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

[boomchicken]

I have 2 little TJs chicks, not even five minutes old! Two pips, and the fifth kinda looks like an internal pip, but I am candling through the side of the bator so I'm not seeing well enough to be certain. So exciting!

Grats! That's so exciting

@XxPandaxX, I know nothing about incubators because I've only hatched one time via broody, but I hope someone here can give you a response. Either that or post a new thread on the hatching & incubating forum. Good luck!

 

[WalnutHill]

Posted here a long time ago about using Whole Foods eggs for hatching because in Michigan (at least the Metro Detroit area) there are no Trader Joe's that sell fertile eggs. Last time I tried, I was in 6th grade and had my home made incubator and only had one that started to develop which died early. This time I'm trying 24 eggs (2 cartons) except I threw about 3-4 out due to overly porous eggs or cracked eggs. I'm really winging the entire thing last minute and I could really use some help. I haven't done this in a long time (about three years ago when my hen, Turtle hatched and her brothers and sisters. She's the only one that made it past chick stage, but she's going strong and she's pretty awesome if I do say so myself.) I'm re-making my incubator. Here's my plan; I have an aquarium with a screen top. I'm going to lay some towel on the bottom, cut some ventilation holes in the egg cartons and put the eggs in. I already have the x and o marks on all of them - although I can't determine for some where the egg sac is, which is very annoying considering you can easily deform chicks like this and I don't want to be responsible for not another chicken's life. Ever. Although it's inevitable when you're hatching. Then on the other side of the aquarium, I'm going to put my water for humidity and I'm going to scatter thermometers around as well as a couple hygrometers. Keep the temperature at around 100 F and humidity between 40-50. I don't think I'm going to pay too much attention to humidity because a friend of mine tried "dry" incubating (pay no attention to humidity and then boost it in lockdown) and she got much better hatch rates. So turn the eggs three times a day, different ways so that the embryo doesn't stick to the egg shell. Keep that up, candle if you want to, remove rotten eggs or as you go along. During lockdown (day 18), leave the chicks alone and boost humidity to 60 and let them hatch. But I'm not understanding A. I'm going to need to cover some of the screen to retain heat (I'll be using a reptile bulb). Do you think they'll have enough oxygen? And B. During lockdown, do I take the eggs out of the carton or should the chicks be able to handle themselves?

No worries with oxygen if you have at least a quarter size hole or two. That's all it takes for oxygen. However, the hatch process generates a lot of heat and humidity so when hatch time comes you may want to be sure that the tank doesn't get drippy wet inside.

Better than towels on the bottom, which can grow mold, are wire racks. You can put the egg cartons on top of them if you like after cutting out the bottom of the cups.

I've never found an egg that a bright flashlight won't show the air cell. It's on the fatter end normally, but shipped eggs are shipped eggs and it could be on the side. Put the egg fat end up anyhow.

I can't wait to see what you hatch out!

 

[XxPandaxX]

No worries with oxygen if you have at least a quarter size hole or two.  That's all it takes for oxygen.  However, the hatch process generates a lot of heat and humidity so when hatch time comes you may want to be sure that the tank doesn't get drippy wet inside.

Better than towels on the bottom, which can grow mold, are wire racks.  You can put the egg cartons on top of them if you like after cutting out the bottom of the cups.

I've never found an egg that a bright flashlight won't show the air cell.  It's on the fatter end normally, but shipped eggs are shipped eggs and it could be on the side.  Put the egg fat end up anyhow.

I can't wait to see what you hatch out!

Thanks! I started today. Somewhat of a rough start - still trying to work out some temperature kinks but I think it may be too early to have caused any serious damage. Sometimes it was too low, sometimes too high, you know the deal. If I don't have any luck I'll try again, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see! Day 2/21 now thanks for your advice and help - I NEEDED it haha

 

[SpringPeeper]

My five little TJ's peeps! You can't see two well, but there are three solid yellow and the two at the back of the group/top of the pic have a bit of black flecking on them.

 

[Dianne88]

My five little TJ's peeps! You can't see two well, but there are three solid yellow and the two at the back of the group/top of the pic have a bit of black flecking on them.

Very nice, any idea what breed they are?

 

[SpringPeeper]

Very nice, any idea what breed they are?

I assume White Leghorn mixes. I've been told they use Hyline 'Leghorns" but I don't know if that is 100% certain.

 

[Kaylish]

Did a quick candling as I added water this morning. Day 14: 2 still going! Come on little TJs!

 

[XxPandaxX]

Day 4/21 but I woke up and the temperature was definitely low, like 89 degrees low. It's back up to normal now but I'm not sure how many I lost in the process.

 

[Peep_Show]

You didn't necessarily lose any. Remember, Mama Hen has to exit the nest occasionally and the temps will drop then. They may take a little while longer to hatch. Keep incubating and monitor movement with candling and you'll know what happened.

 

[XxPandaxX]

Good luck

...

Did a quick candling as I added water this morning. Day 14: 2 still going! Come on little TJs!
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