Keeping eggs from freezing

[Anny]

How do I keep my eggs from freezing I forgot to collect eggs yesterday because my hens have only been laying every other day or so, when I went out there this morning there was a frozen cracked egg.

I have a small heater in the coop that is attached to a heat sensor that turn on at 32 degreen and off at 42. I think I might need to move the heat sensor, cus the other side of the coop isn't starting warm, and that is where they like the lay.

Any tips?

 

[digitS']

Anny, I think you need to insulate the nest box.

Straw can be packed in and foam insulation can be used. Foam has a higher R-value than even fiberglass but with insulation, the chickens had better not see it or they will eat it!!

I need to do something this year. I had foam insulation under a piece of plywood over the floor but mice moved in so I pulled all that out for 'o8. I've got my mouse traps out there where the birds can't get at them (caught 2 already this Fall

). But, I think I'll just put a small piece of foam under the box. That will be the coldest part. The walls and ceiling of the coop are fully insulated.

Since the birds can only access the interior of the nestbox - I may as well cover it (top, sides, and back) with pine shavings.

I've never had eggs break in that coop and it gets below zero here. Since I've pulled the insulation off the floor - I'd better do something, tho' and soon.

Steve

 

[too much fun]

I think the easy and cheapest solution would be simply change the "I forgot to collect eggs yesterday" problem. Being able to do that would reduce a lot of your frozen eggs...

 

[RockyToggRanch]

Unless your hens are like mine and lay everywhere but the nest box...then good luck! Collect more often?

Yeah maybe moving your heat sensor or adjusting the temp slightly.
Someone recently suggested(on another thread) lining the nest box with reptile heaters. ??

 

[Wildsky]

Yeah, just collect them every day and you should be fine, I collect eggs at 5pm every day and they're fine, its leaving overnight that does it - even with really low temps they can handle a few hours out in the cold without freezing.

 

[joanc]

Don't you check on your girls everyday? Is their water freezing?

If you have any kind of a routine to check on them, just include checking for eggs.

Moving the heat sensor may help. We got a sensor and tried several settings on it and it either got too hot in the coop or it turned off. It wasn't cheap either-it cost about $65. (awful expensive item and you can't even get lemonade out of it) and we got it long enough ago that we cannot return it.

Good luck.

 

[Anny]

digitS' :

Anny, I think you need to insulate the nest box.

Straw can be packed in and foam insulation can be used. Foam has a higher R-value than even fiberglass but with insulation, the chickens had better not see it or they will eat it!!

I need to do something this year. I had foam insulation under a piece of plywood over the floor but mice moved in so I pulled all that out for 'o8. I've got my mouse traps out there where the birds can't get at them (caught 2 already this Fall

). But, I think I'll just put a small piece of foam under the box. That will be the coldest part. The walls and ceiling of the coop are fully insulated.

Since the birds can only access the interior of the nestbox - I may as well cover it (top, sides, and back) with pine shavings.

I've never had eggs break in that coop and it gets below zero here. Since I've pulled the insulation off the floor - I'd better do something, tho' and soon.

Steve

actually the hen that layed this egg doesn't like to use to nesting box it was in the corner of the coop (which is insulated)​

 

[BayCityBabe]

it was in the corner of the coop (which is insulted)

Insulted because it has a cracked ol' egg there!

Yeah, you need to collect each day. It'll be fine. Finer, in April, when MI thaws out!

Brrrrr! Freezin' in Bay City...

 

[Anny]

Quote:
Their water is heated no freezing there, I do check them every day when I open and close them up. I check the nesting box for eggs but one of my girls (well two now erg) likes to lay her eggs in the corner (some times even buries the eggs in the bedding) but she has only been laying every few days lately so I just forgot to check the corner.