Have I accidentally killed my eggs?

[Pelops]

Can anyone please advise?

I had to adjust my incubator when the temperature rose dramatically after adding my new eggs.

I've now found the problem was my calibration thermometer/hydrometer sensor, which had fallen over in the egg turner and was giving false readings.

Bottom line is, the eggs were at around 97.5F (36.4C) for the first 5 hours.

I corrected the mistake as soon as I realised but I'm worried that I may have killed them. They're a mix of Blue Copper Marans, Swedish Isbar and Westfalen Deathlayers.

How bad is the damage, are they still viable, or have I killed them off?

P.S. - The sensor problem was solved by pushing it through a cardboard egg carton cup and the temperature is now at a constant 99.5F (37.5C).

 

[tviss711]

I am not super experienced, but I don’t think that’s quite a low enough temperature to have killed all your embryos. A mother hen would leave her nest daily to eat and drink, leaving them at much lower temps than 97.5. Yes, for a shorter period, but I don’t think that’s low enough to halt all development entirely. I think they will be okay. How long have all eggs been in the incubator? If temps are stable now, just stay the course and candle when further along to confirm that they are growing.

 

[Altairsky]

They should be fine. It is worse when the temps are too high, but 36 is perfectly viable for a few hours.

 

[Pelops]

Hi, Thanks for responding.

I'd left them to settle for 24 hours in a cool room and put them in the incubator around noon.

They were in at the lower temperature for about 5 hours before I discovered the problem.

 

[tviss711]

Hi, Thanks for responding.

I'd left them to settle for 24 hours in a cool room and put them in the incubator around noon.

They were in at the lower temperature for about 5 hours before I discovered the problem.

I would think you noticed the problem early enough that they will likely be okay.

 

[Pelops]

They should be fine. It is worse when the temps are too high, but 36 is perfectly viable for a few hours.

Thank you

 

[2ndTink]

I don't think you'll have an issue, I've had 2 to 3 hour power outages while incubating and it didn't kill any of the eggs. The development might be a little delayed, but with it only being 5 hours I don't think you'd even notice it.

 

[Pelops]

Thanks everyone
Panic over

I noticed there was a problem, as I'd bought two thermometer /hydrometer probes, so I could confirm the one I added to the incubator was accurate.

It was only when I saw, that the spare one, lying on my coffee table was reading 2°C higher than the Air Conditioning in the room, that I realised.

 

[CandyCane701]

This was when you very first started incubation? Like day 1? If that's the case I think they'll be just fine