that have been bounced around in transit that is exceptional. I keep my hatching eggs in the bottom produce bins covered with a towel. I have over 90% hatch rates and my customers are getting very high for shipped eggs. The second set of eggs I set were in the bins for over two weeks and I got 100% on that set. Temp in my bins are 45F.

 

[jsvand5]

I think it is so cool the eggs that were never meant to be anything but food will now end up having a great life in your flock. Good job. I may have to give it a try as well. Nothing to lose but a couple dollars for the eggs.

 

[goldnchocolate]

I will be watching this thread to see what happens

I think someone on this forum hatched an egg that came from Trader Joe's eggs and she named the chick TJ.

 

[kathyinmo]

I'll post more if anyone is interested.

I am interested! Keep posting with updates, PLEASE!!!​

 

[adrian]

Quote:
But Trader Joe's eggs are actually labeled fertile. These were not. They are eating eggs. I think they were all fertile but 3 did not develop properly. Probably due to shipping and refrigeration to an extent. They are still all doing well.

 

[Judy]

Just goes to show -- some of those people who worry about eating a fertile egg have probably eaten plenty of them. Somewhere on BYC there is a thread or two about hatching a chick from regular old WalMart eggs.

From a former food service inspector, it is now required that eggs be stored at 40 degrees or below, a relatively new (10 years???) recommendation since the Salmonella stuff came out. I wonder if some of these fertile eggs would develop if they had been stored this cold.

Subscribing to see how the hatch comes out!

 

[Chotii]

Quote:
My local TJs eggs are not labeled 'fertile' although they have several different choices of 'organic'?

 

[adrian]

Really? I've heard so many stories of Trader Joe's fertilized eggs, and assumed that is what someone would want to buy, if they were looking to hatch grocery store eggs. These guys are just plain old Safeway organic eggs. I bet even some non organics could be hatched. I do like the idea of my chicks coming from organically raised birds, though. That's a good plus. The most crucial thing aside from fertility is just the temperature they are stored at. If you get them when they arrive or soon after, you have a better chance that they will develop.

 

[Preservation Acres]

This is a very interesting thread. Please keep it going. I'm going to try this myself.