Keep eggs from freezing...?

[Jakrzz]

My hens don't seem to like to sit on top of their eggs and with winter around the corner, I'm worried that they'll freeze... I don't quite want to have to use a heating lamp unless I HAVE to.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Don't know how tough your day time temps are and for how long the bitter weather endures.

First, chickens during the day, so temps are warmer than the night time. Second, as each hen lays on the previously laid eggs to lay her in the clutch, she re-warms the eggs. Third, most chicken coops are a bit warmer than the outside air. Not much, but a degree or two.

In January and February, I go out to collect eggs at 8 am and again at 11:30 am. I can't take a chance of frozen eggs. If I left them all day, in zero weather? Yes, they'd all be cracked, I'm afraid.

 

[Cebarmlds]

It can be a problem for those of us that work all day and live in the frozen north.

 

[Jakrzz]

That is EXACTLY my case! Every morning I go out to feed them and look for early eggs, go to work at 7:00 am then come home at 5 so it's like I can make a lot of trips to my hens all day :/