I might have killed them :(

[workindog]

So i unplugged the incubator and was planning to plug it right back in. Needed the wall socket for like 2 lousy minutes. I couldnt unplug the other cord because thats the pellet stove and if I unplugged it would make it reset and we would lose all of our custom settings.

Well.... i somehow forgot, within that miniscule amount of time!!! when i went to turn them 1 last time before bed, i felt the temp difference immediately

The incubator was unplugged for about 9 or 10 hours. I was so mad at myself!!!!

This happened 2 days ago. Today was lock down. Im still incubating, hoping some will be ok but i know they might all be dead, some could hatch with issues, or some possiblyyyy might be ok.

Anyone have anything like this happen and the chicks be ok? I was reading that it's ok for them to cool a little bit because mama does get off them to eat but not for this long!

 

[eggbert420]

Should be ok, lots of people have power outages and still hatch chicks. It happend to me this year and I hatched 90%.

 

[Tenrec]

From my experience with chickens, it depends on how many you had in there (eggs/other masses of water are heat sinks and stabilize temps), how far along the eggs are, how well protected your incubator is, the alignment of the stars, etc, etc. You really won't know until you know, but if it's any comfort, there are clutches who have been through this and pulled through. Just give them the best chance you can and learn from this mistake. You didn't mean it; it's very obvious you love your babies.

Not sure what the protocols are for determining whether itty-bitty quail eggs are still alive or not, but it might be worth a shot seeing if it's not too invasive. Let us know how your babies do, and fingers crossed for you!

 

[stricklandquail]

I'd keep up with the hatch. If it was only 9-10 hours, and the door was shut and the heat wasn't allowed to escape, all should be well. After all, in nature, Mama Quail doesn't lay on the eggs 24/7!

 

[lena_]

So i unplugged the incubator and was planning to plug it right back in. Needed the wall socket for like 2 lousy minutes. I couldnt unplug the other cord because thats the pellet stove and if I unplugged it would make it reset and we would lose all of our custom settings.

Well.... i somehow forgot, within that miniscule amount of time!!! when i went to turn them 1 last time before bed, i felt the temp difference immediately

The incubator was unplugged for about 9 or 10 hours. I was so mad at myself!!!!

This happened 2 days ago. Today was lock down. Im still incubating, hoping some will be ok but i know they might all be dead, some could hatch with issues, or some possiblyyyy might be ok.

Anyone have anything like this happen and the chicks be ok? I was reading that it's ok for them to cool a little bit because mama does get off them to eat but not for this long!

Don't worry, once the council unplugged the the power to the whole region I live in. It was literally a 24-hour power cut. I had a 95% hatch though. Often chicks will hatch with disabilities, and yo have to decide, put this little fellow out of his miserey or be paitent. On my first coturnix hatch a tuxedo chick hatched with neck deformity, I didn't want to kill him, so I baisically did quail physio, and it worked! After having to inject wet food and water into his mouth for anout three days, he was fine. Don't unplug the hatch!