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

[gimmie birdies]

I got my eggs on a Tuesday, they were delivered on a Sunday. only one is left still developing under mom hen along with 3 others not from fridge. I has been very hot here though.

 

[robgray]

Day old Rockland peepers out and about with mom.

Wow momma is gorgeous! Is she a blue English orpington!

 

[robgray]

Recently a grocery store near where I live has begun to sell fertile eggs.
If you get a dozen eggs, how many do you expect to hatch? Most of them? Half? Just a few?

There is really no way of knowing how many are fertile and how many of those go on to actually hatch. I would say 50% at least.

 

[HeritageGoose13]

Okay, thanks.

 

[Sill]

There is really no way of knowing how many are fertile and how many of those go on to actually hatch. I would say 50% at least.

So true! I set two dozen TJs eggs and got 14 fertile eggs, then set another two dozen and only one developed! The rooster must have taken time off.

 

[RobG7aChattTN]

So true! I set two dozen TJs eggs and got 14 fertile eggs, then set another two dozen and only one developed! The rooster must have taken time off.

I doubt it is the rooster at fault. In a cage free laying house there are thousands of hens and at least hundreds of roosters. The bigger problem is probably either how long they have been refrigerated or just the age of the eggs themselves. A few days refrigeration is no big deal but regular refrigerator temperature is too cold for fertile eggs to be stored for more than just a few days. Under 40F or over 60F a percentage of embryos die with the ideal holding temperature being 50F to 55F. I used to put mine in a mini refrigerator set at the warmest temperature but switched to room temperature in my basement. Come to think of it...now that it is summer I probably should switch back to the fridge. Interestingly my book (an old poultry production textbook) states that eggs held for more than 7 days a significant increase in percentage hatched by heating the eggs to 100F for 1 to 5 hours early in the holding period or overnight at 70F before cool storage.

 

[caesargirl]

So, 6 pekin eggs bought at a local convenience store, 4 with heart and veins, 1 a maybe, 1 clear!!! Jumbo pekin!

 

[ronott1]

So, 6 pekin eggs bought at a local convenience store, 4 with heart and veins, 1 a maybe, 1 clear!!! Jumbo pekin!

Were the eggs from someone local?

That is great news!

 

[caesargirl]

Were the eggs from someone local?

That is great news!

Yup, mom n pop store!!! And the 1 clear, I almost didn't set anyway, so porous. They sell their hatching eggs for almos double!! I knew they had ducks and drakes free ranging together, gave it a shot... $2.29 for 6.

 

[gimmie birdies]

It has been hot here so I am luck any eggs made it. the momma hen has been loyal to her eggs due on mon/tues. one from a store and 2 from a local hen.

Up date, the local hen's eggs are 1-2 days more advanced than the store egg (local hen eggs pipping and peeping, store egg not in air cell yet). I will pull the babies as hatched and make the mom finish hatching the store egg then give them back at night when all are hatched.