Have I cooked them?

ash1 · **Joined:** Sun Jul 01, 2012 10:25 pm **Posts:** 94

Oh no!

Woke up this morning to find my incubator (seven turkey eggs at day 6) sitting on 39 degrees. I had candled the eggs last night (I know it's too early but I couldn't help myself - first time attempting to hatch) and then the incubator seemed to throw a little wobbly after having its lid opened and closed a few times and I had trouble calibrating its temperature back to match the independent thermometer, but I thought I had it settled before I went to bed (in fact I stayed up until I was almost cross-eyed getting it to calibrate inline with the probe thermometer).

But obviously not

So no idea how long they'd been at 39 degrees for - I went to bed just after midnight and got up again at 7:30am, so could have been as long as seven and a half hours.

Have I cooked my goose (or rather turkeys?) Lesson for me not to candle before I go to bed but in a darkened room in the middle of the day so I can ensure a steady temp before bedtime.

julie at serenity · **Posted:** Mon Aug 27, 2012 8:23 pm

woops

better luck next time

SheepFarm · **Joined:** Wed Jul 04, 2012 11:59 am **Posts:** 35

Thats 102.2 °F and you should not go over 98/100 °F so it could be an issue but I would let it run and candle again at 14 days see if there is any further development from your candling at 6 days, if not then throw them out

P.s only candle eggs at 14-18 days not before and not after and then do not open the incubator again unless you absolutely have to.

doggo · **Posted:** Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:20 am

I had similar issues with my old home made incubator several times and still managed to get a reasonable hatch of hen eggs. Once the temperature is set it usually stabilizes fairly close to the right temperature again but you can get some fairly big swings up and down while it does so. As long as these swings are not too extreme they do little harm as the core temperature of the eggs changes relatively slowly.
So all is not necessarily lost. Good luck. Maybe you can let us know how it goes.

ash1 · **Joined:** Sun Jul 01, 2012 10:25 pm **Posts:** 94

Thanks everyone for your responses and especially Doggo, 'cos now I have just a little tiny sparkling of hope than657

Believe me, if I have even a single egg hatch I will be shouting from the rooftops - this is my first ever time attempting a hatch and I am wildly excited but at the same time trying not to get too hopeful incase I don't get any bubbas.

At least I have seven eggs also under Mrs Turkey, who I am sure is doing a much better job than me! Just wanted some of my "own" bubbas to care for, but have already made a promise to Mrs Turkey that she gets to keep what she hatches and I get to keep what I hatch, so I can't cheat and pinch some of hers.

The problem is that patience is not even close to being on my (very small!) list of virtues, so it was incredibly difficult for me to even wait five days to candle. Regret it bitterly now, so I am going to have to be very very strong and keep my hands out of the incubator!

SheepFarm · **Joined:** Wed Jul 04, 2012 11:59 am **Posts:** 35

Well we have our fingers crossed for you

ash1 · **Joined:** Sun Jul 01, 2012 10:25 pm **Posts:** 94

Thanks Sheep, I have everything crossed too (makes it very hard to walk :lol:

)

ash1 · **Joined:** Sun Jul 01, 2012 10:25 pm **Posts:** 94

OK it turns out I have absolutely no willpower whatsoever and I candled again yesterday - during the day this time, so I could keep a close eye on the incubator and make sure it re-adjusted the temps okay.

And, and, and.... THERE'S A HEARTBEAT IN AT LEAST TWO OF THE EGGS! At first I thought it was my eyes playing tricks on me so I stood vewy vewy still and YES! most certainly a little movement of the black blob in the middle of the veins. So at least two eggs have survived my cooking attempt. Did the happy dance (but put the egg back vewy, vewy carefully first :lol:

)

This hatching business sure is an agony.

SheepFarm · **Joined:** Wed Jul 04, 2012 11:59 am **Posts:** 35

Now the trick is NOT TO OPEN again until they have hatched, its super important you do not open the incubator just be patient and

ash1 · **Joined:** Sun Jul 01, 2012 10:25 pm **Posts:** 94

Not open again for the entire three weeks? Oh boy, oh boy, that's going to be one very tough call.

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