Oh boy, it happens. I have chickens and sometimes it's cold enough to freeze the eggs in the nest.

If the eggs are unbroken, you can hard boil them and use them that way. If they are broken, you can put them into a plastic bag and let them thaw, then beat them up and use them in baked goods or scrambled eggs.

The problem with eggs is that the yolk coagulates when frozen. The whites freeze relatively well by themselves, but the yolks must be stirred up with a bit of salt (or sugar) to avoid the texture they get from freezing.

You may be able to separate the eggs, after thawing, and use the egg whites for omelets or angel food cake. Or, thaw a couple in a bag and see if the texture is good enough to suit you for scrambled eggs or baking, I usually squish them all around with my hands to get any thick "pieces" incorporated. I wouldn't use them for something like flan or crème brulee, where the texture of the egg is crucial to the outcome of the recipe, though.

Good luck!

Annie

This post was edited by annie1992 on Wed, Jan 22, 14 at 16:45

Don't the chickens freeze?

No, the chickens do not freeze. I get "cold tolerant" varieties, which include Buff Orpington, Rhode Island Red, Speckled Sussex, Jersey Giant and Brahma. I could also get Buckeye, Cinnamon Queen and any other of a number of varieties.

They do have a "coop" and stay inside, although they have access to the run outside. Their feet don't freeze, I've never had the frostbitten combs that some others have experienced and they will lay all winter, as soon as the days get long enough. I do have a heated water bowl, so they have water accessible at all times.

Annie

I spent a lot of time on a chicken farm when I was an urch. The Rhode Island Reds were my absolute favorite chicken. Well mannered, not mean, and tolerant. I was the one collecting eggs. To this day .... really good memories. They would sing. Now, about the White Leghorns (is that name right) they were terrorists!

You're right, Beachlily. The Reds are very docile and pleasant, as are the Buff Orpingtons. I have one Aracauna who is crabby and wouldn't you know, I have the one out of a thousand who lays brown eggs instead of green or blue. She probably does it on purpose. (grin) And one Speckled Sussex which is the most people oriented bird I've ever encountered, she walks up and talks to me, wants to be held and petted. The grandkids call her "Sparkle". Even the Golden Laced Wyandotts cluck and talk, although not as outgoing as Sparkle.

I agree on the Leghorns, though. They are production birds, and not particularly pleasant. You want an aggressive bird, try a bantam rooster, they're meaner than snakes, good thing they only weigh a pound or two!

Annie

LOL Annie! My neighbors raise chickens and I agreed to feed them while they were on vacation this past summer.

Long story shot, the tiny little Bantam Rooster now goes by the name I gave him....Lucifer.

Linda

Have found that eggs that "accidently" freeze... yolks are totally different... like rubber balls??

Yes, the yolks coagulate and that makes them thick and kind of rubbery. Unless you stir them slightly and add a pinch of salt before freezing, which you can't do if they are still in the shells.

So, you can use the whites as usual, they freeze nicely. I find that frozen eggs are acceptable hard boiled, especially if I'm going to mash them up to use them in other dishes. And, if you can incorporate the yolks into the whites sufficiently they are fine for baking things like bread, cake and cookies, or for batter for bread pudding or French toast.

Annie

LOL about your "social" chicken, Annie. Funny! I used to go out in the afternoon when the hens were scratching around. One of the Rhode Islands would come over and climb into my tiny lap (I must have been 5 or 6 and way under 40 lb at the time). She would settle down and we would talk and I would pet her. We also had Angora bunnies (with lots of babies) and a dog and 3 cats. As if I didn't have enough sweet, gentle things to pet--just had to pet the hen. Maybe that's why dark red is still one of my favorite colors! Nahhhh ... that can't be!

Thank you, Annie, for your help. I put the eggs in my house freezer and am going to thaw some today and hard boil them.
What I did want to say is that I loved reading all your "chicken stories". Never knew they had such personalities!

chickadee, you are welcome. I hope you can put your eggs to good use, it would be a shame to have them all wasted.

I've found that all my animals and birds have personalities and quirks of their own, they are very individual.

Those white Cornish Cross chickens, the ones I call "frankenchickens" because they are 7-9 pounds in eight weeks, are just dumb. I actually feel sorry for them.

My "girls" are quite social and I know several people now who live in town and keep a couple of hens as pets, they aren't as smart as parrots but they're friendlier!

Some animals and birds are meant for cold weather, some for hot climates. When the horses and other cows head for the barn, the Scottish Highland bull will stand outside and snort, billowing steam from his nostrils like a dragon, it seems to not matter a bit.

We have four pigs, three will stand back politely waiting for their food but one will pull at your sleeves and pant legs, nagging to be fed RIGHT NOW.

Although they are all meant to be food or provide food, I treat them all like pets, everyone gets petted or scratched, treated and pampered. None of them are aggressive or mean and all of them live happy, well cared for lives, not knowing that they'll be bacon or steak or chicken soup next week/month/year. I sustain them and they sustain me and that's the least I can do for them.

Annie