Power outage- 3-1/2 days of intermittent juice WHILE INCUBATING.

[Coops Dad]

We had almost 4 days of intermittent blackouts, 30 minutes of electricity followed by 1 to 4 hours of none. Incubator was on Day 8 when it started and Day 12 when power was restored full time (thank God). I candled the eggs today (day 13) and saw movement in one. The others are dark/thick shells. Do I add time, or just pray and let them cook until it's clear what's going on?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Pray and cook. There was another poster, further along in incubation, who made similar comment yesterday morn, or maybe the day before. They didn't lose all of their hatch.

Just me, but once I've started hatching, I let it play out, rather than abandon a possibly living before its time is done. But I have that option. If you have to have hatchlings soon and can't afford to start over in two weeks, that equation has different weighting for you.

Anecdotally, your hatch will have fewer successes, but its not a completely lost cause.

Very best to you and yours, whatever you decide.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I agree. Do not add time, just pray and keep cooking. Lockdown at the normal time. Obviously this is not a good thing to happen but many of us have stories of somewhat similar experiences were it did not seem to matter.

 

[Coops Dad]

I candled again last night and saw distinct movement in 15, one with no development, 3 with definite development and 3 with shells too dark to see (Marans). Woot-woot!

 

[Coops Dad]

Day 20 and I have at least 10 eggs pipping right now!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Gladdened by your successes. After the early fears, the relief must be sweet indeed.

 

[Coops Dad]

Well, 15 hatched. Two nonstarters. 5 still in the incubator with obvious development but not yet pipped, even internally.

In other news, our last two hatches total 29 chicks (so far), all black, gray or black and gray. Except for two. The two white leghorn eggs in this batch both hatched and both are light yellow with a few black flecks on their backs My wife is head over heels for these two and claimed them as future supplemental hens for our main flock.

 

[Coops Dad]

The 15 in my Rubbermaid 125 gallon brooder.