Day 1, 110 degrees for 5 hours... are the eggs ruined??

[lauren2188]

Hi,
I am new to incubating eggs and I placed my eggs in the incubator which I thought was right at 100 degrees this morning. This afternoon, I had a feeling that I should place an additional thermometer inside just to verify that the one on the top was correct (guess I should've done this from the start...). It said 110!!!!!!!!! I immediately open the incubator and let it cool down a bit and then reduced the heat.

My question is.. have I killed the eggs already? Or will they be okay? I am a first grade teacher and we are doing this in my classroom. I would hate for none of them to hatch after 21 days... my class would be SO disappointed. Should I get some more eggs?

Thanks!

 

[steelchair]

Temp spikes that high probably killed the eggs. If you are on day one I would start over.

 

[wabbit1964]

The question is WHICH thermometer is reading correctly... it could be that the 100 degree one was right and the 110 degree one is reading high... Trying to be optimistic.

 

[lauren2188]

I placed several thermometers in after the first one read 110 and they all said the same... The thermometer on the incubator was 10 degrees off

 

[shallowbrook]

Trying to figure out which thermometer is correct will drive you crazy. Dial thermometers are the most accurate. Digital Thermometers are the least accurate. I killed a bunch of Peafowl eggs one time with digital thermometers. I called and talked with the company that made the digital thermometers, which also could read the humidity. I took the batteries out of them and put them away. I usually just use the little thermomaters that are in the small Styrofoam incubaters. I have found them to be the most accurate.

Do you have access to fertile eggs to replace your eggs that might have gotten cooked? I can donate some hatching eggs to you class if you need them.

Nancy

 

[lauren2188]

The thermometer on my incubator is a dial thermometer and the others that I placed inside are just plain mercury thermometers (I guess that's what they're called).

I don't have access to more fertile eggs. The first set I got from Craigslist and I am currently looking for more on Craigslist but no luck so far...

Thank you for offering to donate! Where are you located? Would you mail them? Wondering when they would be here so we would have time to incubate before school is out.

 

[wabbit1964]

Sorry

 

[PoultryGirly]

I wouldn't give up yet! I would keep the eggs in the incubator for a few more days. Then, candle them and see if there is any life. Leaving them in for several more days wouldn't hurt anything!

 

[pecangrove]

I agree with leaving them a few days. When I first set up my incubator I had a similar thing happen, only the heating element itself went crazy and they were at 110 for about 2-3 hours before I realized it. So I had set up a make-shift aquarium/spotlight incubator and moved the eggs over. I did lose a few, but right this moment I have 2 already hatched and another pipped, and another cheeping in it's shell. So I would not give up yet. I would candle them in 4-5 days and see what happens. You may be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Titansfan2104]

I cranked up the old hovabator ( its 20 years old ) and set three batches of eggs 3 consecutive days. The first day was 90% second was 60 and 3rd was 0 hatched all while being 2 days early. Couldnt figure out what went wrong but when compared to 4 new themometers it was evident the originak mercury was 3-5 degrees lower than actual temp. Well when set to 100-101 it was really 105.
Got that fixed and 20 more chicken eggs set along with 2 duck eggs. I have 33 quail eggs in my homemade and another 50 along with 12 french bcm!! Its best to buy plenty of thermometers and keep a close eye.