Frozen eggs!!!

[goosegirl6]

We had -34 awhile back, and I would get frozen eggs unless I went and collected them while they are still warm, so I fed them to my dog. Fun to watch her try to crack them! I do not think I can do much about it when it is that cold, but down to -10 or so the coop is insulated enough so the eggs are fine.

 

[Utard]

Do you guys think that the cookie tin heater would be safe in the nest box? Or does it get too hot?

Not sure what a cookie tin heater is BUT plug it in and if you can put your hand on it then it should be ok. If it burns you then it will burn your hens.

 

[sepaditty1]

It's when you take a metal cookie tin and string a light bulb into it. You then set your waterer on it and it won't freeze. I actually don't have one because we don't get too cold here. But I have read that a lot of people love them.

 

[seeda]

I have wondered bout the cookie tin heater too lol

 

[kkenney]

Id be worried the cookie heater would get too hot, kind of like putting your hand on a ceiling light that's been on for awhile and that would not only burn hens but start a fire eventually. For my water I use a dog kennel heater. Its meant to be outdoors in the environment and is protected by hard plastic and doesn't burn the chickens. That may help. There are many different brands, but this is an example of it.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12294491&f=PAD/psNotAvailInUS/No

 

[mithious]

What about one of those reptile heated pads? They are made to go in the tank, under the bedding...so seems they shouldn't be too hot? ( I'd check that with my hand first too though ) I haven't tried them..yet...only one frozen egg here so far and that one was laid at night, soft shell, on the poop board, but I do check often, now that the cold weather has set in and mine are just starting to lay, so no pattern yet. So far, we have gotten a few -16 degrees below

Hope you can find something that works!! That's a real bummer to have frozen eggs!!!!

 

[trooper]

I have 2 nesting boxes and I am planning on running a light bulb under each one.It is partially encased so that I can adjust the distance between the bulb and box and the heat has a place to gather when it rises.With the heat rising I hope to be able to keep the inside of the nest boxes warm enough to keep them from freezing.If the eggs freeze I don't worry about them unless they crack.Then I let them thaw and feed them back to my chickens;cracked of coarse.By the light being outside under the nest boxes I don't have to worry about anything catching on fire.

 

[trooper]

We had -34 awhile back, and I would get frozen eggs unless I went and collected them while they are still warm, so I fed them to my dog. Fun to watch her try to crack them! I do not think I can do much about it when it is that cold, but down to -10 or so the coop is insulated enough so the eggs are fine.

 

[aggiemae]

I found a frozen egg this morning. It must have been laid after I collected yesterday.. Would and one call "gathering" ONE EGG "collecting"?

 

[Cluckincanadian]

Is it ok to feed eggs back to the chickens, I don't want them to learn to eat eggs