How do I keep eggs from freezing?

[LogCabinChicks]

Has I anyone ever tried using an outdoor pet warming mat or lizard tank heating mat under the nest boxes? The pet warming mats are used in outdoor dog houses and take the weight of large dogs. the lizard tank mats usually glue to the bottom of the tank so I was thinking of putting the nest boxes on cinderblocks, the lizard mat on a piece of glass and the nest boxes on that. So....heating the nest box, but not the entire coop.

I leave at 6 and get home at 4. I live in Evans Mills NY...very cold in Jan & Feb. VERY COLD. So cold our kids get "winter break" a week off from school in February so that the schools save on heating the buildings at "people temp" for an entire week. No kidding.

 

[aart]

Has I anyone ever tried using an outdoor pet warming mat or lizard tank heating mat under the nest boxes? The pet warming mats are used in outdoor dog houses and take the weight of large dogs. the lizard tank mats usually glue to the bottom of the tank so I was thinking of putting the nest boxes on cinderblocks, the lizard mat on a piece of glass and the nest boxes on that. So....heating the nest box, but not the entire coop.

I leave at 6 and get home at 4. I live in Evans Mills NY...very cold in Jan & Feb. VERY COLD. So cold our kids get "winter break" a week off from school in February so that the schools save on heating the buildings at "people temp" for an entire week. No kidding.

The reptile heaters I've seen need air flow under them....the pet beds often work only when sufficient weight is on them, so shop carefully.

RonP has just set up a seedling mat in his nests.

advanced search>titles only>heated nest

 

[MeepBeep]

Especially if you have proper, healthy ventilation in the coop....would be like pouring money straight down the drain......lol!

Heating my coop and also using supplemental lighting keeps my egg production steady all winter and the sales of those eggs (less competitors in the winter equals easier and more sales for me) each month more then pays for the heating bill, so it's no money down my drain, it honestly helps turn a profit...

Also no dealing with frozen water, no dealing with frozen plumbing in the coop, no frozen eggs (that I won't morally sell) ZERO risk of frost bite to the birds, much less risk of cold issues with my less cold tolerant peafowl, it's much more comfortable for me (and my family) to visit and work in the mildly heated coop, no frozen poop stuck to everything, all in all even if it did cost me money it would be money well spent as it saves me a lot of hassle and trouble as well as offering a huge piece of mind...

I keep saying it, heating a coop is simply not the devil many would like you to believe it is, just because they chose not to heat for their own reasons...

 

[islandgirl82]

Post #206 in the following thread has a pretty clever idea for insulated nest boxes. I've seen them used for outdoor/barn cats but never would have thought about them as nesting boxes.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/920320/preparing-your-flock-coop-for-winter/200

 

[aart]

Quote: For most BYCer's it probably is a waste of money, in some situations it is beneficial and peacocks are a different story.

It also can be an extreme fire hazard for the less than thoughtful and most importantly folks think their chickens will freeze to death and that is just not true in a majority of cases.

Depends on climate(for those who reveal theirs), keeping goals and financial resources.
There are more reasons not to heat than there are to heat, thus the overwhelming (to you) consensus.

Even if it was logistically and financially possible for me to heat the whole coop I wouldn't do it because it's just not necessary for my keeping goals, but I do supplement light, heat the waterer and may heat the nests to make avoiding frozen eggs more convenient.

 

[sunflower4you]

Silly question - how can you tell if an egg has frozen if the shell is not cracked?

And if it IS frozen (uncracked), is it only good for scrambled eggs or baking after it thaws? So if the egg was frozen is it no longer good for just having a fried egg?

I've read that freezing eggs on purpose is more tricky than just cracking them open and sticking them in the freezer. You have to mix yolk and white together and add sugar (for baking) or salt (for eating) to keep it from separating?

 

[BriardChickens]

I do the spin test with my eggs. Try spinning your "raw" eggs on the kitchen counter, it will wobble. Try spinning a hard boiled egg it should spin pretty fast without a wobble. I would think the same trick applies for a completly frozen egg. It's hard, therefore the egg can't slosh around on the inside giving it that wobble.

Correct me if I am wrong.

 

[maranfarmer563]

Mine were almost frozen today,20 degrees this morning

 

[MeepBeep]

It also can be an extreme fire hazard

I agree it can, but generally a vast majority of coop fires are due to unsafe and improper heating installs/techniques, if done properly the risk is minimal at best, honestly no more then the risk of heating your own house or using a heater for their water...

I have said it multiple times, heat lamps are the biggest danger and if at all possible should be avoided, although when the situation fits using them they should be used with the utmost care... Instead passive low temp heating units should be used in smaller coops, I recommend 'pig blankets' they only get about 35° over ambient temp, so even on a 100° day they are no where near hot enough to ignite anything, in the winter they are simply warm to the touch... They are also made from fiberglass and are nearly indestructible... Also extension cords should be avoided, but if necessary a HEAVY gauge all weather single extension cord (not muiltiples chained together) should be used, not the cheap orange 16 gauge ones, those cheap orange ones are under gauged for long runs and high current and get stiff and brittle in cold weather and can crack... And if feasible laying a run of 1 1/2 pvc across the yard and running the cord through that helps prevent damage as well...

For me I have full properly installed electric service in the coop and a 100,000 BTU forced air propane furnace (aka house furnace) as long as I keep the air filter on the furnace clean there is little risk or concern for me...

 

[JediJinx]

They make these special heating pads for outside cats that might do the trick in your nesting box. Might be worth a try.