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

[Mahonri]

I have a Trader Joe's hen that hatched on July 4th, 2011. Since 5 months of age she has laid five or six eggs (Sometimes SEVEN!) every week (with the exception of during our brutal summers)... I have some of her daughters. They don't lay as large an egg but they still lay almost every day.

 

[chick4chix]

So long as they have Pea combs they should be light blue egg layers (having at least 1 blue egg gene). From what I have read, pea comb and blue egg genes are located closely together on a single chromosome, which means they typically are inherited together. Fortunately for us, they are both dominant genes as well.

Thanks! That's good to know!

I just ordered an incubator today and can't wait to try hatching some store bought eggs! I have a six year old daughter who is homeschooled, so this will be really cool. We dropped by a few places today just to scope it out and our Trader Joe's (I'm in Sonoma County, CA) workers looked at me like I was insane when I asked if they sold fertile eggs (after checking the shelves and not seeing any). I know a few local stores that sell fertile brown eggs that are local, so we'll probably end up trying those. Yay!

Deerling- my local TJ's did not carry fertile eggs when they first opened, and now they have them, but not all the time- it's sporadic. I would talk to the manager and ask if they can get them for you. I'They are not sold as hatching eggs- they are sold to eat- I don't think most TJ's people even know they are being hatched.

Thought I'd show you my second generation TJ mixes. Can you guess which ones didn't come from the TJ rooster?
AWWWW! Such cuties!

 

[ellandeeranch]

Let us know how the roosters are ellandeeranch- I am so curious about how much meat are on leghorn males?

Processed three TJ's roosters today. They pluck VERY easy with a one minute dunk at 150-155.

In the fridge now for a day or two of aging. Small birds, that's for sure, just like the pictures you see of cleaned leghorns. They'll be delicious, I'm certain, though! Not a heck of a lot of meat, but that can be a good thing. I eat too much as it is.

For those of you who have never processed a chicken and are nervous about it, these are very easy chickens to clean. I think if I were going to show someone how to clean a bird, I'd get myself a young leghorn. Everything pops out easily, and it's not hard at all to get the cloaca clear of the meat. You have to be careful at that point when cleaning.

Richard in Neenach, California (EllandeeRanch)

 

[Pele]

Processed three TJ's roosters today. They pluck VERY easy with a one minute dunk at 150-155.

In the fridge now for a day or two of aging. Small birds, that's for sure, just like the pictures you see of cleaned leghorns. They'll be delicious, I'm certain, though! Not a heck of a lot of meat, but that can be a good thing. I eat too much as it is.

For those of you who have never processed a chicken and are nervous about it, these are very easy chickens to clean. I think if I were going to show someone how to clean a bird, I'd get myself a young leghorn. Everything pops out easily, and it's not hard at all to get the cloaca clear of the meat. You have to be careful at that point when cleaning.

Richard in Neenach, California (EllandeeRanch)

This was my experience exactly. They were very small birds, and when I fully dressed them out (removed head, all internals, and legs), they were between a pound and a half to two pounds. I admit that I did harvest them too early (10 weeks), but I couldn't have my neighbors upset with crowing.

I agree 100% that they make good practice birds. Their skin was very light in color, which made it easy to find the right spots, and to distinguish between areas. I did the scald method too, and the feathers practically wiped off (I used 160 degrees though).

 

[chick4chix]

Processed three TJ's roosters today. They pluck VERY easy with a one minute dunk at 150-155.

In the fridge now for a day or two of aging. Small birds, that's for sure, just like the pictures you see of cleaned leghorns. They'll be delicious, I'm certain, though! Not a heck of a lot of meat, but that can be a good thing. I eat too much as it is.

For those of you who have never processed a chicken and are nervous about it, these are very easy chickens to clean. I think if I were going to show someone how to clean a bird, I'd get myself a young leghorn. Everything pops out easily, and it's not hard at all to get the cloaca clear of the meat. You have to be careful at that point when cleaning.

Richard in Neenach, California (EllandeeRanch)

This was my experience exactly. They were very small birds, and when I fully dressed them out (removed head, all internals, and legs), they were between a pound and a half to two pounds. I admit that I did harvest them too early (10 weeks), but I couldn't have my neighbors upset with crowing.

I agree 100% that they make good practice birds. Their skin was very light in color, which made it easy to find the right spots, and to distinguish between areas. I did the scald method too, and the feathers practically wiped off (I used 160 degrees though).

Pele, and Richard - Murray McMurray Hatchery actually sells White Leghorn Male chicks for what they call their "Frying Pan Special". They suggest 16-20 weeks of age- to get them to processing size. They charge $18.00 for 15 chicks plus shipping- so you're way ahead of the game to hatch your own- keep the layers and process the males.
I have 18 eggs in the incubator right now, (6 are my TJ leghorn hens eggs- mated to an EE roo) and I will be doing just what you two just did with the males. I will try and hold out for the 20 week mark though and hopefully get more size on.

 

[ellandeeranch]

Pele, and Richard - Murray McMurray Hatchery actually sells White Leghorn Male chicks for what they call their "Frying Pan Special". They suggest 16-20 weeks of age- to get them to processing size. They charge $18.00 for 15 chicks plus shipping- so you're way ahead of the game to hatch your own- keep the layers and process the males.
I have 18 eggs in the incubator right now, (6 are my TJ leghorn hens eggs- mated to an EE roo) and I will be doing just what you two just did with the males. I will try and hold out for the 20 week mark though and hopefully get more size on.

I ate half of a 10-week TJ roo today. Bbq'd up perfectly. The fact that they're small was a bonus, IMO. I find that farm-raised chickens are more filling.

I processed three TJ-leghorn roosters two days ago (they were already starting to wear out their welcome), let them age as whole chickens, then quartered today. I freeze a breast/wing + leg/thigh in each baggie for the freezer. Saved the neck/back for the bbq as well, because the pickins from those keep the dogs very happy! BTW, always age the whole chicken, then quarter/piece after aging.

I don't know if I'd wait another 10 weeks for the leghorns, chick4chix. That's a lot of feed, and I don't know how much more weight they put on. I'd rather give the true dual-purpose birds the chance to fill out a lot more. I'll think of these more like a small little fryer. I'd sure like to hear a report, though, if you do try it.

Seriously delicious dinner. I like to give them a touch of seasoning on the grill. Chef Merido makes both a Carne Asada and a Pollo spice mix. They're both great for a little sprinkle as you cook. I also like a little mesquite for the smoky taste. The Carne Asada is supposed to be for beef, and it has more paprika. The pieces look a little orangish like a Carne Asada is supposed to. The Pollo seasoning has more lemon and is more yellowish, like Pollo Loco (only one heck of a lot more tasty).

Richard in Neenach, California

 

[chick4chix]

I ate half of a 10-week TJ roo today. Bbq'd up perfectly. The fact that they're small was a bonus, IMO. I find that farm-raised chickens are more filling.

I processed three TJ-leghorn roosters two days ago (they were already starting to wear out their welcome), let them age as whole chickens, then quartered today. I freeze a breast/wing + leg/thigh in each baggie for the freezer. Saved the neck/back for the bbq as well, because the pickins from those keep the dogs very happy! BTW, always age the whole chicken, then quarter/piece after aging.

I don't know if I'd wait another 10 weeks for the leghorns, chick4chix. That's a lot of feed, and I don't know how much more weight they put on. I'd rather give the true dual-purpose birds the chance to fill out a lot more. I'll think of these more like a small little fryer. I'd sure like to hear a report, though, if you do try it.

Seriously delicious dinner. I like to give them a touch of seasoning on the grill. Chef Merido makes both a Carne Asada and a Pollo spice mix. They're both great for a little sprinkle as you cook. I also like a little mesquite for the smoky taste. The Carne Asada is supposed to be for beef, and it has more paprika. The pieces look a little orangish like a Carne Asada is supposed to. The Pollo seasoning has more lemon and is more yellowish, like Pollo Loco (only one heck of a lot more tasty).

Richard in Neenach, California

Thanks for that 'delicious' report on your 10 week olds Richard- I hadn't thought about the extra feed not netting a whole lot of extra meat. I'll see how far I get- I might be ready to send them to freezer camp at 10 weeks too. In what way did they wear out their welcome? Was it aggression or crowing? My leghorns this time around are half EE, and the roo was really big- so hopefully I will get a bigger bird anyway- but it's all new to me, since I've never done this- it's trial and error. I love hearing about your experiences and reviews :

 

[ellandeeranch]

Thanks for that 'delicious' report on your 10 week olds Richard- I hadn't thought about the extra feed not netting a whole lot of extra meat. I'll see how far I get- I might be ready to send them to freezer camp at 10 weeks too. In what way did they wear out their welcome? Was it aggression or crowing? My leghorns this time around are half EE, and the roo was really big- so hopefully I will get a bigger bird anyway- but it's all new to me, since I've never done this- it's trial and error. I love hearing about your experiences and reviews :

The roos were starting to tear around the coop, fighting for the lead, making tons of noise when anyone walked by, and just keeping the coop nervous. The three hens are much more mellow now without the boys around.

I'll be waiting to hear about your EE mixes. I've had just a few EE's at the table, but they were a little older, and therefore not as tender. I have an EE hen in isolation right now. I think she may have broken a leg falling off the roost a week ago.

So far with my admittedly limited experience, New Hampshires or Orps have given me a great balance of white/dark meat on the grill.

 

[Deerling]

I know some people have hatched chicks from "Rock Island" in Sonoma, are any of you around to give updates? I set 11. I had to cull one because of sappy leaking through the pores, but all other 10 have developed veining! We're only on day 9, but so far so good! They were 10 days old when I set them. I would love to see pics of what the chicks looked like as they grow up.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I was at Whole Foods on Saturday and checked the date on the fertile eggs and they were packed Julian Date 77 which made them only 12 days old. That's the freshest I've ever seen them. I was so tempted to get them but I already have 84 eggs in the incubator. I should have gotten them just to see if they really were fertile.