incubating delima

[jhammett]

Ok I need advice QUICKLY... I have 60 eggs incubating in my classroom. here in Kansas. school was snowed out on Thursday and Friday and we have another 6-12 inches coming late Sunday night and through the day Monday. chicks will be Hatching on Monday ( or at least that is day 21. And I may not be able to get to them on that day because of the weather I am way back in the country last roads cleared and all. question can I transport the eggs and incubators to my house before the weather hits and not harm them or cause loss. Should I try? I hate for my students to NOT see the hatching but they will likely not be in school until Tuesday anyway and I could video the process for them to watch later??? What should I do?

 

[kaybee123]

I don't know the answer but can you spend the night at the school to stay with them and film it?

 

[misskeeter]

I don't know the answer but can you spend the night at the school to stay with them and film it?

LOL... that is so something I would do!

I stayed at my classroom last year for MANY hours in order to catch the first hatching on camera for my students. My husband joked about bringing me a sleeping bag.

 

[hokankai]

How long does it take you to get home? What I would do is exactly that, get them home before the weather starts. If you can, get a power inverter and plug in to your car so you can have the incubator plugged in. I remember we used to use one on long car trips.

Otherwise eggs do ok with 30 minutes of "cool" time a day, so if you can be fast I think you'll be ok. Maybe stick it in a cooler with a hand warmer to minimize heat loss.

 

[jhammett]

How long does it take you to get home? What I would do is exactly that, get them home before the weather starts. If you can, get a power inverter and plug in to your car so you can have the incubator plugged in. I remember we used to use one on long car trips.

Otherwise eggs do ok with 30 minutes of "cool" time a day, so if you can be fast I think you'll be ok. Maybe stick it in a cooler with a hand warmer to minimize heat loss.

It takes about 12 to 15 minutes to get home from my school.

 

[misskeeter]

It takes about 12 to 15 minutes to get home from my school.

I'd do it then... Maybe mark the tops of the eggs so you know which side is "up" to fix any movement when you get home. GOOD LUCK...

Keep us posted and share pictures.

 

[hokankai]

Oh that's perfect! are the eggs loose, or in a turner or cartons? I'd just be as fast as possible and insulate the eggs if you can. What kind of incubator are you using?

 

[jhammett]

Oh that's perfect! are the eggs loose, or in a turner or cartons? I'd just be as fast as possible and insulate the eggs if you can. What kind of incubator are you using?

The eggs are in two seperate bators one had a turner i removed that on day 18 when i quit turning them. The eggs are laying loose in the gators. This is what I decided. I am hgoing to my school putting ALL eggs into one bator bringing the second h ome and getting it up to temp. Then going back putting ALL the eggs in cartons and sitting the cartons in the bator and closing it transporting them home that way and putting them ALL in the hot bator until bator 2 is up to heat. then seperat them again 60 birds are to many to hatch in one bator i think. Now if there is another science teacher on here. Does this negate the experiment my students are conducting (which system has a higher hatch rate auto turn vs manual turn) since the turning phase is passed? How do I justify the results for them or with them when they return to school. I am working with special education high schoolers.

 

[misskeeter]

The eggs are in two seperate bators one had a turner i removed that on day 18 when i quit turning them. The eggs are laying loose in the gators. This is what I decided. I am hgoing to my school putting ALL eggs into one bator bringing the second h ome and getting it up to temp. Then going back putting ALL the eggs in cartons and sitting the cartons in the bator and closing it transporting them home that way and putting them ALL in the hot bator until bator 2 is up to heat. then seperat them again 60 birds are to many to hatch in one bator i think. Now if there is another science teacher on here. Does this negate the experiment my students are conducting (which system has a higher hatch rate auto turn vs manual turn) since the turning phase is passed? How do I justify the results for them or with them when they return to school. I am working with special education high schoolers.

I think as long as they are marked, you have not ruined your experiment. You've altered the factors ever so slightly, but you did it equally with both. Your variables for the whole experiment have changed, but they affected all eggs equally. I think you are good.

 

[jhammett]

OK UPDATE I went to my school to check on the eggs and prepare to begin transporting them home in a two phase process. When I opened my classroom door I heard Audible peeps from the bator with the auto turner. I walked over to see eggs with cracks and movement. I put ALL eggs in that Bator so they were too crowded for extra movement unplugged everything and hurried home. I now have the seperat again in my den and have 4 chicks hatched and walking around in the bator.... Not sure what to do next??? When do i feed them when do I offer water? I am thinking I shouldnt open bator again untill All that are going to Hatch do so at a minimum