I slow roasted 28 black copper marans, RIR eggs the other day :(

Well my new diy bator seemed to be keeping everything perfect so I got 15 BCM eggs to add to the dozen or so RIR eggs I collected from my own flock. Everything worked flawlessly until day 8. I had every single egg with good veining and nice development when I candled on day 7. I went to work on day 8 and when I got home the thermometers were all maxed. The indicator light on the thermostat was off, but the heating lights in the bator were still on. I picked up the thermostat to unplug it and "click" the relay went off.

I opened the bator and it was at least 140 degrees in there This was my trusty thermostat that I have hatched 3-4 batches with and never had it fluxuate more than +/- .5 degrees.

The eggs were all hot to the touch. I cracked a few open to verify what I already knew... Each and every one of them had a perfect little chicken embryo that was dead as a doornail. The veins weren't even red anymore - they were brown.

Let my mistake be a lesson to all of you - make sure and use 2 thermostats because when one fails with no backup it is NOT a pleasant feeling.

 

Thanks for the sentiments... I already got some more BCM eggs last night. I bought 27 eggs this time for more than I want to think about lol. This time, I put 15 in my DIY bator (now with 2 thermostats) and 12 in my LG still air. I figure I shouldn't put my all my eggs in one bask... I mean incubator. The breeder I bought the eggs from gave me 2 dozen EEer eggs that he couldn't find a buyer for so they are in there as well... Oh yeah, and a dozen RIR eggs...

I must be crazy. I still have 20 chicks in the basement that are 5 weeks old and I just put 15 out to the barn that were finally fully feathered.