[URGENT- NEED HELP] Heat wave has me terrified for my eggs!

[Amykins]

I've still got a couple of weeks left to go in my incubation, but for the past several days it's gotten hot as heck outside, and it's wreaking havoc on my incubator temps! I'm hesitant to move it downstairs for fear of having the temperature get even MORE wonky from being unplugged, and also because it was set and calibrated upstairs, I don't know what will happen if it's left downstairs. I initially meant to keep it in the kitchen, but since it tends to get very cold down there during the nights I was having too much trouble maintaining consistent temps from day to night.

Now that it's gotten so dang hot, maybe the nighttime temp isn't an issue, but I'm still unsure of what to do. I'm not working at the moment so I've just been sticking to the 'bator like glue, using a swamp cooler in the bedroom to try and keep midday temperatures down (it's plugged in on my dresser - I have an open floorplan and the master bedroom is the only enclosed room in the house).

What should I do? Should I take it downstairs? Move it to a closet or something? Keep up what I'm doing and hope for the best?

 

[sumi]

How much are the temperatures in the incubator fluctuating?

 

[Amykins]

Yesterday they got as high as 105, and that was after just a half hour of being away to eat lunch! I took the eggs out to cool down a bit and candle them to be sure they were ok - both are alive and wiggling, thank goodness. Yesterday was the worst, it was a constant battle to keep the incubator temp constant.

I fear today will be much of the same if I can't figure out a solution. Just my luck that there'd be freak weather change at a crucial time like this.

 

[cmfarm]

I would move them somewhere that has more constant temps. 105 can be a dangerous temp. especially if left for a long period of time. Make sure it isn't close to any windows, that can really cause temp. swings.

 

[seventreesfarm]

I'm having a similar issue, though not as extreme. I was just coming on to post a question about what people consider a safe range of temp swing during the day.

My bator is the notorious LG with turner & fan. It will go quite a while staying steady, but overnight the few hours before dawn it drops down to 98.5 or so. During the day, late afternoon, it can get up to 100.6 or so. Someone has been home most of the time to tweak the vents (and I wake up every couple of hours to check it at night, but I am worried about leaving it alone for a workday.

There are 5 diff thermometers in the bator, and there seem to be hot & cool spots even with the fan. I can't wait to build my own with a decent thermostat, but in the meantime, what have most people found to be a safe range of temps??

 

[seventreesfarm]

Even a closed window, with a closed blind, not in direct sunlight?

 

[Amykins]

I would move them somewhere that has more constant temps. 105 can be a dangerous temp. especially if left for a long period of time. Make sure it isn't close to any windows, that can really cause temp. swings.

That's just it, there's nowhere else in the house that does! ...Which is why I put it in my dresser drawer, away from the heat of the day. Let's see how it goes...

 

[cmfarm]

I wouldn't put in a drawer like that, it isn't going to get proper ventilation.

 

[Amykins]

I wouldn't put in a drawer like that, it isn't going to get proper ventilation.

It's cracked a bit since the cord has to go out to the wall. It's a tiny incubator, only holds 3 eggs, and I keep checking them regularly so I don't think ventilation is too much of an issue, I just need to keep the temps stable until this blasted heat wave is over. The hottest part of the day comes around 4:00 or so, so I guess I'll know then if this was a good idea or not.

The only other secluded, closed-off place to keep them is the bathroom, which doesn't seem so smart to me since the heat and humidity from both myself and my fiancee taking showers daily would screw things up a bit.

Edit: I'm also keeping the drawer open until it gets really hot. I'm hoping that keeping it in a dark closed space will shield it from the meltingly-hot weather here.

 

[Amykins]

Update: NOPE. Not a good idea at all. It's downstairs in the kitchen now, and it's stable. But I'll have to bring it back upstairs when night falls. Is that going to hurt the eggs?