Help my incubator light bulb went out!

[CherG07]

I made my own incubator with a 10 gallon tank, 43 watt bulb in a foam triangular prism hood, a rectangular ceramic pot(filled with paper towels), cardboard and hay around the sides of the pot for insulation and filled with water until 60% humidity was reached. It took 4 days of monitoring and adjusting till I reached a constant 98f temp and 60% humidity. I waited till I got eggs from my EE and placed an egg in every day till I got 3 eggs. On day 3 of the first egg, 2 and 1 for subsequent eggs, the light bulb went out!!!! The foam hood and insulation is good at keeping temp for a bit but the temp fell to 80f and I don’t know how long it was down. I replaced the bulb and it’s been back up to temp. I turn them still on schedule. That was 3 days ago. I candled egg 2 this morning and it has veins. I didn’t see any blood ring.
Egg 1 I don’t think will hatch (Phoenix is a new layer and this egg is very small compared to E2&3).
Is it possible my eggs (even just 1) will hatch?? We live in the city and I kept our rooster for a few weeks after I saw him mating. After collecting these 3 eggs we culled him for food. So no more fertile eggs.

 

[LaFleche]

until 60% humidity was reached. It took 4 days of monitoring and adjusting till I reached a constant 98f temp and 60% humidity.

Days 1-18 of incubating the eggs need 45% RH, temperature at 100,04° Fahrenheit
After lockdown on day 18-23 of incubating the humidity should be at 65-70%, temperature at 99,32° Fahrenheit.


98° Fahrenheit will not be enough and 60% humidity far too much for a proper development of the embryos.

I would recommend to adapt your parameters.

 

[CherG07]

Days 1-18 of incubating the eggs need 45% RH, temperature at 100,04° Fahrenheit
After lockdown on day 18-23 of incubating the humidity should be at 65-70%, temperature at 99,32° Fahrenheit.


98° Fahrenheit will not be enough and 60% humidity far too much for a proper development of the embryos.

I would recommend to adapt your parameters.

oh, when I googled it that what it said . I’ll start siphoning water out right now as well as raisethe pot for temp.

 

[LaFleche]

Are these normal size eggs or bantam eggs?

 

[Ruby Rogue]

Good luck. Hope they hatch out for you : )

 

[ladybrasa]

I’m new to incubating and diybators also so don’t really know. You don’t have a fan or air circulation right? I’ve read that “still air” incubators need to be about 102 Fahrenheit, 99.5-100 for “ forced air” ie have a fan.

Personally I would give the eggs seven days and then candle, especially since they are your only ones. Since it was so early in setting the eggs maybe they would be okay?? I don’t think it would hurt to try - I’ve also read it takes awhile for rotten eggs to explode (more than seven days) ... Do you know how long the bulb was out?

As for humidity, what I read is very variable and needs to be tailored to each person’s circumstances. What you need to monitor is that the air cell is growing/egg loosing weight as it incubates, so there is a big enough cell for the chick when it starts to hatch, otherwise it can drown in its own juices. You can weigh the eggs periodically or mark the air cell with a pencil and see how it gets bigger during incubation (need to candle). Also at lockdown - after incubating for 18 days - the humidity needs to be increase roughly 15-20 units/percentage points from where you had it. So 60% seems a little high to me, but if that is what is working in your climate and the air cells grow and you can bump up to 80% on day 18 then I think that’s okay?? Eggs hatch in crazy humid climates around the world. I also get the impression that humidity doesn’t have to stay an exact number like temp does, and as long as it stays approximately in the same range it’s okay.
To reiterate I’m just starting out too so this is just what I understand, and haven’t actually made it through a hatching yet!

 

[CherG07]

Are these normal size eggs or bantam eggs?

Regular sized eggs. Not large like my black sexlink. She’s an EE who has been laying for 2 1/2 weeks now. Her eggs are getting progressively bigger. The first egg I gathered for the incubator was the last small egg. I don’t see any veins. 2nd I see veins and no blood ring yet. I haven’t checked the 3rd yet. Maybe tonight.

 

[CherG07]

I’m new to incubating and diybators also so don’t really know. You don’t have a fan or air circulation right? I’ve read that “still air” incubators need to be about 102 Fahrenheit, 99.5-100 for “ forced air” ie have a fan.

Personally I would give the eggs seven days and then candle, especially since they are your only ones. Since it was so early in setting the eggs maybe they would be okay?? I don’t think it would hurt to try - I’ve also read it takes awhile for rotten eggs to explode (more than seven days) ... Do you know how long the bulb was out?

As for humidity, what I read is very variable and needs to be tailored to each person’s circumstances. What you need to monitor is that the air cell is growing/egg loosing weight as it incubates, so there is a big enough cell for the chick when it starts to hatch, otherwise it can drown in its own juices. You can weigh the eggs periodically or mark the air cell with a pencil and see how it gets bigger during incubation (need to candle). Also at lockdown - after incubating for 18 days - the humidity needs to be increase roughly 15-20 units/percentage points from where you had it. So 60% seems a little high to me, but if that is what is working in your climate and the air cells grow and you can bump up to 80% on day 18 then I think that’s okay?? Eggs hatch in crazy humid climates around the world. I also get the impression that humidity doesn’t have to stay an exact number like temp does, and as long as it stays approximately in the same range it’s okay.
To reiterate I’m just starting out too so this is just what I understand, and haven’t actually made it through a hatching yet!

Not long I don’t think. An hour maybe? During testing I noted how fast the temp dropped and it drops relatively slow. The room I have them in is a spare and I was in and out all evening doing some packing. When I went to turn the eggs I noticed the light was out. The eggs were cooler than I wanted them to be when I touched them

 

[Ruby Rogue]

An hour without the light will not hurt development. If you set your eggs on different days they will be at different stages of development throughout and more than likely hatch on different days. Keep monitoring you're temperature, make sure it stays between 99 and 102.

 

[CherG07]

I readjusted the height of the eggs to meet the temperature qualifications here’s a pic of egg 2. It doesn’t look like a blood ring does it?