Help!! Advice needed...

[solanaskyes]

OK, I've been running 3 Genesis Hovabators in our master bathroom and have had decent hatch results with them, considering I've only incubated mail order eggs so far. Well, disaster struck 2 days ago and the hot water heater in the attic above the bathroom burst, causing enough water damage we've had to call in a damage repair company. They've now got 2 industrial size dehumidifiers and probably 5 fans running in there and will need to keep them running for another 4 days.

When this happened, I had one incubator on lockdown, and the water damage equipment is sucking all the humidity out of the room and incubators, I can't maintain a stable range. I think I lost most of the eggs in the lockdown due to the humidity issues. There is still one egg that I candled last night that has a live chick in it, a Blue Brahma, I don't want to lose that one!! I've got another batch ready to go on lockdown tomorrow, and the other 2 incubators have 1 and 2 weeks to go before lockdown.

Is it safe to move the incubators somewhere else? It would require a lot of jostling the eggs around and drops in temp and humidity, plus getting the right "balance" for the new area they'd be in. The one with the (hopefully) still live egg

in lockdown, should I try to move that or continue to try to keep the humidity up where it is? The eggs to get locked down tomorrow are Aracuanas, and the rest are Marans and another batch of Blue Brahmas. What is the safest way to handle this without losing more eggs??

Edit: Forgot to add I do have a broody hen right now if all else fails...

 

[SpiritedFarm]

is there a room anywhere in the house where you can shut the door, put towels under it and stabilize the humidy and temp?

 

[solanaskyes]

The only room they could safely be moved to could possibly be controlled better for the humidity, but with all the dehumidifiers and central AC running, the entire house is drier than a desert right now. I guess I'm asking is moving them now riskier than keeping them where they are and battling the humidity, which would likely only be a lesser fight in the other room...

 

[SpiritedFarm]

I think if you are careful when moving them at this stage you will be allright. The chicks are formed and due in a few days right?
Just take care when you are moving them.
Where do you live? Is it really cold outside? Maybe you couold block the vent in the room for better control?

 

[solanaskyes]

No, we live in TX and it's getting hot. I'll try moving them tonight and hope for the best.

 

[calamityfarm]

I incubated in our CT house in February, with forced hot air heat- it doesn't get too much drier than that (well, it does, but you know what I mean). 1st- you can open the bators fast to add warm water as needed. I opened mine every day to add water to keep the humidity up. I didn't mess around, just opened, poured, and shut. My hatch was fine. Second, if you choose to move the bators you should be fine as well, just toss a bath towel onto of the eggs to keep them from rolling too violently into each other. As long as the room you are moving them to is similar to the first there shouldn't be any problem. Eggs are funny, for something so sensitive, they can also fool you and handle some changes better than we think. Just imagine the conditions your eggs were mailed through.
Best of luck, with the eggs, and the bathroom.