Lost Power to 3 bators

[shannondee12]

I have 3 different hatches going right now. One of mixed eggs that went in lockdown yesterday morning. There are 12 of those.
One of sex links that are on day 14. There are 12 of those and the last just got set yesterday afternoon. 4 silkie eggs and 5 bcm eggs. The windstorm came last night and knocked out our power. I immediatly wrapped towels around the bators to help keep warm. My digital was reading 94 by the time we got the generator up and going. total time was about 30 minutes. Then this morning at 4 a.m. the generator ran out of gas. I didn't wake up right away and buy the time I got the generator filled up and going again, the bators were down to 90. My guess is about an hour total the second time. Are all 3 batches goners? I am hoping that since my hatch day on the first batch is in 2 days, they will be ok and I am really, really, really wanting the silkie eggs to be ok.

We have been debating on getting a natural gas generator since we have free gas but they are a big investment. However, If these eggs don't make it because of this, Hubby is gonna have to bite the bullet and get one installed that kicks on automatically.

 

[sumi]

They'll be fine, don't worry! The temperature didn't drop near low enough to cause harm and over that short a period the core temperature of the eggs couldn't have dropped much. Remember a broody hen doesn't sit 24/7 on her eggs. She gets up daily to eat and stretch her legs, sometimes if the weather's good, I'll see my hens off the nest for up to 30 minutes or longer. Sometimes, by the time they return the eggs are ice cold. The embryos can withstand these cool down periods, it doesn't do them any harm. Best of luck with your hatches and keep us posted!

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hopefully they should be OK, there is some research that periodic cooling actually ups hatch rates a little. When you think about it a broody will get off of her nest usually once day. The links for the Brinsea incubator pages on cooling are below, they have links to the full papers. I've had power outages, and yes, forgotten to plug incubators back in right away occasionally, and have had normal hatch rates.
http://www.brinsea.com/cooling.html
http://www.brinsea.com/customerservice/poweroff.html

 

[shannondee12]

Great articles! I hope they are accurate. I haven't had very many incubated eggs. These are only the 5th, 6th, and 7th batches. All were small, like 6 eggs each and I haven't had very many to hatch. So far these are the most successful to make it to lockdown and the second batch that is on day 14 are shipped eggs and all 12 are thriving so far.

 

[shannondee12]

I have 3 out and 3 zipping as I type!!!!!

 

[shannondee12]

Update: so far 10 out of 12 have hatched. I had one that failed to thrive and one with wry neck but after some vitamins and the whole night of TLC on the little fat thing, it appears to be bouncing back. Good as new.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Congratulations on your new chicks! Glad things turned out OK.