What to do in case of a power outage during incubation

Farmer Kitty

Flock Mistress
12 Years
Sep 18, 2007
5,184
16
261
Wisconsin
I found this and thought with all the power outages that happen in the spring I would post it.

Info on power outages during Incubation.
From- A Guide to Raising Chickens by Gail Damerow

The more valuable your hatching eggs are, the more likely it is that the electricity will go out during incubation. If you have an uninterruptable power source (UPS) for your computer or other electronic equipment, consider disconnecting the usual equipment and using the UPS to power your incubator. If the outage comtinues beyond its capacity to keep your incubator running, or you don't have an UPS, open the incubator and let the eggs cool until the power goes back on.

Trying to keep the eggs warm is likely to cause abnormal embryo development. Furthermore, if you close the vents or wrap the incubator with blankets in your attempt to keep eggs warm, a greater danger than temperature loss is oxygen deprivation. Developing embryos use up oxygen rather rapidly, and the oxygen level may soon fall below that necessary to keep them alive.

As soon as the power goes back on, close the incubator and continue operating it as usual. The effect of the outage on your hatch will depend on how long the power was out and on how long the eggs had been incubated before the outage. A power failure of up to 12 hours may not significally affect the hatch (except to delay it somewhat), especially if the outage occurred during the early incubation, when cooled embryos naturally tend to go dormant. Embryos that are close to term generate enough heat to carry them through a short-term outage.
 
Last edited:
Thanks, I was just gonna ask about that today, because the power went out this morning, and I was panicing because usually when it goes out we dont have power for a day at the least. But it came back on after 15 minutes today.
 
I'd plug up the vent holes and throw a blanket over the incubator. I lost power for 3-4 hrs here once during incubation, and out of 12 eggs, only 2 hatched because of that. It was really disapointing.
 
I read somewhere that you can take a large box and set it over the whole incubator (short term). If it appears the power is going to be out longer, then it was suggested opening the plugs & burning a few candles (the ones in glass jars) under the box and on top of the incubator, being careful not to cause fires though. I thought, geez, at least my eggs would smell good!
big_smile.png
I just hope my power never goes out during incubation!
fl.gif
fl.gif
fl.gif
 
candle would use up the oxygen, we have a gen as well, but if it was going to be long i would get a power inverter from walmart (in the car battery section) and take them to the car, then return it then the power come back on. they're like $30 but beats loosing $70 in eggs!
 
Last edited:
Would a car inverter type box power one of these? At least the heating element. If so I would let down the seat and tilt the whole incubator for egg turning and not use the automatic for fear a fuse would blow.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom