Incubator Temperature drop ???

[merrymutts]

Reset my HHD Incubator 4 days ago to an acceptable incubation range and for the past couple of days, it has held a temp of 38.0-38.1C and humidity at 62-65 %

Looked at it just a few minutes ago and the temp has DROPPED to 34.2 C ??

WTH ??? No one has messed with it...not even to lift the lid ( has no eggs in it right now ) … has not had anything else change in the house … so cannot figure out WHY this drastic change in internal temperature. On the Fahrenheit side this would be a drop of almost 6 degrees .

How would this affect the development of any eggs inside ??

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm not familiar with that incubator but this read may set your mind at ease.
http://www.brinsea.com/Articles/Advice/PowerOff.aspx

 

[merrymutts]

just stuck a thermometer into the incubator and will check before I go to bed.

 

[merrymutts]

Guess the incubator is shot...the thermometer placed inside the incubator registered about the same temp as the control panel so I just shut it off.

Luckily I did order a new incubator, which should arrive tomorrow...because I have hatching eggs due on Monday.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Well it is good there were no eggs in it.
Cell division will still happen at 34C but more than a day at that temperature will cause disproportional development of some organs.
Is your old incubator worth fixing?

 

[merrymutts]

Threw a couple bath towels on top and temp is back to normal and holding. Should get new incubator today and will set up soon as we get it home. I have some Bielefelder eggs waiting to incubate plus a couple from my own hens. I will split them up between the two incubators and do the sign of the cross that we get a hatch.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I have some old 1200 series GQF incubators in a room on the top floor. The furnace died on that floor and it got quite cold. I turned the incubator control up all the way and it still wasn't warm enough. I covered the incubator with a big bath towel and it came up to temperature.

 

[merrymutts]

that's what I did...

 

[Fairview01]

Well it is good there were no eggs in it.
Cell division will still happen at 34C but more than a day at that temperature will cause disproportional development of some organs.
Is your old incubator worth fixing?

So how can a hen go off and lay a clutch of eggs over a nearly 2 week period in the summer before she sets the nest for 3 weeks and not only hatch healthy chicks but successfully hatch most if not all the eggs laid?