12 Chickens Hatched from Store-Bought Eggs?! Shocking Results!

When I see eggs at the grocery store, I always wonder what it would be like to try and hatch them. So one day, I decided it was finally time to put a pack of grocery store eggs in my incubator and see what could happen from there.

And I actually did hatch 12 eggs. But let me tell you, a lot happened from when I went to the grocery store all the way up to actually having a little chicken hatch before my very eyes.

And it’s safe to say that I probably can’t eat chicken again because they are so cute. But how it all really began was with an idea. And after waiting 4 weeks and trying to incubate two different packs of grocery store eggs, I finally realized that I probably wouldn’t be able to hatch store-bought eggs because nothing ever happened.

They essentially just became rotten eggs, but I did become very determined to actually hatch some baby chickens. And that’s when I made the 2-hour journey up to Farmer Karen, since she agreed to let me rent 22 chicken eggs to be able to finally experience the beauty of hatching.

🚜 The Truth Behind Store-Bought Eggs

As I made my way to the farm, there’s something you need to know. I was still very confused as to why the store-bought eggs wouldn’t hatch. I learned that it’s because chickens lay eggs with or without males—meaning they don’t need no man to fertilize their eggs.

And that also means that the eggs that we buy from the grocery store are laid by female chickens who have not been fertilized by any male chickens, and therefore they have virtually no chance at hatching.

If you do want them to hatch, you need to buy eggs that have been laid by chickens who lived in the same coop as a male and had their eggs fertilized. So this time, I knew we were on the right track.

⏳ Let the Countdown Begin

I arrived at the farm. Rafi (My Friend) and I picked up the eggs, made the trek back home, and immediately the eggs went into the incubator—and the countdown began.

I was surprised to learn that chickens can hatch in 21 days, so they only need a mere 3 weeks of development in that egg until they become little tiny magical living things.

It all seemed to happen very quickly. I added water to the base to keep the humidity high. Every 5 days, the eggs got automatically turned by the incubator, which is essential for development.

But by day 10, something started to smell really bad, and I got nervous. It’s not easy in cold weather to collect eggs right after they’re laid. There ended up being three eggs that basically exploded, releasing a dark bluey-green substance—that, my friends, is what a rotten egg looks like.

🔍 Candling the Eggs: A Peek Inside

By day 15, I candled the eggs to make sure they were growing properly. Some looked like nothing more than fridge eggs, but others glowed a deep yellow.

When I shined my flashlight into those glowing eggs, turned out the lights, and saw moving action—it was like magic. I saw veins, what looked like little eyes, and it felt like everything was finally coming together.

🎉 Day 21: The First Hatch

So much so that day 21—hatching day—was finally approaching. The countdown on the incubator was almost over. I prepared their little heat lamp, brooder, food and water bowl with marbles, just so they don’t drown.

On day 22, I woke up and thought I heard a little bit of chirping. I ran over to the incubator and saw this little guy chirping away. It was in that moment I realized we had successfully hatched our first baby chicken.

Before I knew it, there were pips and cracks in many of the eggs. These eggs started to crack open and chickens started to come out—this process was truly magical.

🐥 How Baby Chicks Hatch

It can take minutes or 24 hours for a chick to fully escape the egg. It pips a small hole using its egg tooth—the only tooth it will ever have—and it falls off a day or two later.

The chick uses its tooth and feet to unzip the shell. Then, it lies there looking tired until it starts to flop around, bump around, and knock the other eggs. Their chirps and knocks awaken the other unhatched eggs.

Rafi and I stayed up all day and night, watching each one hatch. Once they were dry enough (which takes about 24 hours), I would gently pick them up, admire them, and place them in their brooder.

🐓 Meet the Breeds & Their New Life

We had about 7 or 8 of them hatch. Just like that, we became mothers. Our chicken breeds included: Duckles, Silkies, Cochin Seras, Polish chicks, and Golden Laced Wyandottes.

Some were really tiny, others a little bigger, so I had to make sure they got along well. They drank yellow Gatorade with extra nutrients, waddled around, chirped nonstop, and played like there was no tomorrow.

By the second day, more eggs were hatching. I carefully introduced them to the brooder and kept a close eye. If they scattered, they were too hot. If they cuddled a lot, they were too cold.

🎶 A Bit of Music and a Bit of Grief

They don’t swim, but chicks scratch, snooze, and enjoy quiet warm hands. By the third day, all but four had hatched, which Farmer Karen said was a great hatching rate (50-75%).

Once they were 5 days old, I invited friends over. Everyone loved them. They hopped on their stuffed mother chicken, slid off like a slide, and even got offered scrambled eggs (which they didn’t like, by the way).

But a few days before returning them to the farm, something happened. One chick started moving slowly. I had to help it drink. I checked on them five times a day, but one morning, I only counted 11.

One chick didn’t make it. I tried CPR with a straw, praying, hoping, but it didn’t work. I felt like a failure. Yet I reminded myself—it’s part of Mother Nature’s cycle.

🪕 A Heartfelt Goodbye

I played guitar for them, gave them all my attention, and counted them every night. After a few more days, bittersweet as it was, it was time to bring them back to the farm.

Rafi and I made our way back, and I thanked Mother Nature for this journey. When Farmer Glenn showed me the beautiful babies, I knew they were going to live a good life—free to hop and flap without ending up on someone’s plate.

Now, when I see eggs at the grocery store, I’ll never have to wonder again what it’d be like to hatch them.

And the only thing on my mind now?

What would it be like to raise baby goats? 🐐