Help!!! My incubator just lost power!! Temp was at 85!

[ebear82]

Will they be okay?? I think the power was out for maybe an hour...when I checked the incubator it was down to 85 degrees. This is a still-air incubator with about 20 eggs in it. They were put in on Thursday. Thanks in advance for your help. Temp. is back to normal now.

 

[paddock36]

Believe it or not on my last hatch in my homemade incubator the cheap bulbs I bought burned out twice and I found my eggs at 77 degrees each time. I still hatched seven eggs. (The eggs were a gift and I was told some where possible old so hatching seven was pretty good) I was told it's not the drop in temp. to be concerned with but the overheating, because even a hen will get off the nest from time to time.

 

[Deanner03]

I've heard of people having much worse dips than that and still having success. I'd just bring it back up to temperature, and leave it be, and candle in a few days. Good luck!

 

[Chipper]

I think you should be fine.Good luck with your hatch.

 

[Elite Silkies]

Just remember a hen leaves her nest for about an hour a day, so they will probably be fine.

 

[happytxchick]

A week ago we lost power in a snow storm for 6 - 8 hours, and yesterday 30 of 34 eggs hatched with strong chicks in a still air incubator. Low temp is better than high temp...lows slow the metabolism (of any animal); whereas, highs will "fry" them.

They'll probably be just fine.

 

[ebear82]

Thanks for the encouragement! When could I candle them successfully do you think? I thought I could do it at 3 days? Should I wait a couple more days now that this has happened?

 

[farmin'chick]

I believe 10 days is recommended

 

[rhoda_bruce]

About 10 days ago, we had a power failure and it was cold. When the temp got down to about 89 degrees in the incubator, I couldn't take it anymore and I told my husband to start the generator. He was about to when the power came back on. They were due to hatch out on the 19th, but started last night and all day today. Had 69 eggs to start. 43 are hatched. The remainder are mostly threatning to hatch. About 9 haven't started doing anything, but they aren't even due until tomorrow, so I will give them a chance. I think you should be fine, if it doesn't happen too often.