Chest freezer for F/T?

Does anyone have experience with keeping frozen prey in a chest freezer? I think there may be fewer chances of a spoiled meal with a chest freezer. A refrigerator/chest freezer combo runs about $800, so I sure would like some first hand info before taking the plunge. Thanks! :)

You can get a good freezer from Lowes for under 200 bucks.

I use a 5cu ft deep/chest freezer and cost me 139.99+tax at lowes. It currently has about 600 rats in it.

I have this http://www.lowes.com/pd_75729-33112-...e|0&facetInfo=

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deborah

I have this http://www.lowes.com/pd_75729-33112-...e|0&facetInfo=

---

Same one i have but caught it on sale..

Barely have to turn it up and it gets COLD.. Think on low it was -5F I have it hair higher at -20F

yep lots of cheap options out there! I wouldnt get a combo chest freezer fridge for that much just because i wanted to freeze rats ... geta nice fridge and get a cheap chest freezer :)

Get a fridge/freezer combo; Freeze your rats and chill teh beers! Sorry, im bored... Lol






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Munizfire

Get a fridge/freezer combo; Freeze your rats and chill teh beers! Sorry, im bored... Lol






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

thats the best suggestion yet lol

I have an approximately 5 cu ft chest freezer I got off of craigslist for $50. Works great for rats.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Wish I had room for a fridge and a freezer. Must be nice! :P
I've been meaning to get a new refrigerator anyway. I just don't know if going with the chest type's worth the extra money.

This one was on sale earlier this year for almost half off, so I picked one up just for the rats. I like that I can put different sizes on different shelves, no more digging through piles in the chest freezer. And of course DH is happy that he doesn't have to move the rats to get to his steak any more. :D It also takes up very little room in a corner in the garage.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...4&blockType=G4

[QUOTE=Shadera;1646231] I like that I can put different sizes on different shelves, no more digging through piles in the chest freezer. And of course DH is happy that he doesn't have to move the rats to get to his steak any more. :D

QUOTE]

That's a good point, having to dig around in a chest could be a pain. I'm glad my current fridge's ok for now. Gives me time to think on it! :)

Yeah, I was looking at the craigslist options, but ended up getting a new chest freezer from Best Buy for $160 or so. Bonus: turns out a "small" chest freezer just barely fits in my hatchback. Sometimes I wish I still had the SUV...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by loonunit

Yeah, I was looking at the craigslist options, but ended up getting a new chest freezer from Best Buy for $160 or so. Bonus: turns out a "small" chest freezer just barely fits in my hatchback. Sometimes I wish I still had the SUV...

---

I can haul just about anything in my little S-10 pick up. It's fitting it into my 500 square foot house that's a problem! :P

A chest freezer is definitely worth it, just as everyone said. You can get them REALLY cold, they hold a loooot of feeders, aaaand you aren't having YOUR food laying next to frozen rats. My family prefers it this way :P

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by HypoPita

A chest freezer is definitely worth it, just as everyone said. You can get them REALLY cold, they hold a loooot of feeders, aaaand you aren't having YOUR food laying next to frozen rats. My family prefers it this way :P

---

Yeah, easy for the mother-in-law to mistake the foil-wrapped package full of steaks for the foil-wrapped package full of mice....

But you remember that salmonella scare associated with frozen rodents coming out of Georgia last year? That was what finally sent me out looking for a chest freezer. I actually really DON'T want any of that coming into contact with my microwave lunches.

I use a $150 chest freezer for my F/T. Been doing it for two years, easily one of the best decisions I ever made related to feeding my snakes. The summer is ending so check Craigslist. I got my chest freezer for only $100 with only 2 months of prior use this time 2 years ago.

I'm in the market for a standalone chest freezer. #1 for the rats, and #2 cuz I've gotta put all that venison somewhere once rifle season rolls around in MN. They're wonderful for anything you need to keep frozen.

I can't seem to find room in my tiny house for a stand alone chest freezer. In my current freezer, I get the top shelf and the bottom shelf's dedicated to rats. Maybe not ideal, but I never have to touch rat packages and then food packages. When my volume gets higher, I may have to get a seperate freezer. Maybe I could build a shed and put it in the backyard.

OMG I found one small enough to fit! :banana: The Avanti cf63 is only 20" wide & deep! It will just fit into a corner off my kitchen. It's only 2 cu ft of space, but I think that would be enough, wouldn't it? I only have four BP's now & will probably never have more than 10 adults. Wha'd'ya think?

Go for it!

ps. I keep reading the title of this thread on main page as "Chest freezer FTW"

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by loonunit

ps. I keep reading the title of this thread on main page as "Chest freezer FTW"

---

FTW? That's strange. I went to the "Home" page & scrolled down to it. It said "Chest freezer for F/T?". Strange glitch! Anyway, I probably should'a written out "frozen rats" instead of using the shortcut for "frozen thawed".

No, no, you're right, that's really what it says. My brain just keep seeing "Chest freezer FOR THE WIN!"

I bought a holiday 7 cu ft chest freezer from Lowes for my rats. About a month later it died on me when I was out of town. Came back home and went to get some rats and they were all half thawed. $400+ worth of rats down the tube. I returned it and got a 5 cu ft model. It's been going well so far (about a month and a half). Even withstood the light gnawing of an escapee! Needless to say I stuck a thermometer in there and check the temperatures daily. Don't want another $400 loss if I can help it. Chest freezers are nice, but you gotta keep your eye on them if you get a bargain brand...

Do chest freezers need a water line or just a wall socket?

Just the wall socket.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by loonunit

No, no, you're right, that's really what it says. My brain just keep seeing "Chest freezer FOR THE WIN!"

---

Oh, I get it! :giggle: