How cold can an egg get & still be viable to hatch?

[stevin]

so from what i've read thus far in this thread is that the eggs that i have been collecting since last weekend and have been on the turner down in my basement which is around 50-55F could possibly have started developing?

 

[hinkjc]

No, they wouldn't start developing. That is a perfect environment to store eggs though until you are ready for incubation. Once they are the right temps (an incubator/under a hen) they will start developing.

 

[Route44]

I have eggs hatch that FROZE. Our day temps here in the mountains has been in the low 20's. Some of my chickens like to wait until I check the coop for the last time of the evening to lay their eggs. I figured I would give it a shot to try to incubate them too. I of course leave them sit for several hours to get to room temperature before I put them in the incubator. So far I have had a pretty good hatch rate with frozen eggs.

 

[lazy gardener]

Are you saying that the egg was frozen, as in the shell cracked from the expansion?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The best information I've found on the subject is in a write up on the Brinsea site.

http://www.brinsea.com/Articles/Advice/PowerOff.aspx

It says they can go to -2C or 28.4F. Below that ice crystals form and the egg structure is permanently damaged.

 

[lazy gardener]

Thanks for posting that article. Always good to review the literature. I'm guessing that eggs that crack from freezing, have cell damage!!!

 

[Route44]

no, the shells weren't cracked

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Yeah, if the eggs freeze long enough to crack, they're toast.
Or at least they go good with toast after they thaw and are cooked.

 

[Route44]

LOL...I can't eat toast unless it's gluten free and eggs don't agree with me and my illness that's why I hatch them LOL