Hatching Store-Bought Eggs Need Advice!

[Eggspeditionist]

Some eggs in the carton might be fertile while others aren't. Candle them on day 5-7, and remove any clears to avoid bad eggs contaminating the good ones.

[FeatheredDreamer]

The key thing is to let the eggs reach room temperature before putting them in the incubator. Sudden temperature changes can reduce viability. Hope you get some chicks!

[YolkJoker]

Since you're restarting your flock, this could be a fun way to get a few chicks, but I'd still recommend getting some fertilized eggs from a reliable source too.

[FeatheredFriend]

Hello everyone!

Ive seen some incredible stories about people successfully hatching chicks from store-bought eggs, and Im really curious to try it myself. I usually buy the high-end "free-range, organic, farm-fresh" eggs from Aldi, and recently, I got a carton that had a lot of bloom and even a few feathers on them. As I cracked them open, I noticed several had the telltale signs of fertilization.

A little backgroundI used to have a flock and even hatched my own chicks before, but unfortunately, predators wiped them out about two years ago. This year, Im starting over, and Id love to see if I can hatch some of these store-bought eggs as part of my new flock. I already have an incubator (a basic styrofoam one from my local feed store), but Im also considering upgrading to a better model soon.

For those who have tried hatching store-bought eggs before, what steps did you take to give them the best chance? Do they need to be at room temperature before incubation? Should I candle them right away or wait a few days? Do I need to do anything different compared to hatching eggs from my own flock?

Id really appreciate any advice from those with experience. And pleasekind responses only! Im here to learn and give these potential chicks the best start possible.

Thanks in advance!

A friend of mine successfully hatched store eggs, but the hatch rate was about 30%. If you're serious about getting chicks, you might want to source hatching eggs from a breeder instead.

[FeatheredTraveler]

I recommend running a test with just a few eggs first before setting all of them. That way, you can see if they start developing without wasting space in your incubator.

[CoopConnoisseur]

I think it's a great experiment! Even if just one hatches, it'll be an interesting experience. Keep us updated-I'd love to see if any chicks make it!