Eggs Freezing...

[SarahF]

My DH and I both work all day and he's worried that the eggs might "go bad" if they get too cold. Is that true? I can't believe him, he doesnt know anything about chickens, I think his grandmother told him that, and I dont trust anything she says.

 

[Katy]

What will happen if they get too cold is they'll freeze and crack.

 

[DuckLady]

If mine are cracked, I toss them. If they are not, they get eaten or go for sale.

 

[patandchickens]

how cold does it have to be before they freeze? (I assume it should be colder than the freezing point of water, but what?)

and how long does it take - for instance, if it is -18 C (=0 F) about how long do I have to collect the eggs?

glad this topic came up because I've been wondering what to expect,

Pat

 

[Katy]

I don't know exactly how long it takes....when it's below freezing here I try and check around noon and then in the evening when I shut the door for the night.

 

[cknmom]

We haven't been getting any eggs for about a month. We went away on Thanksgiving morning and came back late Firday night. When I went to let the chickens out Sat. morning I found an egg! It has been getting down in the mid twenties here at night. I don't know when the egg was laid. It sure felt ice cold when I took it out of the nest. I set it aside for now as I have been sick. If it was frozen can I still use it? It wasn't cracked. I've gotten two more eggs this week and both have been cold as they have been laid in the evening and so I don't find them until morning.

Monica

 

[Katy]

I do like Terrielacy...If they're cracked they get tossed, if not we eat them.

 

[DuckLady]

Ducks eggs are way to good to go to waste just because it got a little cold out.

 

[92caddy]

I have eaten eggs that were frozen and cracked, I let them thow out then fry em and eat em.

I have had geese lay eggs in Jan and Feb when the temps were going below O and every egg hatched. Thanks......ed

 

[kstaven]

LOTS of nest bedding will help insulate the eggs. My old coop I went 10 hours at - 18 celcius without freezing eggs. You have to remember that inside coop temp is always higher than outdoor and no major air flow to help chill them fast.