HUGE FIRE, NO POWER, EGGS IN ‘BATOR! :( UPDATED--PEEPS!

[Rare Feathers Farm]

There was a huge dry lightning fire last night down the highway from us. It burned up a lot of acreage, but thankfully, no homes. However, we lost power last night at 7:30 and as of nearly 9am this morning, we still didn’t have any.

http://www.omakchronicle.com/nws/n080701d.shtml

We live 7 miles up the highway from the biggest fire and Leader Lake is across the highway from us....

I threw a big blanket over the incubator but it was at 82 this morning when I woke up at 6am. I then was torn between taking the whole mess to work with me which is about 20 minutes in a bumpy car—or leaving it at home and hoping it didn’t spike when the power came back on. My FIL works for the PUD and he got called out last night at 11pm and still wasn’t home this morning. They originally said we’d have power by 8am but my husband called his dad and his dad pretty much said that we shouldn’t count on it.

So I packed in-between the eggs with plastic wal-mart sacks and loaded them up. I brought them into work, unwrapped them and everyone made it okay…I got them plugged in and they are now approaching 95 degrees…so it’s coming back up.

I have four mottled Houdans due to hatch tomorrow, four Sumatras and four mystery polish chicks due Friday. The other eggs are more Sumatras, some blue/black/splash Orpingtons and 16 “yellow/blue” cochins.

I don’t want to give up on these…but I’m wondering if it’s a lost cause? Some are due any day, others are about a week behind.

I JUST HEARD TWO CHEEPS! So at least TWO of them are alive right now!

 

[arlee453]

I had a batch recently lose power and then have the bulb blow out (homemade bator) when it came back on. When I figured out the bulb was out, it was 78 in the bator.

Still had a decent hatch though....All you can do is wait, and that's the hardest part!

 

[EweSheep]

Try hot water bottles just to keep them warm. It might delay their hatching dates a bit but any warmth will keep them going.

I used to take a doz of eggs on top of my gas water heater and wrapped them up in towels. Works well and had a good hatch after three days of no electricity. Had a delayed hatch by four days.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
Yeah, that is the hardest part! Some of them aren't due for a week! They are now up to 99.5 but the humidity went up because I had to cover the entire thing.

Luckily, I have a few understanding (and seemingly interested) bosses who didn't mind me bring the eggs into work this morning!

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
I would, but we are on a well. So no power means no water, either.

My husband and I are talking about getting a generator...I wonder if they have any battery back ups for 'bators?

 

[farmgirlie1031]

I'm sorry. I hope they make it. We are on a well also. We have power but no water today The plumber is coming soon and hopefully it gets fixed ASAP as I have a lot of critters that need water and so does the landlord. His hog barns are without water too Luckily I had filled up the horses tank last night and the chickens waters and the dogs and cats too. But it's going get really hot today so I don't know what I am going to do when they are empty. Surely the well can't be dry with all the flooding and rains this year. I'm just worried some of his hogs won't make it as they are bone dry right now and have no water to take them He's out of town right now but coming back as soon as he can and hopefully he can fill up a tank from his other place and bring it by tractor to these barns.

 

[Julie08]

you can get an inverter with battery back up that you can plug the incubator into.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
ACKK! Yeah, luckily, my hubby filled up the horse trough last night but we only have one horse drinking from that one...the others are out on acreage with a creek.

 

[NewChickenMom]

no worries!! i just lost power for 14+ hours and i didn't cover the bator, got down to 76 degrees, once power came back on the humidity and temp returned to normal and my eggies are all still ok, little embryos are kicking up a storm. yours will be fine!! i want pictures when they hatch!!

 

[EweSheep]

How about your BBQ grill for boiling some hot water???? That would do in a pinch!

Yeah I remember when I used to live on the farm, on well and whenever the power goes out, no water!

Bottled water will do you fine, just enough to fill the hot water bag or ice bag. It does not need to be too hot.

I am sure you guys have hot water in your tanks left.....unless you used them all up already.

If you are in sunshine mode, maybe taking the incubator or eggs to the hot car with windows down wrapped in towel can keep it warm and close the windows during night to keep it warm. Just a thought to see if it would work. Be careful. Sometimes inside of cars are hotter than others....put a temp in there with the eggs will do you in a pinch. Its a chance you have to take tho.