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

[GardeNerd]

When my kids and I did our project with grocery store eggs, my 8 year old (now 10) built the incubator with my help. The building project got us talking about all sorts of stuff like what humidity was, what is a hygrometer, insulation, etc. It wasn't the best incubator, but we did a lot of learning with it. We turned the eggs by hand. When my son saw our success with it, (he was 11 at the time) he decided to use the incubator with his science project and put more batches of grocery store eggs in it.

It was the best science project my kids ever did, and I highly recommend trying it. The kids still talk about it regularly and learned so much.

 

[HHandbasket]

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We got our bator for less than $30 off e-bay, including shipping. It only holds 3 eggs, and we turn the eggs by hand. My husband is obsessed with the incubator. It's like he's 8 or something.

He has already begun construction on a brooder and a larger homemade incubator. We don't have any kids at home, but this sure is a fun learning experience for us old fogies! We're lovin' this!

 

[HHandbasket]

Update on our fertile grocery store eggs: This morning, we did our first candling. All three appear to have the dark spot/vein spot that is indicative of embryo formation at 76 hours! So we shall see how this continues to follow along. Neato neato!

 

[Madcap621]

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Well, yes, turning IS necessary, but can be done by hand or by tilting the whole 'bator from side to side. Science project you say! Check out the home made 'bator section here at BYC -- LOTS of nice ones from a simple styro ice chest to computerized furniture quality cabinetry! Also check out the 'important Topics' sticky in this forum. Good Luck!

 

[lxlzbaca]

So my TJ egggs have been in the incubator for 4 days & we candled 4 of them. I know we are supposed to wait, but we didn't

Anyway, 2 showed development, 1 looked the same (a dud?), & 1 was cracked so we took it out. Now the plan is to wait until thursday or friday to candle again.

 

[gryeyes]

Are yours the white eggs with the "best by" date stamped on them, too?

 

[lxlzbaca]

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Yup

 

[wbruder17]

Omigosh! I can't believe this! How amazing! I never thought store eggs could be hatched! I live in Oregon and I'm going to check next time I go to TJs! This could be a bad thing for me to know about.

Are they always white leghorns?

 

[mstricer]

I bought some eggs from walmart the carton says Great Value cage free chickens they are brown eggs. When I cracked them open they were fertile so if someone wants to try.

 

[Liamm_1]

My son and I built an incubator this weekend, using an old ice chest. We placed 24 TJ's eggs in there last night. Really hope this works, it's for my son's science project. The temp. fluctuates quite a bit, so I keep closing/opening holes, and changed twice from a 60W bulb to a 40W. kind of seems a 40W is too small, 60W is too big, might go look for a 50W today. Do retail incubators have more constant temps? First time ever trying to hatch, but doing our best. Any incubating advice would be appreciated!