incubator over heating, advice?

[featheredplanets]

My incubator over heated whilst the eggs are in lockdown and I fear most of the eggs are dead. All were well last night as we went into lockdown, everyone was alive.

We are having an awful heat wave in England today it peaked again at 30c. I’m hanging out my ass, personally. And my Janoel just can’t take it. I keep him in a dark room with a fan but today, I came back and the incubators accurate and my other accurate thermometer were reading 42.3c. I immediately opened the Janoel and let the eggs cool for an hour before replacing the incubator lid.

I’ve just had one silkie pip and he’s screaming like a mad man

, I decided to candle the other eggs and only 4 have internal pips. The other 6 eggs are completely still, no internal pip; imo, it’s not looking good. I think my Janoel may have boiled some of my babies alive.

With the heat wave, my incubator keeps over heating, it’s only gone to 38c until today, and the eggs were fine before then.

Any tips or advice on how I can control the incubators temp more? The only ventilation is a small hole. I’ve been propping the lid open, but the turner won’t work properly with it open and that’s not great for lockdown. I have some Leghorn eggs to try once eveyone left has hatched and would love a full hatch. This incubation went so well until today!!

I’m absolutely gutted.

And my apologies for so much writing.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I feel your pain. I would turn the temp down, humidity up and leave it closed. It can run low temp wise at this point but never good to go that high.
Good luck.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

The turner should be going during lock down.

I had a heat spike once during lock down and still got 50% hatch.

Actual studies have shown that hatching embryos subjected to heat spikes end fairing hot weather better...

How's your humidity when your lid is open? Humidity needs to stay up and not shrink wrap.

ETA: I meant turner should NOT be going during lock down.

 

[ronott1]

I am sorry about the heat spike!

No AC in the house? The problem is that incubators can't keep up with rapid temperature changes and if the room goes over 104F, The embryos will die

 

[lazy gardener]

Better to shrink wrap than to cook the babies. Do you have a basement you can put the bator into? Any room with AC?

 

[Kiki]

I too would turn the bator down.
Having exact temps this late in the game isn't going to make or break the hatch.
Too hot will kill but a little on the cooler side is better.

 

[featheredplanets]

The turner should be going during lock down.

I had a heat spike once during lock down and still got 50% hatch.

Actual studies have shown that hatching embryos subjected to heat spikes end fairing hot weather better...

How's your humidity when your lid is open? Humidity needs to stay up and not shrink wrap.

That’s the main issue with leaving it open at this point, humidity drops far too low. So I had to close it and dropped the temperature by 1.5 degrees, I’m still seeing small heat spikes though, would dropping it to 32c be too low for the eggs?

 

[featheredplanets]

I am sorry about the heat spike!

No AC in the house? The problem is that incubators can't keep up with rapid temperature changes and if the room goes over 104F, The embryos will die

It’s not usually this hot here, we have heaters, no air con. I have a fan blowing directly at it but it’s useless

 

[ronott1]

It’s not usually this hot here, we have heaters, no air con. I have a fan blowing directly at it but it’s useless

I thought that would be the situation you are in!

There is not much you can do but check long range forecasts before starting a batch of eggs

I hope you get some to hatch!

 

[featheredplanets]

Better to shrink wrap than to cook the babies. Do you have a basement you can put the bator into? Any room with AC?

No basement, no air con and no cool garage