So I had stepped out for just maybe 2 1/2 hours and I got home and my incubator was at 104.2°. Now I am hatching quail not chickens, I was wondering if anyone knows if this is a death sentence for the quail to get up that high?
Its not an immediate death sentence if it wasn't that high for too long. It takes longer for the internal egg temp to reach what the incubator is showing, so it really depends on how long it was that high. So sorry, you'll just have to wait and see. Is your thermometer accurate?
Hope your eggs are ok. My last batch in the incubator got cooked. Was 3 days away from hatching. Put them on lockdown and went away for the long weekend. Came home to find the incubator blinking and the temp at 117! Apparently one of my cats somehow changed the temperature while sleeping on top the incubator. Now the incubator is locked in a room where no other animals can get in there!
I have the same problem.my bator is home made an hits 105 frequently if in not there to manually vent it.i figure in temperature rises an falls through out the entire day so I'ma keep mine in there for now but then again a hen knows when the is no more good an roll it out.all we have is human beings trying to assume they know everything.nature is a wonderful thing and will trick you more often than not.give em a chance,see if they hatch.the heat may taken moisture so add a little extra just in case.im trying to learn myself.trial an error...