First incubation attempt a bust

[bockbock2008]

I got an egg turner for my birthday on Sunday and set 12 mutt eggs from my flock on Monday in the bator. Of course we get the worse ice storm this region has seen in a while and knocks out power to about 65,000 people. We are staying with my mom and stepdad. So is my grandma, my aunt, my cousin, their 4 dogs, my husband, my baby, my dog and my step daughter. The incubator went into the garage and I have not been able to get temp above 92. I guess I'll be throwing out this batch and starting over when we get power back. I keep checking it hoping it would have gone up, but to no avail. I think 4 days of below normal temps have probably ruined any chances for this batch. I should have trusted my instincts and waited but I had free eggs and read waaaaaaayyyyy to many posts to not give in and try it. Does anybody thinks theres any chance? My hopes are not up so you can give me the brutal truth

 

[Fudgie]

Honestly i would keep them in there and try. Do you have power yet? Lower temps MAY not kill the chicks, Higher temps DEFINATELY will kill the chicks. Don't toss them till they start to stink or start seeping gooey junk, if they seep, they may explode, handle with care.

I would try to see if they incubate. What day were they on?

 

[Teach97]

I would go ahead and try it...give them a couple extra days maybe three...but I would not give up...that is for quitters!

 

[winekntrychicks]

I would pull out now. Wait some more days. Think about it-My gram was born in 1901- they lived way out in the boon docks of Arkansas with no electricty-my 83 year uncle remembers his mom (my gram) hatching eggs from her home maded bator- she used an ole Kerosene lamp-just make sure its away from anything that can catch fire.

 

[bockbock2008]

Today is day 5. They were at the right temps on days 1 and 2 (Mon and Tues) but after that they have been all over the place. I thought we'd get power back fairly quickly so I waited. The temp got down to around 60 on day 3 and then when I got them plugged back in 92 is as high as I can get them. So sincethe middle of day 3 through today, day 5 they have been at 92 degrees. We still do not have power and it may be into mid next week before we get it. I wouldnt have pulled them unless there was something obviously wrong. I always have hope. I just wanted to see if there was a realistic chance.

 

[Fudgie]

Ok do this for me,
Dump the water in the bottom of the incubator and put in the hottest water you can get in the troughs. You can also put a cereal bowl of the hot water in there with a sponge in it. It will do 2 things:
1) it will get the humidity up
2) it will raise the temp in the bator.
After you get the temp and humidity up a little you can remove the bowl and sponges. Leave the water in the bottom. Make sure while you have the extra water and sponges in there that the plugs are open so humidity does not build up and drown the chicks. At this point, you will have to adjust your temp again inside the incubator. Remember they have not had any extra heat for 2 days and the eggs need to get up to temp. that does not mean your incubator is not running TRYING to get the temp up and if you adjust you might raise it too much for the long haul. Remember when you are adjusting the temp, you adjust a teenie bit and wait at least an hour to adjust again, you can check the temp and humidity but don't adjust. Keep doing this until you get it back to 99.5-101.

Just thinking logically about the circumstances, you had heat constantly for 3 days and the temp started dropping(no electricity). the inside of the styrofoam came to room temp, the eggs started to come to room temp and the water came to room temp. NOTHING helped it to get warmer. It will take a day at least to get the styrofoam heated back up and the inside of the bator and the eggs. I would say if you feel like it(and at this point you have nothing to loose if you think they are gonners anyway), when you dump the water in the incubator troughs, hold the bottom of the incubator the styrofoam part in the tub and turn on the faucet to the hottest water you can and let it run over the bator to warm up at least 1/2 of the stryrofoam. then put it back in place quickly and add water to the troughs and put the eggs back in, then do the above about the temp and humidity. See how it goes. You have nothing to loose and everything to gain!

for trying.

 

[bockbock2008]

I'll try anything. Well almost anything. Don't expect me to cover my butt with feathers and do the sittin myself Thanks for the advice.

 

[Fudgie]

Quote:
WELLLLLLLLLLLL...............................

whatever works!

 

[miron28]

Quote:

why not?

 

[AWChickens]

I had the power go out once while I was incubating, it dropped to about 80 for 12 hours before the power came on. I kept going though, and although they hatched a full 1-2 days late- they did hatch and all the chicks were fine. I'll cross my fingers for you!