School Hatching Eggs!Help!

[Teacherchick18]

I understand your concerns. I have my incubator in my classroom as well. I had the eggs for a few days and needed to get them into the bator asap. I put them in on a Monday and didn't realize that not only were they scheduled to hatch on a Sunday but it is gonna be memorial day weekend so we won't be there on Monday either. I am toying with the idea of trying to take them home over the long weekend while I have them on "lockdown" so I can monitor them during the hatch and hopefully catch some action on video to show to my students when we come back (since we likely won't have them hatching during school hours). I wonder if they will be ok for transport. Does anyone know if I were to take them out of the turner on day 18 (which is a Thurs) and then take them home on Fri, would it be harmful to have the bator unplugged for 25-30 min as I drive home? What if they were to shift/roll around? Could that injure them? How could I brace them so that they don't move but still give them the space and environment they need to hatch? Could I bring them back to school in it if there were any late arrivals?

On a side note I bought my incubator from a Tractor Supply Co. and it was only $45. Maybe that is an expense you could budget to know that you were keeping your babies lives from hanging in the balance. I think you got a lot of good suggestions there to try. Good Luck!

 

[bugglesmommy]

I don't think a half hour without power would hurt them. I would just wrap a blanket around the bator and not blast the AC. When I have been forced to transport eggs, I put them in an egg carton air cell up without the carton lid and the bottoms of the egg cups punched out. I was forced to do this in the middle of a serama hatch with pipped eggs and still had babies, though I wouldn't advise moving them at that stage unless if it was an emergency.

 

[ashem0]

Teacherchick18 - I think your on the right track there. You need to stop the rotator around that time anyway. Maybe gently put a towel in the top of the bator to stop the eggs rolling round. Then cover the bator in a heavy blanket or doona for the journey home. There seems to be allot of evidence out there for cooling eggs during incubation occasionally. And if you consider the real Mum - she does need to get off the nest occasionally to eat and drink.

Best of luck!

 

[serama hen]

i think the racks can be taken off!!!! i have 13 out of 16 fertile!! and ready to hatch monday to tuesday. Lockdown tommorow. We also got duck eggs if we miss the chickens

 

[Teacherchick18]

That's a good point. I've heard others say the same thing many times so I would guess that they will be ok for a short time. When I brought the bator to my school, I had it first plugged in at home. It dropped to 80 degrees during the drive and I didn't have it wrapped in anything. I suppose that would be ok. What do you think about leaving them in the turner but unplugging it so it doesn't turn, and then taking the turner out tomorrow after I bring them home? I may just leave them at school and make several trips up over the weekend.

...what to do!

Has anyone every transported eggs before at this stage? How did it go? What would you suggest? Would it be better to transport them today? or Can I wait til tomorrow?

 

[serama hen]

That's a good point. I've heard others say the same thing many times so I would guess that they will be ok for a short time. When I brought the bator to my school, I had it first plugged in at home. It dropped to 80 degrees during the drive and I didn't have it wrapped in anything. I suppose that would be ok. What do you think about leaving them in the turner but unplugging it so it doesn't turn, and then taking the turner out tomorrow after I bring them home? I may just leave them at school and make several trips up over the weekend.

...what to do!

Has anyone every transported eggs before at this stage? How did it go? What would you suggest? Would it be better to transport them today? or Can I wait til tomorrow?

wouldnt they shake too much during the drive and abrupt the embryo how old are they again.

 

[serama hen]

and i dont think turning the incubator off or stopping it will change the hatching day. they will hatch eaither way.

 

[serama hen]

and they wont neeed a turner why not get a survalence camera

 

[serama hen]

or plug it in a school room with one even the hall way!

 

[Teacherchick18]

Today is day 18 for me. I need to stop the turner but what I am worried about is leaving them unattended. I have them in my classroom right now, but after tomorrow we will go on a 3 day weekend (I didn't time it very well). I want to be around to monitor them when they are supposed to hatch which will be Sunday but I also want my students to possibly have the opportunity to see some action too. (Which is why I would bring them home) But, if I bring them home, I would want them back to school on Tues so the students could see. So if I had some that didn't hatch yet, maybe they would see that. Also, if they were at my house I could video any hatching that I could then show my students in case all hatched. I am worried that if I have some that haven't hatched but have started, that it could be disasterous to move them and so I would be foced to leave them at my house and the students would have no chance to see any part of the hatching process. I think that I will just have to leave them here and come down often. Maybe I can use the time to prepare for summer vacation!