Eggs Are Freezing!

[Leah and peeps]

Hi Everyone,

It has just been getting so cold around here that our eggs are starting to freeze in the coop!
Is there any way that i can prevent this from happening? We do collect the eggs as often as we can.

Thanks!

 

[saladin]

They still eat just fine. Hatching is another thing though.

 

[HorizonSon]

Hard to give ideas without knowing your options... how are your nest boxes setup? (pics would help)... Do you have access to electrical or plummed water nearby?...

Setting up a nipple-waterer tank right underneath your nest boxes and then using something like an aquarium thermostat heater to keep it from freezing would "kill three birds with one stone":

1. Water will stay clean, thawed and not have to be refilled 56 times a day.

2. A large heated water holding tank will create a large thermal mass storage to help regulate temperatures in the coop.

3. You will no longer have frozen eggs; so long as you do not provide too much insulation between the heated water tank and the egg



Just my random thoughts.... Best wishes!

 

[Leah and peeps]

Here are some setup pics:

(The walls now have a plastic type sheet of installation-im not exactly sure what it does)

We have just put in a timer light in the coop and also built a little contraption that will keep the water from freezing. I will try to get some pics of that too.
We don't have water running through the coop.
Thanks for all your advice!

 

[saladin]

That looks real nice. Here's mine: (at least part of it)

and with the pumpkins:

 

[Cuban Longtails]

That's a nice group of ladies you got there, Saladin! That's a sweet stash of pumpkins too!

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I've gone to one large community nest area for the chickens, instead of individual nests. They tend to keep the other eggs there warm, when they lay. Maybe that would help you. Chickens usually like to share a nest anyway, so maybe yours are already doing that.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Cut down on the number of boxes they can use. That way the eggs have a heater on them more often.

 

[HeatherLynn]

I have 11 layers and we are down to using 2 nest boxes. As long as I am not too long in collecting they do not freeze. I have some who will sit on the eggs a good hour while deciding to lay.

 

[HorizonSon]

Looks like you walk into the coop to collect the eggs. These pictures are great/useful; thanks. I would start by insulating between the boxes and the wall (between the 2x4 studs. A cheap and easy way would be with shredded paper crammed into gallon "ziploc" bags. I would next put a slanted roof above the boxes and then stuff that cavity with crumpled up newspaper or something; then seal off the ends.