Set 24 eggs today! and might of already killed them

[Paintedhorsegirl]

Im using a still air incubator, my first time using one. Only my second time hatching out eggs, my first incubator I made myself and hatched 7 out of 15 eggs...I was pretty proud of myself. I figured I would have better luck with one I got at Tractor supply. I really wanted a hova-bator but didnt want to wait to order one.

Anyways i set it up hours before seting the eggs to make sure temp and humidity were both good. I set the eggs this afternoon, everything looked good. I had to leave for a couple of hours and just before I left i checked temp and it said 97 so i turned the knob up, just barley..Then left, got home 2 hrs later and the temp was 104..AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!
Do you think they are ok? Its only the first day and I might of cooked them...Im really hoping someone will chime in and tell me they will be fine...Also tell me how to control this awful incubator...I might have to move them into my homemade one if I cant figure out how to regulate the temp properly...I dont know what to do..........

 

[ChooksChick]

Quote:
Go read the Incubator Cheater in my signature- the temp will spike really high while it's trying to get all of those eggs up to temp. They won't be that hot inside and it's okay. You have to make sure the thing is stable prior to loading next time and don't adjust it in the first 24-36 hours even if it spikes.

You'll be fine!

 

[Paintedhorsegirl]

Thank you, I just read it...My bad I should of set it a couple days ago...I did set it up and have the temp. regulated the same for about 6 hrs..I know it wasnt 48 but stupid me was assuming it would be fine. When I made my homemade incubator I never had to adjust anything the whole time..It was nice and worry free, Im not sure i will be able to sleep tonight because Im going to be worrying all night about the temperature...

 

[ChooksChick]

Quote:
How long have the eggs been in there? If not all that long, like under 4 hours, I'd take them out and start again. Eggs sit in hot nests for that long on a summer afternoon here and sometimes a nest gets used over and over again so they effectively get parked as if under a broody...but it doesn't seem to harm them. I'd pull them and let it stabilize overnight.

 

[Paintedhorsegirl]

they have been in now for about almost 5 hrs...

 

[Paintedhorsegirl]

I dont have the auto egg turner, I was told it dosnt work well and not to bother...But I wonder if I should get one tomorrow...so I dont have to keep opening up the incubator to turn them...Do you think its worth it, or will they be fine with me turning them. The last once I hatched I turned them all myself..

 

[ChooksChick]

Quote:
How do you feel about the stability of the temp right now? Do you really feel like it will keep yoyo-ing? It's a hard call. I think I'd probably set an alarm and just wake up overnight a couple of times and check it. Remember to make changes in small increments. On the LG, you can watch it and when it's been at 100 and the thermostat kicks on but you don't want it any hotter, you can just turn it a hair, and that might make the difference. It's really hard to turn it the small amount necessary.

If you don't let it go the whole night you may be able to stabilize it without risking them getting too hot overnight, but remember it will yoyo a lot while heating the eggs up to temp this first day.

 

[Paintedhorsegirl]

It seems to be holding steady at 99 right now..its been there for well almost an hour...not very long..Im going to stay up a while and watch..then i will set my alarm and get up every couple of hours to check to make sure its steady...I really want these chicks, they are frizzle eggs...Im so excited, I really dont want to screw it up..

 

[Lagerdogger]

Mine did the same thing. I had it set for two days, put the eggs in, got a big spike (104.7), was sure I killed everything, and came running to the forum for consolation. Someone told me I'd be fine. When I candled at 14 days, all 36 embryos were moving. This is 20 days, 2 hours, and I've had five hatch and five more shells are cracking out of 36 eggs

. I expect about a dozen chicks by morning and more tomorrow!!

 

[Paintedhorsegirl]

Quote:
Well that makes me feel better knowing yours are ok and hatching! hooray!
What did you end up doing when the temp.spiked...did u turn it down or leave it?