How cold can eggs get and still hatch? *UPDATE*

[Cara]

5 chicks

One has terrible spraddled legs though, they just stick out diagonally in front of him and he lays on his chest. I just put a bandaid around his wrists/ankles and above his hocks, i'm hoping it works. I feel bad for him struggling so much, and he still can't sit upright. His legs are closer together in front of him, and he rests on his hocks instead.

 

[ginasmarans]

Congrats on a great hatch. I think some people will ape the legs so they won't spadle.Good luck

 

[haileyb123]

Power went out and I don't know what to do

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Power went out and I don't know what to do

If you still have access to hot water you can fill a hot water bottle or a couple jars and stick them in the bator. I bought Therma care heating packs (for muscle pain) to have on hand in case of power outtage, but I haven't needed to (knock on wood) use them yet. I'm not sure how well they would work, but I figured it was worth a try and I needed a back up plan to make myself feel better, so I figured one or two of them in the bator might do the trick.
If you have no way to add a hot water bottle or warm pack then wrap a blanket around the incubator to keep it from cooling as fast. Often times people have power outtages (sometimes for a day or more) and still have decent hatches, so all is not lost. There are a lot of factors in play.

 

[WVduckchick]

What day are your eggs on? Any idea how long the power may be out?
I had a power outage from a snow storm. Got down to -10F that night. Incubator got down to 65 (I have a wood stove I kept burning) This was ducks/turkeys on day 14. I finally got a generator the next day and hooked up the incubator, after about 18 hours without power. I had 4 ducks and 1 turkey hatch from that batch. They were a couple days late, and I lost a few, but the ones that made it are perfectly fine. The lost ones had some issues that I contribute to the low extended temps. But there is hope! Do your best to keep it as warm as possible, but don't mess with it too much. I would recommend continuing to turn the eggs too!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

What day are your eggs on? Any idea how long the power may be out?
I had a power outage from a snow storm. Got down to -10F that night. Incubator got down to 65 (I have a wood stove I kept burning) This was ducks/turkeys on day 14. I finally got a generator the next day and hooked up the incubator, after about 18 hours without power. I had 4 ducks and 1 turkey hatch from that batch. They were a couple days late, and I lost a few, but the ones that made it are perfectly fine. The lost ones had some issues that I contribute to the low extended temps. But there is hope! Do your best to keep it as warm as possible, but don't mess with it too much. I would recommend continuing to turn the eggs too!

Depnding on how long the outtage goes on and what day the eggs are on, I'd sooner say leave it closed and keep the heat in there as long as possible. After 14 days I definitely wouldn't open to turn and I probably wouldn't unless the outtage extended for the day or more. Though I have read references that say that if you have an outtage just open the bator and let the eggs cool down naturally. I don't think that would be my action.

 

[WVduckchick]

Depnding on how long the outtage goes on and what day the eggs are on, I'd sooner say leave it closed and keep the heat in there as long as possible. After 14 days I definitely wouldn't open to turn and I probably wouldn't unless the outtage extended for the day or more. Though I have read references that say that if you have an outtage just open the bator and let the eggs cool down naturally. I don't think that would be my action.

You wouldn't turn them? I say I would because the ones of mine that didn't make it seemed like the non-movement caused them to "dry" in the position they were in. Maybe just tilting the whole incubator would be the way to go, but I would "move" them somehow. JMHO

 

[AmyLynn2374]

You wouldn't turn them? I say I would because the ones of mine that didn't make it seemed like the non-movement caused them to "dry" in the position they were in. Maybe just tilting the whole incubator would be the way to go, but I would "move" them somehow. JMHO

Trying to weigh the warmer temps against the turning. I think for a day, I'd forgo the turning to keep the temps warmer as long as possible. Tilting the bator would definitely be a consideration. After all, I run dry

lol

 

[WVduckchick]

Trying to weigh the warmer temps against the turning. I think for a day, I'd forgo the turning to keep the temps warmer as long as possible. Tilting the bator would definitely be a consideration. After all, I run dry   lol

That was my thought too, while it was happening lol. Looking back, it is a toss up, but I believe would try tilting, if I expected an extended outage. I think I'd wait a good 12 hours first though.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

That was my thought too, while it was happening lol. Looking back, it is a toss up, but I believe would try tilting, if I expected an extended outage. I think I'd wait a good 12 hours first though.

Ya, that sounds like a plan......one I hope to never have to use...lol