During this maiden voyage of my home built cabinet incubator, a few needed modifications to improve hatching came to light at the first hatch of chicks. Unfortunately it was running SO well I set more eggs, so when it came time to lockdown my second set of eggs, I moved them the the old LG which had been warming for a day and was holding steady.
The next day passed uneventfully, but the following morning I came down to my desk and found the temperature at 109F. The eggs were hot to the touch, and the temp could have been that high for as much as 8 hours.
I set the lid and heating element aside, and let the eggs cool. This is risky, as thermal shocks to the immature systems can be fatal in themselves. As they cooled, I tried candling, but at 18 days it's hard to see anything. So I resorted to water candling to see if they were all soft boiled, or if any may have survived.
Four out of 16 moved. But, always hopeful, I put all 16 back in my homebuilt to take their chances with lower humidity than I wanted. Today I had to top up the water, breaking lockdown, so I examined and water candled the rest. I now have ten wigglers, including the "too heavy to float" egg which was still yesterday. Once again, all are in lockdown.
If any of these chicks hatch, they will be my miracle babies. All are EE from my flock of red sex link hens and EE roos. I still don't have much hope that they will be strong or healthy and I hope I don't have to cull them after hatching, and don't know if they will be in a condition to hatch.
I will post the results as they happen. Hatch is due Thursday.
The next day passed uneventfully, but the following morning I came down to my desk and found the temperature at 109F. The eggs were hot to the touch, and the temp could have been that high for as much as 8 hours.
I set the lid and heating element aside, and let the eggs cool. This is risky, as thermal shocks to the immature systems can be fatal in themselves. As they cooled, I tried candling, but at 18 days it's hard to see anything. So I resorted to water candling to see if they were all soft boiled, or if any may have survived.
Four out of 16 moved. But, always hopeful, I put all 16 back in my homebuilt to take their chances with lower humidity than I wanted. Today I had to top up the water, breaking lockdown, so I examined and water candled the rest. I now have ten wigglers, including the "too heavy to float" egg which was still yesterday. Once again, all are in lockdown.
If any of these chicks hatch, they will be my miracle babies. All are EE from my flock of red sex link hens and EE roos. I still don't have much hope that they will be strong or healthy and I hope I don't have to cull them after hatching, and don't know if they will be in a condition to hatch.
I will post the results as they happen. Hatch is due Thursday.
