With egg prices skyrocketing and expected to remain high, it’s no wonder some consumers are eyeing their own backyards as a possible solution to the egg crunch. You may even be able to hatch your own chickens from supermarket eggs—specifically a certain kind of Trader Joe’s eggs.
The chickens-from-grocery-stores trend has appeared on TikTok where thousands of people are engaging with videos about the process. TikTok user Kate of The California Home logged nearly 5 million views for a video on hatching chicks from Trader Joe’s eggs. “No egg shortage here!” the video declares.
A recap TikTok video walks through Kate’s process of buying fertile eggs from Trader Joe’s and placing them in an incubator purchased on Amazon. It took 21 days of incubation and eight of the eggs ultimately hatched, delivering a small flock of cute, fluffy chicks.
Why Fertile Trader Joe’s Eggs
Don’t just rush out and grab a dozen eggs and expect chickens to magically appear. There’s a lot to consider first. For starters, it’s not just any old Trader Joe’s egg that can hatch. You need the fertile ones, from hens that are housed with roosters.
There’s an old myth floating around that fertilized eggs are more nutritious than unfertilized eggs. The United States Department of Agriculture debunks that idea, saying, “There is no nutritional difference in fertilized eggs and infertile eggs.”
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Yes, Grocery Store Eggs Can Hatch
This 2019 science fair project found a grocery-store egg could hatch.Rhonda Newby-Torres
My friend Rhonda Newby-Torres and her daughter Conci here in New Mexico were way ahead of the current trend. Conci hatched an egg in 2019 for a school science fair. The science project asked the question, “Can you hatch chicks from grocery store eggs?”
The family bought eggs from multiple stores, including Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, and placed them in an incubator. “We had zero hope that any of them were going to hatch,” says Newby-Torres. In an unexpected twist, the only egg that hatched was a regular organic egg from Sprouts, and not the fertile Trader Joe’s egg that was in the batch.
The resulting rooster (named “Sprouts”) even made an in-person visit to the science fair, where it was a hit.
The Sprouts egg seemed to be product of random luck. “Most eggs sold today are infertile; roosters are not housed with the laying hens,” the USDA said. “Fertile eggs with cell development, which is detected during the candling process, are removed from commerce.” The candling process uses light to determine egg quality and is often automated in larger egg operations. It’s still possible for a fertile egg to slip through.
Newby-Torres and her family were already experienced chicken owners before the science fair. “We had the right equipment and everything,” she says. For new chicken owners, you might consider going a different route from store-bought fertile eggs. “I would definitely recommend a farm store, because you never know what you’re getting out of a Trader Joe's egg,” says Newby-Torres.
Chicks From Trader Joe’s Eggs
Cori Clow, a Reddit user who chimed in on a thread about Trader Joe’s eggs, hatched two chicks from supermarket eggs in February. “My husband bought these for me when he was near a Trader Joe’s for work since we don’t live near one,” she tells me. “They’re the typical fertile white eggs they have in the refrigerated section.”
Cori Clow successfully hatched this chick from a fertile Trader Joe's egg.Cori Clow
Clow has a degree in agricultural science and has been a chicken-tender for three years with her own birds. She used an incubator. While only two chicks emerged, she noted there were issues with unusually high humidity that likely impacted the hatch rate. “Especially for shipped eggs, these actually had a pretty great developmental rate,” she says.
It’s a little early to tell, but the chicks appear to be roosters due to their comb size and color. “The personalities have been a pleasant surprise!” Clow says. “They’re super smart, tenacious and have been self-starters.” She’s noticed they’re fairly tolerant to human interaction, but warns they’re louder than other breeds she’s had.
The rooster equation is an important one. With random eggs, you don’t know what sex you’re getting. You need to think ahead to what will happen if you end up with a bunch of roosters. In Albuquerque where I live, for example, you’re allowed only one rooster per household. Roosters tend to be loud at all times of the day, so your neighbors might not appreciate it even if it’s legal to own one.
Clow has been lucky so far with her Trader Joe’s chicks, but chicken personalities can vary. One TikTok user named Desert Abode started with a $4 pack of eggs from Trader Joe’s and hatched seven baby chicks. “They are prolific egg layers, but a little bit crazy and not the best ‘pets,’” Desert Abode wrote in a post in February.
Before You Hatch Trader Joe’s Eggs
Store eggs prices have skyrocketed due to shortages.Amanda Kooser
A backyard flock sounds pretty sweet. You might have visions of cute, clucky chickens parading around in the sun, delivering delicious, fresh eggs every day. There’s more involved than just a $4 (or more) pack of Trader Joe’s fertile eggs. Supplies can add up. You might need an incubator, chicken feed, supplements and a heater for winter. Coops are key for chicken comfort and protection and can vary widely in cost.
Chickens can be a long-term commitment. “Hens begin laying at around six months of age and can continue for five to 10 years, with peak production occurring in the first two years,” the University of Minnesota Extension noted in an explainer on raising chickens.
Clow offers some advice for prospective chicken owners. “For a first-timer getting into chickens, I would recommend finding a local breeder to buy chicks from so they can make sure they enjoy chicken ownership,” she says.
For committed chicken people, Clow says Trader Joe’s eggs are an affordable way to introduce yourself to hatching your own eggs. Read up on how to handle potential medical issues for hatched chicks. She recommends having a plan for roosters. If you’re worried about dealing with roosters, then opt for sexed chicks from a local source instead.
So, yes, you can hatch chickens from fertile Trader Joe’s eggs, but make sure you have all your ducks (or chickens) in a row before you try it.