Egg Shortage Drives People To Hatch Trader Joe’s Fertilized Eggs

America’s ongoing egg shortage is inspiring customers to hatch baby chicks from Trader Joe’s Fertile Eggs. Using an incubator, TikTok user thecaliforniahome successfully hatched eight baby chicks at home. She’s one of several TJ’s customers raising new baby chicks, which includes Instagram user findingmom.me, who was able to hatch four, and alice_in_tkland, who brought three into the world. Raising chickens to maturity sounds like a great way to save money on eggs, however, it requires a lot more than an incubator, so it’s probably best left to egg-sperts.

@thecaliforniahome Thank you #TraderJoes ♬ so this is love – soft girl aesthetic

Are TJ’s Fertile eggs edible? The answer is yes. According to Chicken Keeping Secrets, they taste indistinguishable from infertile eggs and look identical, except for a germinal spot (a white spot with a clear center) on the yolk. Infertile and fertile eggs are both refrigerated immediately, which halts the incubation process. 

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TJ’s Fertile eggs are sold nationwide in a traditional carton for around $4, and they scramble, fry, and flip like any ordinary ones. Just make sure to call ahead to confirm their availability.