Homemade Incubator - Going well until... heat peaked up to 104!! 9 hours since the last turn!

[The Renaissance Woman]

NOTE: (I posted this earlier... wrong place. Someone suggested I post here)
I'm new to hatching chicks. I made my own homemade incubator. I tested it for many days prior to ensure I can get a stable temperature. I have a 60-watt bulb, with a small fan placed in the incubator, along with a pan for water. The eggs are placed on a rack sitting in a plastic container with water at the bottom (the rack has legs). I have two temperature gauges with humidity at both ends. Each end has been 100 and 102F with around 27- 31% humidity. I would turn and rotate the eggs every 4 hours from one end to the other. Yesterday, day 3, I began turning the eggs every 6 hours. I have my alarms set on my phone to alert me of the times to check and turn the eggs. It went off at midnight... I fell back asleep... I woke at 3:00 am... jolted out of bed and saw the temperature was 104 at the end closest to the bulb and the other end was 102! The reservoir was dry. I don't know how long 104 temp was there but it had been 9 hours since the last turn at this point! I let the heat out and rotated the eggs. I'm going to continue the process, but this makes me wonder now how it'll turn out or if it destroyed the eggs. My only hope is that the eggs on the other end 102f hopefully will be ok.
Now I'm thinking about the lockdown time. WHAT IF the temperature spikes up over 102 in lockdown??? I know lifting the lid can shrink wrap the chicks and kill them, so how do I deal with the situation if the temperature were to spike? How can I assure I have enough moisture in the incubator during the lockdown? I already did a test run before the eggs were in there by rolling up some moist small towels to see how the humidity is affected. What do I do if the temperature cools down during lockdown because of the humidity? Is that a major concern? MOSTLY how would I deal with the temperature spiking during the lockdown? Would I just let that heat out?

I understand that the humidity will rise as the chicks hatch if mine even hatch, but what about the temperature?
Has anyone experienced raised temperatures and still had a hatch?

 

[nchls school]

NOTE: (I posted this earlier... wrong place. Someone suggested I post here)
I'm new to hatching chicks. I made my own homemade incubator. I tested it for many days prior to ensure I can get a stable temperature. I have a 60-watt bulb, with a small fan placed in the incubator, along with a pan for water. The eggs are placed on a rack sitting in a plastic container with water at the bottom (the rack has legs). I have two temperature gauges with humidity at both ends. Each end has been 100 and 102F with around 27- 31% humidity. I would turn and rotate the eggs every 4 hours from one end to the other. Yesterday, day 3, I began turning the eggs every 6 hours. I have my alarms set on my phone to alert me of the times to check and turn the eggs. It went off at midnight... I fell back asleep... I woke at 3:00 am... jolted out of bed and saw the temperature was 104 at the end closest to the bulb and the other end was 102! The reservoir was dry.

I have built small incubators that relied on a light bulb for heat. The water running dry is likely why the temperature went up to 104. Water absorbs heat. Try to always keep the water container full.
Also, your homemade incubator is influenced by the room temperature. For the best results you need to keep the room temperature as close to the same as when you started as possible. When room temperature goes up significantly, the temp inside the incubator will also go up; and vise-versa.

I don't know how long 104 temp was there but it had been 9 hours since the last turn at this point! I let the heat out and rotated the eggs. I'm going to continue the process, but this makes me wonder now how it'll turn out or if it destroyed the eggs.

While 104 is too high it does not mean the egg's interior became that hot. On day six you should be able to candle the eggs and determine what is developing. Keep track of each egg's location inside the incubator. This will allow you to determine where best to put the eggs that are developing.

My only hope is that the eggs on the other end 102f hopefully will be ok.
Now I'm thinking about the lockdown time.

Do you have experience in hatching eggs with an incubator and assisting eggs to hatch? If so, my advice is to NOT have a lockdown, but to continue opening, checking, and adding water. I have experience and do not use a lockdown procedure as I always have staggered hatches; very successfully.

WHAT IF the temperature spikes up over 102 in lockdown??? I know lifting the lid can shrink wrap the chicks and kill them, so how do I deal with the situation if the temperature were to spike? How can I assure I have enough moisture in the incubator during the lockdown? I already did a test run before the eggs were in there by rolling up some moist small towels to see how the humidity is affected. What do I do if the temperature cools down during lockdown because of the humidity? Is that a major concern? MOSTLY how would I deal with the temperature spiking during the lockdown? Would I just let that heat out?

I understand that the humidity will rise as the chicks hatch if mine even hatch, but what about the temperature?
Has anyone experienced raised temperatures and still had a hatch?

A fluctuating humidity is not as serious as a fluctuating temperature, so strive to keep the temperature as stable as possible.

It may well be that some eggs will need to have an assisted hatch. Take time to read up on this well ahead of time so you are prepared. You will find a terrific article here in BYC ARTICLES-above.

I did have chicks hatch in my homemade incubators, but I now have a factory made one.

Should you have other questions or need help...

 

[Tonyroo]

One thing I noticed you didn't mention in your build is a digital thermostat controller. This device stops the incubator from overheating.

I had a situation with the eggs being exposed to 104 also. They all got cooked.

Don't be surprised if all your eggs stop developing from this incident.

 

[The Renaissance Woman]

I have built small incubators that relied on a light bulb for heat. The water running dry is likely why the temperature went up to 104. Water absorbs heat. Try to always keep the water container full.
Also, your homemade incubator is influenced by the room temperature. For the best results you need to keep the room temperature as close to the same as when you started as possible. When room temperature goes up significantly, the temp inside the incubator will also go up; and vise-versa.



While 104 is too high it does not mean the egg's interior became that hot. On day six you should be able to candle the eggs and determine what is developing. Keep track of each egg's location inside the incubator. This will allow you to determine where best to put the eggs that are developing.


Do you have experience in hatching eggs with an incubator and assisting eggs to hatch? If so, my advice is to NOT have a lockdown, but to continue opening, checking, and adding water. I have experience and do not use a lockdown procedure as I always have staggered hatches; very successfully.

A fluctuating humidity is not as serious as a fluctuating temperature, so strive to keep the temperature as stable as possible.

It may well be that some eggs will need to have an assisted hatch. Take time to read up on this well ahead of time so you are prepared. You will find a terrific article here in BYC ARTICLES-above.

I did have chicks hatch in my homemade incubators, but I now have a factory made one.

Should you have other questions or need help...

Thank you for your input. It's very helpful. I was wondering about assisted hatching. I saw one on youtube but like you said I should get prepared just in case. I will prepare and read up and watch some videos. Better to be prepared than not know what to do and lose them. I just lack experience, since this is my first hatch. I'm really watching them. I just changed my 60 watts to a 40 watt and keeping an eye to see if I can keep the temp more stable without the threat of it spiking. It did spike up to 104 again but not for long I know because I had just turned them an hour and a half earlier. I'm sure I caught it in time. That's why I changed to a 40-watt bulb. It's the unexpected that teaches you quickly. Ugh... this will be another interrupted sleep tonight with DOUBLE ALARMS!!

 

[nchls school]

Thank you for your input. It's very helpful. I was wondering about assisted hatching. I saw one on youtube but like you said I should get prepared just in case. I will prepare and read up and watch some videos. Better to be prepared than not know what to do and lose them. I just lack experience, since this is my first hatch. I'm really watching them. I just changed my 60 watts to a 40 watt and keeping an eye to see if I can keep the temp more stable without the threat of it spiking. It did spike up to 104 again but not for long I know because I had just turned them an hour and a half earlier. I'm sure I caught it in time. That's why I changed to a 40-watt bulb. It's the unexpected that teaches you quickly. Ugh... this will be another interrupted sleep tonight with DOUBLE ALARMS!!

I wish you the best and if this time you get nothing, try, try again.

Could you show a picture of your homemade incubator? How many and what kind of eggs did you set?

Do you know how to candle?

 

[jher77]

What kind of thermostat or temp controller are you using?

 

[The Renaissance Woman]

I wish you the best and if this time you get nothing, try, try again.

Could you show a picture of your homemade incubator? How many and what kind of eggs did you set?

Do you know how to candle?

Chicken eggs.
60 watt bulb

I just candled yesterday in the dark with flashlight

 

[The Renaissance Woman]

Homemade incubator. 60 watts - fan - 26 chicken eggs

 

[jher77]

If you don't have a way to control the temp, temp spikes are most likely going to happen. The fan will help circulate the heat somewhat but you still need a thermostat.

 

[The Renaissance Woman]

If you don't have a way to control the temp, temp spikes are most likely going to happen. The fan will help circulate the heat somewhat but you still need a thermostat.

I do have a thermostate with a humidity guage. It's digital. I have two in there. That's how I know the temp went up to 104. It's homemade so being high-techy isn't happening.