***SORTA URGENT** What do i do if?

[GOSPELSOLDIER]

My eggs are in the incubator a hovabator auto turning and well, it seems i am going to have 16 new boys and girls. But its only day 18.
Here in CT we dont get hit with strong winds or storms except snow storms. so when it rains hard and winds come trough there are a ton of power outages due to falling trees and such. and as of right now when Earl Comes trough close enough we will be feeling categotry two winds from it.

What do i do if i dont have a generator,i dont have any battery pack that can support the eggs for the time it takes for the power to come back. Any advice? i know i can go out a buy a generator and some type of battery but if i dont have one for the family i cant go buy one just for the chicks u know..anything homemade or something like wrapping with blankets that can help? i just need three more days and thats if the power does go out if not i will be good but im just trying to be preventive here....lol!

 

[chickenboy21]

keep the incubator in a moist confined space where not much heat can escape and maybe drape it with blankets if the temature really drops... the temp can drop a few degrees and the chicks will be ok, though you may have a few that dont hatch and the hatch day may be set back a day or two... other than that i dont know what else to do goodluck

 

[slightlyscrambled]

If you have a way of heating water, hot water bottles may help also. Good luck

 

[Sillystunt]

Quote:

 

[Deanner03]

If you have a propane stove, etc, you can heat water and put it in water bottles (or jars) to place in the incubator to keep it warm. Warm water can also be used to keep humidity up.

 

[DAFox]

If the power stays out for a long period, take the incubator and go somewhere with electricity if you can; and as a last resort, you could also use human body heat to save some of the eggs: under arms, in a bra -- I did this with a pipped egg that my broody left. Fortunately, I got the broody back on the nest, and the chick hatched there.
Do you know anybody with a broody hen?
Good luck with Earl,
Dale-Ann

 

[Higins00]

Use some hand warmers, the kind you slip into your gloves or boots, they work great! You just shake them and they heat up. If you don't have any ask your neighbors, we alway have an extra from winter hanging out in a draw.
Good luck

 

[BeckyBird]

A few weeks ago, I had an incubator full of silkie eggs (from BYC!). They were pipping, and wouldn't you know, a thunderstorm rolled through. I was so upset. We lost power for 2 hours!! We have a 5th wheel camper, so I just used the camper's outlets w/battery backup. 2 chicks actually hatched during the blackout, in the camper!

You have other options, such as taking the incubator to a friend or family's house with electricity.
Or, buy a converter outlet for your car. It plugs into the cigarette outlet, and has a household plug opening. Plug the bator into that, and run it off your car battery. This is only good for a short while, not the whole night. Great for emergencies though!

 

[undergroundchickens]

Quote:
Just a quick caution on the hand warmers. Chemical hand warmers use an exothermic reaction that, in essence, creates rust and heat. Problem with that is they use up oxygen for this reaction. Because of this I wouldn't place them inside your incubator as it will use up the oxygen inside of it. Used on the outside shouldn't hurt with good ventilation.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

If it was in the middle of the hatch I would say just leave them alone. They can get cold for over 24 hours an still be fine. All the blankets an water bottles actually hurt more than they help. Now being that you are in the hatching stage you need a closed incubator with consistent humidity, ventilation an heat. A power inverter is your best option. Park your car by the house an run a drop cord from the inverter in the window. then if the power goes out you can just plug it in to the drop cord. You would have to start your car about every 2 hours an let it charge. You need one anyway. That setup will keep you a radio, charged cellphone, a light, you name it. Many people use a big inverter an run there big stuff too with the car running.