Incubating During a Power Outage

If you have had chickens or other poultry, you may have been led to get an incubator and hatch eggs, too. We all know things can happen while incubating hatching eggs. One big risk factor is a loss of power, especially during storm seasons. I’d like to say: don’t panic!  I recently experienced 3 power outages, ranging up to 7-8 hours each, with a group of eggs. Oh yes, I was concerned, but still had a surprisingly good hatch for what these eggs had gone through.

While still fragile, hatching eggs are more resilient than I thought. I learned some things you can do to be prepared for this situation. Below are some tips I hope will help you.

• Use a UPS or Uninterruptible Power Supply.  This option is nice, especially if you already have one. Simply plug the incubator into the unit following your manufacturer’s instructions. Should the power go out, you’ve got some time to run the incubator with the battery backup. These units are available in quite a large range of sizes and prices. Each allows your incubator or other electronic devices to run for different periods of time and can be useful for other purposes, too.

   

• Cool the eggs. This option took me by surprise. If your eggs are in the early stages of development, such as the first 14 days, you may want to chill them. Cooling the eggs to a temperature range between 41 – 68 degrees Fahrenheit can safely suspend development. So, if your refrigerator is still cold, you can put the eggs in a (paper mache) carton in the refrigerator with the pointy side down and then keep the door closed. This should help keep your eggs safe for a time until your power is restored.

   

• Cover the incubator to insulate it. Do not open it. I believe this is the way to go later in incubation, particularly after 14 days. At this stage, developing embryos will produce metabolic heat themselves, helping to keep a covered incubator warm. Some use incubator sweaters to help insulate the incubator. In the event of a power outage, especially a short-term one, this can help, but make sure the ventilation isn’t blocked. Keeping a sweater on your incubator while it is running should reduce energy consumption and give you the added benefit of keeping the incubator temperature more stable in the event of power loss. If you don’t have an incubator sweater, try a small blanket or towel; again, don’t block the unit’s ventilation.

• Raise the room temperature if you’re able, perhaps with a fire in the fireplace. This may be the one time to use a sunny window, but make sure you monitor your backup thermometer closely, as being too warm is very detrimental to hatching eggs, and a sunny window can quickly raise the temperature too much.