Frozen eggs? Safe?

[FutureProdigy]

So I'm a bit new to this... I've managed to train my hens to finally lay in the box but the eggs are always frozen when I get them. Can you use frozen eggs? I googled it and got all kinds of crazy health warnings about frozen eggs only being safe if hard boiled.

Ps when do hens normally lay their eggs? Is it at night or in the morning, etc? I want to be able to time it better so the eggs don't freeze on me

 

[PrettyChickens15]

Most of my hens lay in the morning, but a few later on in the day. I have never had any lay at night. Its safe to eat the frozen eggs as long as the shell isn't cracked. You can test to see if they're safe by filling up a container with water and putting some eggs in. If they float don't eat them, if they stay in the middle or go to the bottom your safe.

 

[lazy gardener]

Your girls will lay eggs at any time of the day, and sometimes a pullet will drop an egg from the perch at night, rather than retaining it until she can put it in a nest box in the morning. (I consider new pullets to be like potty training toddlers. They don't quite have the whole process mastered yet.)

If you put your general location in your profile it will help folks to connect with you in a climate appropriate manner. I'm also in "North Country". Luckily, I am able to go out and collect eggs frequently. I make it a point to be sure to check the nest boxes after all birds have gone to roost at night.

To help avoid frozen eggs: Lots of bedding in the coop. Lots of natural lighting. I have 2 thermopane windows on South side, and a full length glass thermopane insulated door, and a thermopane window on the East side of my coop, so it warms up quickly in those cold sunny mornings. Finally, LOTS of hay or straw in the nest boxes, and decrease the number of available boxes in the winter so the eggs are more apt to be warmed by the next hen instead of sitting alone in a nest while the hens use other nest boxes.

As for using frozen eggs: If an egg is clean, and the membrane is not broken, I will use it for baking or any other "completely cooked" purpose. But, the texture is altered. If the membrane is broken, or the egg is not super clean, my dog or the chickens get a cooked egg.

 

[FutureProdigy]

How long are they good for once thawed? Google was saying one day after thawing?

 

[GC-Raptor]

If the shell is cracked, I would use in a day. If not cracked it should be refrigerated and I would eat within a week.
If membrane is broken, I would toss it.
I feed cracked eggs back to hens.
Check eggs immediately, as cracks are easier to see while still frozen. I also candle all eggs. It's much easier to see cracks. . . I check for eggs every 4 hours during cold weather, starting at 5am. GC