What if eggs freeze

[polychickens]

I feel like an idiot for asking this, but what happens if eggs freeze in the winter before they are collected?

We check for eggs several times per day, but surely many will freeze hard as a rock when it really gets cold here. How do you all deal with that?

Thanks!
Poly
Not planning to heat the hen haus

 

[Wynette]

I've been wondering the same thing! I work full time, and cannot check my nest boxes until about 5:30 p.m.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

I don't know for sure, but I am thinking if they freeze that you could gather them up and set them out on your counter. Let them come up to room temperature and they should be fine. (guess you could test it out by putting one in your own freezer)

 

[TransplantedTexan]

There is not alot of "free" space inside an egg. I would think there would be a good possibility of an egg busting open if it froze.

 

[Frozen Feathers]

They do crack open when they freeze, messy situation.

The only thing you can really do is to add heat or collect them several times a day.

 

[bigzio]

Yep, the eggs will crack when they freeze, however it isn't a messy situation because the inside is aready gelling and expanding looking for a place to go. I collect as often as possible and always kept and ate any eggs that weren't cracked and possibly collecting bacteria from the nest. Those eggs were always fryed and fed back to the hens, so nothing is wasted.....

bigzio

 

[M.J]

the eggs will freeze causing the same effect as a completly filled bottle it will explode and oozing out and create a mess aka the shell crack yet really doesnt exploted but leakes it all out

 

[silkiechicken]

They will crack when frozen, but I find my nest hutch is warmer then other places (since it is on the ground) and so even if it is freezing all day, the eggs are very cold, but have not frozen and broke.