HELP: incubator is crapping out on day 21! What to do?!

[katiemdenne]

My new incubator, this is my first go at hatching, is crapping out. The temp is not reading properly causing substantial increases and decreases. We have one chick fully hatched, and 10 eggs with small chips in them from the chicks trying to break free. Can we take the eggs out and put them in the brooder under the heat lamp? Should we help the chicks hatch by cracking the shells at all? Any help please!!!

 

[gabrielle1976]

What kind of bator, can you turn it down just a tiny bit? You can take the baby out If you want to but unless its been 24 hours sincethe eggs pipped you shouldnt help them yet.

 

[Phage]

My new incubator, this is my first go at hatching, is crapping out. The temp is not reading properly causing substantial increases and decreases. We have one chick fully hatched, and 10 eggs with small chips in them from the chicks trying to break free. Can we take the eggs out and put them in the brooder under the heat lamp? Should we help the chicks hatch by cracking the shells at all? Any help please!!!

Did you adjust the temperature at all?
Try to avoid making any adjustments just now if you can.
It is better if the temperature is lower than too high. If you can prevent the temp from going over 100 then stick with the bator. The humidity in a brooder will likely be harder to control.
I had eggs hatch after the power had been out for 8 hours and the eggs felt cool.

 

[katiemdenne]

It is a hovabator 1588. We've discovered that if you drop the humidity until there is no condensation in the thermostat window, then it will function properly. So far 7 have hatched, and it is back to working properly. What a terrible product though.

 

[Sphinx]

How stressful! I hope the rest hatch out ok. Glad that your incubator started working again.

 

[hokankai]

There probably wasn't anything wrong with the incubator, just the amount of moisture started affecting the readings...which would be normal and mean there was a lot of water in there. It's very hard for an electric display to work well when it's covered in condensation.