First egg and some frozen

[Bigbluefrog]

Such an exciting day! Our first eggs!
I decided to look for eggs and found 2 cracked and slightly frozen eggs. One pullet was missing and I found her in the shed with two eggs! One freshly laid and one cold.
It is frosty and snowy here in Wisconsin.
So how to avoid frozen eggs?
Anyone know how quickly they freeze? ( I missed yesterday)
Do they usually just lay in the morning?
The hen was a bit protective of her new egg. But I had a treat for her so win win.
I am kinda excited for tomorrow!
See if we get anymore... ( smiling )

The New Year starting off with a wonderful surprise!
2020 Eggtastic!

 

[Bigbluefrog]

Can you eat frozen cracked eggs?

 

[DobieLover]

Congratulations on the eggs!
I don't eat frozen eggs that crack. But you can cook them and feed them back to the girls.
If you have power to your coop, you can install seedling heating mats under the nest box bedding. That is how I keep my eggs from freezing. I collected eggs at 7:00 at night when I got home from work on a day that never got above 15F and started at 9F. No frozen eggs.
The alternative is checking for eggs multiple times a day. They are quite warm when laid. How long it takes to freeze is dependent on too many factors to determine how long it will take before it happens.
Most chickens lay early.
I've seen my girls working their way to the nest boxes pre-dawn. I've also had hens still in the nest after dusk that managed to make their way to the roosts after lights out.

 

[kcan2]

Yay - congrats on that first egg! What a great way to start the new year! Mine started laying on Dec. 19 here in northern MI and I was so excited

 

[Lady Chocobo]

Such an exciting day! Our first eggs!
I decided to look for eggs and found 2 cracked and slightly frozen eggs. One pullet was missing and I found her in the shed with two eggs! One freshly laid and one cold.
It is frosty and snowy here in Wisconsin.
So how to avoid frozen eggs?
Anyone know how quickly they freeze? ( I missed yesterday)
Do they usually just lay in the morning?
The hen was a bit protective of her new egg. But I had a treat for her so win win.
I am kinda excited for tomorrow!
See if we get anymore... ( smiling )

The New Year starting off with a wonderful surprise!
2020 Eggtastic!

I live in Alaska And this is my 1st year with chickens I have found that keeping your nest box off the floor or frozen ground And keeping the coop well insulated and warm helps immensely I have 20 Laying hens and I had this same problem

 

[BGcoop]

I also find that if more hens try using the same nest box it keeps the eggs from freezing longer too. On days that I get less eggs overall, they freeze faster.(sitting hens keep eggs warm) so maybe don’t keep an excessive number of nest boxes available?

 

[Folly's place]

Keep them in their coop and run for a while, maybe a week, so they get used to laying their eggs in the nest boxes, and not in hidden nests.
If you are home to collect eggs at noon and a few hours later, most will be okay at 25F and above. If you can't get to them until evening, those seedling mats would probably help a lot. Careful with electricity out there!
Having the nest boxes padded and with some bedding helps protect the eggs too.
I would never eat a cracked egg! Food poisoning just isn't worth it!
I throw them out, but many people do cook them, shells and all, and feed them back to the hens.
Mary

 

[Bigbluefrog]

Yay - congrats on that first egg! What a great way to start the new year! Mine started laying on Dec. 19 here in northern MI and I was so excited

My kids were laughing because I Was so surprised!
And so happy! I must of checked the coop several extra times!

 

[Bigbluefrog]

Keep them in their coop and run for a while, maybe a week, so they get used to laying their eggs in the nest boxes, and not in hidden nests.
If you are home to collect eggs at noon and a few hours later, most will be okay at 25F and above. If you can't get to them until evening, those seedling mats would probably help a lot. Careful with electricity out there!
Having the nest boxes padded and with some bedding helps protect the eggs too.
I would never eat a cracked egg! Food poisoning just isn't worth it!
I throw them out, but many people do cook them, shells and all, and feed them back to the hens.
Mary

Yes! The cracked egg because it froze. Good point! No eating cracked eggs! My bil said if it is baked he eats it.( eek!)

Several are laying in the nests. One like the shed near the coop. So I been keeping them locked in! It is a shame because they are getting restless.