How Many Eggs Did You Get Today?

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Wonder how long it takes eggs to freeze when it's -4.... I got 2 before we left for Billings, we were gone 6 hours, and came back to 2 more but I can't tell from the spin test if they are frozen or not. Got a customer coming for 5 dozen eggs the first of next week - um, he's gonna have to buy some to make up the difference if this keeps up!
 
ochochicas said:
The power has been out all week so no lights or anything special for the chickens.  Still been getting 7 eggs per day from 12 hens (not counting the ones that are molting).  Not too bad.
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No electricity because of weather? For a week?!! I have 8 laying girls and got 4 eggs this week! They are molting tho
 
@Blooie did you see the seedling heat mat to egg nest warmer conversion? If you've got electricity in your coop, that might work for you. Or then you can fill a sock with rice, throw it in the microwave for 3-4 minutes and put it under the bedding in the egg nest.
 
vehve said:
@Blooie did you see the seedling heat mat to egg nest warmer conversion? If you've got electricity in your coop, that might work for you. Or then you can fill a sock with rice, throw it in the microwave for 3-4 minutes and put it under the bedding in the egg nest.
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I did - I'm just not sure how it would work with our setup - we have individual nests, small compared to what the poster used, We have one plastic nest and one basket nest on the floor, then two plastic ones hung above that. I know we could reconfigure our nest setup to accommodate the seedling mats, but it's COLD here right now and I don't much feel like being out there when it's -9 F tinkering with rebuilding nests.That may well be a spring project in preparation for next winter. The rice socks sound doable though.
 
Blooie said:
I did - I'm just not sure how it would work with our setup - we have individual nests, small compared to what the poster used, We have one plastic nest and one basket nest on the floor, then two plastic ones hung above that. I know we could reconfigure our nest setup to accommodate the seedling mats, but it's COLD here right now and I don't much feel like being out there when it's -9 F tinkering with rebuilding nests.That may well be a spring project in preparation for next winter.  The rice socks sound doable though.
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Unfortunately, if it's -9 at your boxes rice probably won't do a lot for very long. You probably do need an electric solution.
 
AKchicken1 said:
Unfortunately, if it's -9 at your boxes rice probably won't do a lot for very long. You probably do need an electric solution.
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Yeah, as soon as I posted that I did a head slap - and just how long is that going to stay warm, Dummy Blooie? If I had nice, obedient layers who did their jobs from 8 am until 11 am, I might buy enough time with the rice bags. Warm them up, put them under the bedding in the nests, and then count on the warmth of the chickens marching into the nests one after the other so there were warm bodies and warm eggs slowing down the cooling somewhat. But I go out at 7 am and there's usually the first egg of the day in the top nest, still kinda warm. Then it's like Old MacDonald's farm - an egg egg here and and egg egg there, here an egg, there an egg, all the way to 4:30 an egg. <sigh>
 
Saturday:10 eggs from 17 hens, the youngest just turned 24 weeks old . I have artificial lighting in 1 coop and none in the other. We had a dusting of snow yesterday & today they are calling for 1 to 3 inches. I used 3 mil opaque plastic to cover the bottom 3ft of the covered run attached to the non- lighted coop. I figure that will help keep out most/ if not all of the snow and keep the cold drafts off the ladies, but still allow for lots of ventilation. I can cover the top half also if I need to. This is the first winter with this coop/run. The coop has insulated walls, a dirt floor, corrugated plastic roof and big windows on 1 set of opposite sides, 3 nest boxes (that stick out the side) and 2 roost/perches at different heights. The chickens have free access to the attached covered run, or I can open the run door and they then have access to a large fenced (but not covered) yard. I have 1 rooster & 8 hens living in this set up.
My other coop is a wooden purchased 10 X10 shed that we insulated and paneled the walls & ceiling, added electricity & overhead lights & 2 small windows & a pop door & 4 roost perches at 3 different heights and 4 nest boxes completely inside the shed. I have 1 rooster & 9 hens living in this set up. When I open the pop door they have free run of a different part of the fenced in (but not covered) yard. I plan to add an attached covered run to the side of this shed/barn because we have had some wandering dogs kill or run off with several of my hens this past summer, so I haven't been letting the chickens out as much as they are use to. The smaller coop's chickens at least still get to go out into their covered attached run for sunlight & fresh air, so I figure it is only "fair" that the barn chickens have the same opportunity!

Blooie, how are scouts feet doing?
 

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