lost them all (I Think) SOOOOO UPSET

[teachao]

I was out sick on Monday Day (day 11) got another teacher to check on the eggs she saaid they were fine. Came back on Tuesday at 8:30 and incubator was 118 degrees. I tried to lower it as fast as I could but it was at least and hour. This is day 14 and I candled them and I can't see any kind of movement. I had 36 eggs I had bought . My class is a group of 2nd grade intercity kids who have never seen a live chick or chicken. They were so excited about buiding the chicken coop and chicken pe. We donot get out of school until June 12th. I would like to get some more but I am afraid to. I still have most of them in the incubator but if they were alive wouldn't I be able to see some movement. This is only the second time I have done this but last year 7 out of 16 did hatch and live. and went to live on afarm just outside of Savannah Ga. What do you think?

 

[gabrielle1976]

Id candle again tammrow and see whats going on in there , then go from there , theere is always a chance but if they got up to 118 and stayed up to long its not a big chance.

 

[tryingtohaveitall]

I'm so sorry, what a disappointment. Maybe it wasn't that hot for too long (crossing fingers, saying prayers).

 

[TennesseeTruly]

My incubator went up to 120 overnight and I had a successful hatch. 28 little fuzzbutts hatched and I only had one DIS.

Good luck.

Laurie

 

[dancingbear]

I've never seen movement in any of mine, yet they usually hatch. (except shipped eggs, I'm not doing so well with those.) The embryos do sleep. Maybe they were just asleep when you checked. If the temp really was that high for long, they're goners, but it may not have been high very long. There's a chance the didn't heat through. I'd wait a few days and see, but if you have another 'bator available, you could go ahead and set a new batch, and swap them out if these do indeed turn out to be dead.

If they're dead, any veining will disappear in a few days, and you won't see any progress in growth. Also, once an egg dies, the egg cools more rapidly than a live egg. The start to feel cold very quickly when you take them out. That may not be much help, if they're all dead, with nothing live to compare it to.

Good luck. You still have time to set new eggs, if you need to. Can you carefully take the 'bator home on your days off? If you don't live too far from the school, they'd be fine for the transport, maybe wrap in a towel around the 'bator to keep it warm, don't hit any pot holes. Is it small enough to set in a box on the floor of the car so it won't tip over?

 

[teachao]

That is what I did last year. I took the incubator home on week-ends. The only way I can get eggs is to have them shipped. Is one kind of chicken egg hardier than another kind? What kind of eggs would be the best. The 3 3 I opened this a.m. had no development. They look just regular eggs.

 

[kupi99]

Yea, I'm a teacher too, and my ther. said the bator did the same thing over the weekend. Haven't candled yet (dark eggs); I'm going to tomorrow to see if they lived. I'm hoping it wasn't long, or that my ther. was off. We'll see.

I'd get another batch. (We get out end of May, so its this batch for my guys, or nothing). If you know of some oher teacher friends in your city or district, you might ask them to ask their kids and see if they happen to have some chickens. I also work in the innercity (at a private school, though), and it just so happened that one of my students has chickens and a rooster and we got our eggs from her.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!

 

[simplyscrambled]

Alas, I cheated last year. My LG spiked to 108, and none hatched, so over the weekend, I got 3 newly hatched chicks from another teacher who was hatching at the same time, so the kids could experience live chicks in the classroom. Maybe you could craigslist to see if anybody has any for you they'd be willing to share?

I'm sorry that happened. I managed sweating over the batch I did this year through Spring Break and no classroom heat, and managed 5 chicks out of 18 eggs. I said No More, and recently purchased a factory-set temperature, Hova Bator 1588 with my own money to use next year!

 

[TheMartianChick]

Quote:
Could you ask the farm owner in Savannah if they have any fertile eggs that you can hatch? That would be an easier way of getting local or semi-local eggs if the ones in the incubator have expired.

 

[DANNY]

I would be patient and see what happens because they will fool you. Most of the time when eggs get too hot for too long they will look solid like a hard boiled egg. If you can still see the embryo's they might still have a chance. What i would be doing is changing that wafer and or micro switch. You might also check and make sure the wafer is screwed onto the adjusment stem tight. This will cause fluncuation. I doubt i spelled that right but maybe you can get the point.
Good Luck !