Frozen eggs!!!

[CristinaB]

Holy font size batman!

Margolyn, any chance you could turn the font size down?

 

[Utard]

If it is that big of a deal with the frozen eggs and you can't get out there to collect every hour in the morning then maybe try one of these? Put one under the wood chips in each of the nesting boxes. Plug them into a timer so they get the box warmed up starting at 5 am and go off at noon or about when you get home from work? Also put in one of those temp sensors between the heat pad and timer. That way if it is above 35 degrees and the timer tells the pad to turn on it will not. Save a little power.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MT74QW/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[CristinaB]

I was having some issues with eggs freezing and what I found is that cracks in the next box were allowing in drafts. When the wind blew the eggs got mighty cold. I caulked up the cracks, made sure that a thick layer of wood chips were below the eggs and have not had a frozen one since. You could also create a box inside of your coop where the wind might not get to the eggs so easily. Thankfully the temps are going to warm up a bit, and the problem should solve itself. Wiring a single light bulb close by would also provide some heat to keep the eggs from freezing but will disrupt the ladies break from laying.

As for eating the cracked eggs. If you cook those eggs all the way through, there is very little risk. Bacteria and other nasties do not survive cooking temperatures. Keep in mind that the poultry processed all over the world is contaminated with fecal matter and all manner of other nasty things. We just cook everything to the point that the nasties can't survive. Eggs are not really different. I would recommend that you cook those eggs asap instead of leaving them to sit, but otherwise eating them is just preference as long as they are cooked fully.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

I was having some issues with eggs freezing and what I found is that cracks in the next box were allowing in drafts. When the wind blew the eggs got mighty cold. I caulked up the cracks, made sure that a thick layer of wood chips were below the eggs and have not had a frozen one since. You could also create a box inside of your coop where the wind might not get to the eggs so easily. Thankfully the temps are going to warm up a bit, and the problem should solve itself. Wiring a single light bulb close by would also provide some heat to keep the eggs from freezing but will disrupt the ladies break from laying.

As for eating the cracked eggs. If you cook those eggs all the way through, there is very little risk. Bacteria and other nasties do not survive cooking temperatures. Keep in mind that the poultry processed all over the world is contaminated with fecal matter and all manner of other nasty things. We just cook everything to the point that the nasties can't survive. Eggs are not really different. I would recommend that you cook those eggs asap instead of leaving them to sit, but otherwise eating them is just preference as long as they are cooked fully.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

i would think the hens would eat the foil or emergency blankets.

 

[CristinaB]

i would think the hens would eat the foil or emergency blankets.

If you take a look at what exists within the limits of a hens gizzard you will find all kinds of funky things... a bit of foil or blanket is not going to hurt them. They generally do not eat blankets, at least none of mine have! Those that butcher hens will open the gizzard and find all kinds of things, automotive glass, rocks, string, all kinds of stuff! Chickens are designed to use this gizzard as teeth, so not much to worry about when it comes to eating non food.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

i am not sure what its called but the things you can buy for your car to reflect the sun, they are silver with a bit of some type of padding in them??? i used one to reflect the sun from the storm door this past summer and i know they started picking on that and made a couple holes so i took it back down. they wont eat anything though, i made some biscuits that they refused to eat.

defiantly not Betty Crocker.

 

[MARGOLYN]

R U TALKING TO MEEEEEEEEE.????
Sometimes my eyes don't work right and small font sizes hurt my eyes way after I turn off the computer. Xhite size font would you like me to write in for your convenience???

 

[MARGOLYN]

Yes I think you might be right, they do go after sparkly stuff don't they? Well that shoots my idea in the foot....

 

[CristinaB]

Xhite size font would you like me to write in for your convenience???

Just asking that you use a normal font. A great trick is to increase the size of the fonts on your computer instead.

You can quickly adjust the font size by holding down the Ctrl key and rotating the mouse wheel forward or backward. If you’re unable to change the font size using the mouse wheel, hold down the Ctrl key and then click the + or - key to increase or decrease the text size. That should help you see the text on the screen much better and not have you yelling at us in the forums.

It is considered rude in text to "yell"

(using all caps) or use inflated sized text in forums as it is distracting and looks awful. My eyes are horrible too, I just make my computer increase the size to make it easier to read.

No insult intended.