Bator temp was 107. I am unbelievably sad.

[wulimomma]

I went home and found my 'bator at 107 -I am sure my eggs are cooked. Things were great at 8:30 this AM when I moved yesterday's Austrolopes into the brooder. I left 4 silkies that hatched over night, 5 or 6 friz.cochin eggs and 1
living, chirping, pipped silkie. My DH was supposed to check them before he left this AM -around 10, I think. I can't imagine how this happened. I am using the double Hovabator system. So far I have 100% hatched that went in but the 6 Frizzled cochin eggs that went in 1 day after the others and the 1 straggler silkie. The only eggs I lost were not fertile and one quitter. I moved the silky chicks into the brooder which has a warm area of 99 and they are looking good so far but the egg that had pipped was not breathing or moving around anymore and the eggs are completly still - no movement seen with candling at all. I am so upset! Things were so perfect until now and this is my first hatch.

I posted this in the emergency section but it probably belongs here. Also, I am pretty sure the temp rose because of the extra heat in the room from he warming light. The overall temp must have risen enough to cause a problem. If not that than I really can't guess.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

You might be okay...I'd wait. I freaked when my temps hit 103.2 in my LG....but I still got eight babies to hatch.

I also saw someone else who had temps of 110 and hatch some hatch...

When are they due?

 

[wulimomma]

Thanks for the support, Equibling. Shouldn't there be signs of life? They are on day 20 and I keep watching and hoping to see the slightest movement. My other babies are doing great and we are in love already. Wish they could stay this little for longer. They are so funny to watch!

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Just have some good old fashion patience...they can still be okay....

 

[wulimomma]

Here are my fluffy babies. Until my overheating occurred, things were perfect.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/7865_img_0108.jpg

 

[prariechiken]

3 year old decided to help with the bator, temp was 107 when I found it....out of 20 eggs, 14 hatched. Just be patient, you may be surprised how resilient these little buggers are.....

 

[Their Other Mother]

I had the same thing happen today! I have 24 eggs in the incubator and I'm just praying they are ok. I've also got one goose egg in another incubator ready to hatch any time. I'm sweatin bullits here!!

 

[wulimomma]

Best of luck to you both. Mine are toast, the blood vessels are all gone and I opened one up - dead.

I am going to clean out the hatcher for the Faveroles due in 2 weeks, so far looks like 6 of nine are going but am not so great at early candling, may be more!

 

[Vamp-A-Billy Princess]

My jumped back and forth between 107 and 95 for ever last night while I was adjusting the humidity. I think the longest it was that high was maybe 5 minutes or less. I am just going to forget about the bator today. I am going out of town to the in law's for mother's day. My mom is at home with the eggs which of course are a perfect 101.5 for her...it's grandma magic.

 

[Davaroo]

It really can be frightening when that happens. You gotta wait it out though - the wheels are in motion. But there is a reason why spikes in temp occur. SOme things to ASKyourself that might help are:

Do you run the bator long term before setting eggs? I'm talking a week, with several 20 oz soda bottles filled with water inside? Do you do this between settings, or just load it up batch after batch?

If using wafer thermostats, do you change out the wafer at least yearly?

Are you double checking for drafts and disturbances around the bator? Is it near a window or accessible to small children? Even seeming small changes can make a difference. Many go unnoticed until too late.

Does everyone use a bator "coozy?" An insulating jacket helps alot to mitigate temp swings. I make mine from bubble wrap and duct tape.

Are you staggering hatches, always in and out of the bator? Are you a candle-holic? Do you fuss and worry and wring your hands over each and every egg, peering in whenever you think something is "wrong?"
All this opening and closing the bator will mess with temps pretty badly, too.

The best thing you can do with a small foamie bator is put it in the bottom of a closet, where temps are stable and there is no air movement. Let it run and stabilize before setting any eggs and use thermal buffering to keep the temps stable. There is a very small air mass in the foamie and the least little thing can upset the balance.