Day 19 update and I am worried.

[tazcat70]

I went out of town for my in-laws Christmas celebration and had an egg sitter.

When I got home I check on the bator and the temp had gone up to 101.8.

Today is day 19. Day 20 actually started at 4:33 but who is counting.

Does humidity play with the temp readings on an accurite? My other regular thermometer came unglued from it's temperature markings.

I luckily, got into the habit of writing down all the temps in a notebook whenever I checked on the bator, and while my father was egg sitting he did this when he checked it too.

12/22 8:59 am temp 99.0
12/22 3:15 pm temp 100.2
12/22 5:03 pm temp 100.0
12/22 8:17 pm temp 101.1
12/22 11:02 pm temp 101.8

12/23 3:39 am temp 100.5
12/23 3:30 pm temp 101.5
12/23 5:01 pm temp 101.1

I get home at 6 and turn it down, since then the temps have gone down to 100.6. I have tapped it down again.

The humidity has been @ 75% the entire time.

Why oh why did I have to leave town?????

No pips so far. I am beginning to worry.

Thanks,

Tonya

 

[MaransGuy]

Hi Tonya,

It is too soon to tell but if everything was good up until now I doubt you will have a complete loss. I had a problem once where my incubator was running as high as 103 at hatch time. I did lose quite a few but not all of them. Some actually hatched on day 18. Those temps were high all the way through the hatch. Another thing to remember is that the chicks will start to create their own body heat by this time. A good thermostat will easily deal with it but wafers can be touchy. If nothing has pipped yet it would not hurt to candle a few and see if you notice any movement. Keep the humidity up to around 70% and they should be fine. Is this a still air unit?

Richard

 

[tazcat70]

Richard,

Thanks.

Yes it is still air and the temps are what is in the water weasle. Guess I should have mentioned that part.

Since they are technically not due until Christmas if there are not any pips by tomorrow morning I will candle them.

I am still hoping for the best.

Tonya

 

[silkiechicken]

I say don't worry and keep it shut till they hatch. That variation isn't too bad and it averages out over the day to be about right. A degree low or high for the full 21 days can be a problem, but a degree low and high in the same day evenly should be fine. I'd hold out for day 21 to candle, since they might not pip on day 20 and you're risking the lowered humidity when opening it up. Good luck!