Power Cut During Lockdown

[rachelsp]

I left my house at 11am today and returned at 4.30pm in this time there had been a power cut and the temp on my incubator was saying 27 degrees (80.6 F). I left the lid closed and got the power up and running again but I’m not sure if this will have killed my baby chicks in their eggs? It was the end of day 18, beginning of day 19. I’m so nervous they won’t survive and am hoping to find someone with a tail that theirs did .... or didn’t so I can prepare myself for the worst

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You need to read through this report, it may put your mind at ease.

https://www.brinsea.com/Articles/Advice/PowerOff.aspx

 

[1stGradeTeach]

Hi Rachel,

Don't fret too much yet! I don't know what type of incubator you have, but I run Brinsea Mini Eco Advanced incubators, and they actually have a feature and RECOMMEND a two hour cooldown period each day to imitate the mother hen leaving the nest. I had never used it before my last hatch and got good results. Now mind you, day 19 is lockdown, but I think your a lot more at risk of killing chicks with too much heat than too little. It could possibly delay your hatch, though, so don't be afraid if they hatch a day or two late. This might be a little controversial, but if you are super worried, fill a cup with lukewarm water, gently place an egg in the water air cell end up, and give it a few seconds to settle. If it wiggles, it's still alive and kicking! I hope this helps!

-Rebecca

 

[rachelsp]

You need to read through this report, it may put your mind at ease.

https://www.brinsea.com/Articles/Advice/PowerOff.aspx

Thank you so much for this. It’s right on the boarder of being detrimental

 

[rachelsp]

Hi Rachel,

Don't fret too much yet! I don't know what type of incubator you have, but I run Brinsea Mini Eco Advanced incubators, and they actually have a feature and RECOMMEND a two hour cooldown period each day to imitate the mother hen leaving the nest. I had never used it before my last hatch and got good results. Now mind you, day 19 is lockdown, but I think your a lot more at risk of killing chicks with too much heat than too little. It could possibly delay your hatch, though, so don't be afraid if they hatch a day or two late. This might be a little controversial, but if you are super worried, fill a cup with lukewarm water, gently place an egg in the water air cell end up, and give it a few seconds to settle. If it wiggles, it's still alive and kicking! I hope this helps!

-Rebecca

Hi Rebecca, it’s a Brinsea mini advance. Thank you for your advice Hopefully they will just be a little late in hatching - I hadn’t thought of that! All my fingers and toes are crossed

 

[1stGradeTeach]

Hi Rebecca, it’s a Brinsea mini advance. Thank you for your advice Hopefully they will just be a little late in hatching - I hadn’t thought of that! All my fingers and toes are crossed

Great! You can hardly go wrong with these awesome little incubators. I have eight silkie eggs in mine right now, and today is day 21! My fingers and toes are crossed, too!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Yeah, the last couple of days, they can handle wider temperature swings than in the first 2 weeks or so.
Also keep in mind that internal egg temperature lags behind ambient temperature and that holds even truer near the end when metabolic activity increases generating some of their own heat.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Acordiong to the Brinsea article I posted,a short term power outage won't delay hatch.
It is just long continuously low temps that will delay or even ruin a hatch.

 

[rachelsp]

Great! You can hardly go wrong with these awesome little incubators. I have eight silkie eggs in mine right now, and today is day 21! My fingers and toes are crossed, too!

How exciting, you’ll have to let me know how they get on

 

[rachelsp]

Yeah, the last couple of days, they can handle wider temperature swings than in the first 2 weeks or so.
Also keep in mind that internal egg temperature lags behind ambient temperature and that holds even truer near the end when metabolic activity increases generating some of their own heat.

This has made me feel so much more positive. Thank you very much. Hope they are all ok