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

[loves2hatch]

The eggs I got from Whole foods that didn't develop at all just had on the box 365 cage free fertile. I wonder where they came from? They were brown eggs.
Could it also be the way they get shipped that there is more problems with WF? or maybe the Rock Island brand is the same as Trader joes brand too?? Our Trader Joes didn't have fertile eggs.

 

[gryeyes]

Trader Joe's fertile eggs are white leghorn eggs.

 

[chickenlover135]

Does Chicago's trader jokes sell fertile eggs?

 

[loves2hatch]

Does Chicago's trader jokes sell fertile eggs?

try calling and asking. If they do you could also ask what day they get the shipment in for those, if your wanting to save yourself a trip.

Trader Joe's fertile eggs are white leghorn eggs.

ok I didn't know if maybe different states sold different breeds. I didn't find the rock island brand at my whole foods So I thought maybe TJ had different ones too.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I think both stores source regionally so breeds may vary from region to region.

 

[EMantooth]

Quote: So I bought eggs on 2/20 and set them on 2/21...I bought them at Nature's Food Patch in Clearwater, Florida. The brand was "Farmer's Pride Fertile Eggs" distributed by United Natural Foods in CT and produced and packed for A & H Farms in NH. The date on the carton was 028, so I didn't have really high hopes especially since they were shipped so far. The eggs are a medium brown color, "extra large" size. I called A & H Farms (AKA Coll's Farm) and the man said they had ISA browns with a few New Hampshires mixed in with them. He was very friendly and even said that they sell extra chicks each spring (I didn't tell him I was in Florida or trying to hatch the store bought eggs!)
I candled on day 7 and was really discouraged since I couldn't tell much of anything, but I candled again last night (Day 9) and think something is going on at least in some of the eggs. Some of them definitely have a larger cloudy/darker area at the top (larger end) of the egg compared to others. I cannot see any air space or veining, though, and that bothers me. I pencil marked the outline of the cloudy area so I can check again in a few days and see if it is getting bigger. One had a dark spot in the cloudy area that could definitely be an eye spot.
Any advice for me? Since this was more of an experiment with doubtful outcome, I'm keeping the incubator at home this time around instead of at school.

 

[what did I do]

  So I bought eggs on 2/20 and set them on 2/21...I bought them at Nature's Food Patch in Clearwater, Florida.  The brand was "Farmer's Pride Fertile Eggs" distributed by United Natural Foods in CT and produced and packed for A & H Farms in NH.  The date on the carton was 028, so I didn't have really high hopes especially since they were shipped so far.  The eggs are a medium brown color, "extra large" size.  I called A & H Farms (AKA Coll's Farm) and the man said they had ISA browns with a few New Hampshires mixed in with them.  He was very friendly and even said that they sell extra chicks each spring (I didn't tell him I was in Florida or trying to hatch the store bought eggs!)
  I candled on day 7 and was really discouraged since I couldn't tell much of anything, but I candled again last night (Day 9) and think something is going on at least in some of the eggs.  Some of them definitely have a larger cloudy/darker area at the top (larger end) of the egg compared to others.  I cannot see any air space or veining, though, and that bothers me.  I pencil marked the outline of the cloudy area so I can check again in a few days and see if it is getting bigger.  One had a dark spot in the cloudy area that could definitely be an eye spot. 
   Any advice for me?  Since this was more of an experiment with doubtful outcome, I'm keeping the incubator at home this time around instead of at school. 

If the eggs are a darker brown you may not be able to see everything going on inside of them. I would not remove any right now. If you could find a stronger light that might help see inside of the egg. I don't toss any until day 10 but if I can't make a defiant call on the egg I leave it in. I think it's great that you found a place to get fertile store eggs. Keep us posted on how its going.

 

[cluck-cluck]

Count me one of the lucky ones. This is my follow up to an earlier post of my Rock Island babies. They are now three weeks old. Eleven of my eggs (out of a dozen) developed to hatch, but only four pipped. I ended up with two pullets and two cockerels. They are all white, but one pullet has a single dark gray feather on her back. I must say, these are the tamest chicks I've raised, out of many breeds.
From my post in the "Whole Foods Brand X" Forum:

This was last weekend - one roo was definitely alpha, and was "starting stuff" all the time Now I've given both roos to our local feed store, where they sell them ... and the two girls are so mellow and sweet.

This picture is so darn cute! Those are really pretty birds! I love how yellow the feet and beaks are, and they have such cute faces!

Wondering how long to wait until I send the TJ's cockerels to the freezer farm? I'm ready to process them, but they're only 7 weeks. Sounds like 12-14 weeks is what most posters do. Leghorns don't get any bigger after that (if I read correctly), so you're wasting feed at that point.

I read about a few people who processed earlier, even at 7-9 weeks, for little fryer chickens.

I'm hoping to keep a couple of the hens, but they're so flighty and nervous, I don't know how well they'll integrate into the mixed flock I have. I'm sure not putting them in with the New Hampshire coop. That's a nice mellow flock that spend all sorts of time tripping me as I feed them every day!

My mixed flock has NH, Easter Egger, and Cuckoo Maran. I plan on adding those Leghorn hens in a couple months after they grow out.

Anyone know if you can buy Chicken Atavan at the feed stores? LOL.

Richard in Neenach, California

Well, I found at that age, they were about half the size they ended up being (weight wise) at 20 weeks. But that's with the girls. I don't know how well the boys fill out?

Trader Joe's fertile eggs are white leghorn eggs.

Yup, and my second set are about 20 1/2 weeks old, and started laying yesterday. Actually, I think only one has started laying, but I'm not sure?

So I bought eggs on 2/20 and set them on 2/21...I bought them at Nature's Food Patch in Clearwater, Florida. The brand was "Farmer's Pride Fertile Eggs" distributed by United Natural Foods in CT and produced and packed for A & H Farms in NH. The date on the carton was 028, so I didn't have really high hopes especially since they were shipped so far. The eggs are a medium brown color, "extra large" size. I called A & H Farms (AKA Coll's Farm) and the man said they had ISA browns with a few New Hampshires mixed in with them. He was very friendly and even said that they sell extra chicks each spring (I didn't tell him I was in Florida or trying to hatch the store bought eggs!)
I candled on day 7 and was really discouraged since I couldn't tell much of anything, but I candled again last night (Day 9) and think something is going on at least in some of the eggs. Some of them definitely have a larger cloudy/darker area at the top (larger end) of the egg compared to others. I cannot see any air space or veining, though, and that bothers me. I pencil marked the outline of the cloudy area so I can check again in a few days and see if it is getting bigger. One had a dark spot in the cloudy area that could definitely be an eye spot.
Any advice for me? Since this was more of an experiment with doubtful outcome, I'm keeping the incubator at home this time around instead of at school.

Wow, those would be old, and if you get some to hatch, that'd be awesome!

Please try again, though, if it doesn't work out this time. Just try to pick up fresher eggs

 

[Jmurph]

I think I want to join...I have a Whole foods and a TJ. I'll have to take a trip to see what they have here in Cleveland. I am going to start incubating some olive eggers and Sussex next week anyway...can't hurt.

 

[cluck-cluck]

I understand that only the west coast - into maybe Nevada and Arizona have the fertile eggs? But if you have Whole Foods, they should have some fertile eggs

My TJ girls are all officially laying!

Yesterday, I got 4 eggs! A week ago, Lilac laid her first egg, and it was small, but now it's about the same size as the older two girls who have been laying since early January! Blue just laid her first egg, and it's smaller, but I guess it won't be long before hers get up to size as well! I'm really happy, the eggs are finally rolling in!

Good luck Jmurph, hope you find some without too much searching, it's fun. Just remember to check the Julian calendar date and try to find some that are under 10 days old