Frozen eggs

[mcjessen]

I can't always get to the coop to check for eggs until after I get home from work (5pm). If I gather eggs and they are very cold, would you guess they are frozen? Is there a way to tell?

I know that's a silly question but our temps have been consistently between 20 overnight and 30 during the day and I just wonder when I get the daily egg if it's really a good idea to keep it because I'm not sure how long it's been sitting.

 

[Chicken_Pauper]

If the eggs are inside the coop, inside a nesting box, in bedding, etc.. and it is "only" between 20 and 30 at night.. I would think they are cold but not frozen. If they were outside in the dirt.. then, yes frozen.. -- inside in the coop, probably very cold but not frozen, until it gets colder.
Maybe put an outdoor thermometer inside the coop.. near the nests.

Eggs, especially when it's cold outside.. colder than your refridgerator inside... eggs are fine the day they are laid or even the next day.. hens sit on them to lay another egg in the same nest, they get warmed up and then cool off again. But, I collect mine everyday.. if I miss one... I assume it's fine if it's from the last evening or afternoon. I have not had a problem.

But, I do gather regularly... daily... hours are no problem, even the next day, as far as I know. Others may have some other opinions.

Good luck.

 

[Ole and Lena]

If they're not split, carton them up and use 'em as normal.

We've had subzero here and froze some of the eggs before I got home. One split, rest didn't but were def. frozen. You can feel the yolk flop around in unfrozen ones if you shake them. We just let them slow thaw in the fridge and ate them as normal. Couldn't tell the difference.

 

[gale65]

If they might be frozen do they need to be put in the fridge right away? I normally leave the eggs out until I get enough for a dozen. None of our eggs have split but they may have frozen on a couple of days.

 

[cmom]

I would refrigerate them.

 

[FarmGirl01]

Keep them if they're not split. I sit mine on the counter for an hour or so. Then straight to the fridge.

 

[gale65]

How do you know if they're frozen if they aren't split? I can't hear the yolk flopping around in any eggs (even ones that are clearly not frozen). DH doesn't think any of them froze anyway as it hasn't been cold enough yet. I'm going to put a thermometer in the nest box area to see how cold it gets in relation to the outside temp.

 

[mcjessen]

Thanks for the info. I found one yesterday I suspected had been laid early in the morning. I thought it might be frozen because it was very cold so I cracked it open. Not frozen at all. Yeah!!! Didn't think about frozen eggs cracking...thanks for the reminder. That would make total sense.

I've never heard the yolks move in my eggs either so I wasn't sure. Thanks again for the info!!!