Are my eggs okay?

[sgray136]

My wife just called me from home to let me know that within the last hour the temp inside my incubator had went up to 104.

I had her immediately remove the lid, adjust the thermostat just a smidge downward, and mist the eggs with just one squirt from the water bottle.

The temp is now back down to 99.7 and still dropping. I instructed her to call me if it drops below 97.5 with the light off.

Are my eggs okay or have I lost them due to the spike in temp?

 

[MissPrissy]

I am going to say they are probably all right. Just watch them and hope for the best. I have read of much higher temp spikes and the eggs being fine. My luck, temp spikes are a disaster. All you can do it wait and see.

 

[sgray136]

Thanks. I sure would like to know what caused the spike? I am contemplating changing out the thermostat for a wafer type. Anyone have an opinion?

 

[MaransGuy]

They should be fine. During my first incubation last year I used a wafer type thermostat and only one thermometer (NEVER do this until you are sure it is accurate) and incubated my batch of eggs at 103 (unknowingly) right up until hatch. I finally discovered the problem when they started hatching on day 18. Some did manage to hatch while the majority were dead-in-shell at full term. Some that did hatch also had minor foot deformities. While it is not a great outcome I offer it as an example of how far off you can be and still have something come out.

Regarding the thermostat, what are you using now? I would never recommend using a wafer unless you are using something inferior right now. My new incubator has a pre-set digital thermostat and I love it. I did have to adjust it down to the lowest setting but it holds a steady 99.5-99.7 all the time. The room it is in varies from 63 to 75 throughout the day and the bator has no fluctuation. Another problem with wafers is that, because they work on pressure within and outside the wafer, they are subject to vary depending on barometric pressure as well (any storms coming through?). This is one reason that they need such contstant adjustment. I have not adjusted my digital thermostat once in my last three hatches and have had 100% hatches with some breeds.

Richard

 

[sgray136]

There goes the wafe stat idea and good riddins. I am currently using a hotwater thermostat from Lowes as recommended by Ms. Prissy http://backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=8510

All has been fine until this morning but after speaking with my wife I think maybe I am the cause.

I noted during the later part of last week that the temp never seemed to get much higher than 99.1 degrees and fluctuated between 97.33 and maybe 100.7 most of the time prior. I turned the thermostat up on smidge of a smidgin twice in the last two days and I apparently over did it enough that due to some spike in the house temp the temp inside the bator went up way too much.

My wife has called me five times now to let me know the latest.

 

[MissPrissy]

The absolute hardest lesson to learn is to keep your hands to yourself. Put them in your pocket and walk away!

 

[sgray136]

Ahhhhh shucks Miss Prissy, I didn't know...