Printable View
Looking out my window at the approaching storm front and listening to the thunder beginning, I realize the incubator is still running, having 6 days to go before potential hatch! If I lose power for hours/overnight that means I lose that hatch potential right?? Please do not let me be right about that.
It depends. Do everything you can to keep them from getting chilled... below about 75-80° Do you have any way to heat water? If so, you can put heavy (and I'd double them) Ziplock bags full of very warm water (110° or so.... you don't want to cook the eggs) in the incubator, and keep switching them out as they cool. If you have an old fashioned hot water bottle (for invalids, etc) use that. (if it will fit)
Or rice bags- if you make them out of wool or heavy cotton, you can heat them in a conventional oven (including one heated with wood)
I'd tuck the incubator in the warmest corner you can find, too... if you have a woodstove, stoke it up and put the incubator close to it. Monitor the temps, obviously.
But from what I've read, as long as they don't actually get chilled, an outage of 12 hours or so shouldn't kill them... they may hatch a day or so late, though.
Hopefully, the system will go right by you and it won't be an issue!
Summerthyme
I was really wondering if I could put them in my propane gas stove oven that has a pilot light on 24/7 that keeps the oven nice and warmish, not 99.5 I don't think, but not below 75 I would think. I'll try to find my oven thermometer and see what it will read with and without the oven door cracked open. Am wondering though if the gas "fumes" would cause any harm? Hot water bottles I have, gal. LOL. Can't be a "prepper" without one or 2 or 3! LOL. thanks for the response - would hate to lose Slow Whites.
Don't know about the fumes... I know the "canary in the coal mine" was kept because birds are VERY sensitive to fumes/carbon monoxide, and if the bird died, the men knew it was time to leave...
Summerthyme
try it, I don't thnk there are gas fumes in a gas oven , because it could be a danger when you open the door. but when the power goes, will your gas oven still light? it won't if it is a new one. they have electric lighters.Quote:
Originally Posted by goatlady
I don't know what state your in[how cold is it going to be for the next few nights?
, but the amish set theirs next to a wood stove and keep them covered. I would cover them with a folded towel, and keep turning them. it you could keep the towel warm you in business.
OR run them off a ginnie. I haven't started mine yet, was kind of worried about power going out this spring. hasn't done it good for a couple of years, so we are due. this is going to be a stormy spring I sure do think. I was wanting my girls to do it, hopefully some will set yet.
Storm is gone, power stayed!
thats good news goatlady!
Just a thought...
when I make cheese, I cover the pot with a heavy bath towel to hold the temp steady (sometimes for a couple hrs) and that seems to work well, so it may work for the incubator also..
I'd rather heat the towels in the oven than place the styrofoam type incubators we have in there..
Momma hens usually get up for a few minutes to an hour or more each day to stretch their legs and get food and water. Just keep the incubator closed for short term power outages.
If you know that your going to be without power long term, then it might make sense to come up with some alternative plan. Some incubators, or at least the hovabator 1588, have a way to connect them to a car battery. (Alternative plug in that you have to pay extra for.)
I lost power one night in Alaska in the middle of a set. I covered the foam incubator with blankets and "turned the egss" by moving one end and then the other up or down.
Power went on the next morning and I took off the blanket and let the turner do the job. Had a slightly lower hatch rate but most did fine.