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What Happens if the Power Goes Off?
If you search through any online forum related to incubation you will find countless posts that contain basically the same question stemming from the same issue. “My power went out; will my eggs be okay?” Weather problems and other issues can cause a breeder undue anxiety, and we are here to help alleviate some of that worry. So, if the power goes off, what damage is likely to have been done? Will the eggs be okay?
Key Takeaways
- Overheating is More Dangerous Than Cooling: Especially during the first week of incubation, high temperatures pose a greater risk to the embryo than cooling does.
- Early Stage Outage (First 14 Days): For outages over two hours, it's better to chill the eggs to between 41° - 68°F (e.g., in a refrigerator) to suspend development.
- Late Stage Outage: Limit heat loss by keeping the incubator lid on and warming the room. The embryos' own metabolic heat will keep them warm for a while.
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Understanding Temperature Zones
While worrying about a power outage, remember that many breeders use periodic cooling. In nature, a hen leaves the nest, so occasional cooling isn't necessarily harmful. However, continuous exposure to certain temperatures can be a disaster. H. Lundy identified five temperature zones that have a major effect on a developing embryo. These zones, based on chicken eggs in a fan-assisted incubator, serve as a general guide.
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The 5 Temperature Zones Explained
- Zone of Heat Injury (Above 104.9°F): Continuous temperatures at this level will kill all embryos. Short spikes may be survivable, especially for older embryos.
- Zone of Hatching Potential (84.5°F - 104.9°F): The ideal range for hatching, with 99.5°F being optimal for chicken eggs. Temperatures at the extremes of this range risk deformities.
- Zone of Disproportionate Development (80.6°F - 95°F): Continuous temperatures in this range cause parts of the embryo (like the heart) to develop faster than others. Most embryos will not survive this.
- Zone of Suspended Development (28.4°F - 80.6°F): This is the ideal temperature range for storing eggs *before* incubation, with 59°F being optimal.
- Zone of Cold Injury (Below 28.4°F): Ice crystals can form and cause permanent damage, though eggs can withstand near-freezing temperatures for a considerable time.
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Continuous vs. Periodic Temperature Exposure
The information on temperature zones deals mainly with continuous exposure. Long periods in certain zones can cause high mortality and deformities. Eggs that only periodically encounter less than ideal circumstances are a different story. Here are key conclusions from scientific research:
Short-Term Cooling is Safe
Cooling eggs for short periods (30 to 40 minutes) every 24 hours after the first seven days has no detrimental effect and may even be beneficial. Some of our incubators come with a cooling feature for this purpose.
Overheating is a Greater Danger
Overheating is more of a danger than cooling, especially during the first week of incubation when the embryo is most delicate.
Long-Term Cooling Requires a Plan
Eggs that are likely to be cooled for a period longer than two hours (as in during a power outage) will need to be treated differently depending on their stage of development, which we cover next.
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How to Handle a Power Outage
The correct action depends on how long the eggs have been incubating.
Early Incubation (First 14 Days)
If you experience a power outage longer than two hours, it is actually better to chill the eggs to a range of 41° - 68°F. This suspends development safely. This can easily be accomplished by putting the eggs in the refrigerator. Losses can be expected the further along the eggs are with this method.
Late Incubation (After Day 14)
At this stage, take steps to limit heat loss. Keep the lid on the incubator and, if possible, raise the temperature in the room. The metabolic heat produced by the embryos themselves will help keep them warm for a while after the power goes out.
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More Information & Species Differences
It is speculated that periodic cooling stimulates the embryo to develop, which is why it is beneficial. Through artificial incubation, however, this cooling response has been effectively bred out of domestic chickens. We have noticed, therefore, that duck and geese embryos respond much better to periodic cooling than chicken eggs. It follows that wild species will be more susceptible to the benefits of periodic cooling than species that have undergone commercial breeding.
Hopefully these explanations will enable bird breeders to assess the likelihood of damage from accidents. It should certainly allay any fears about the cooling that may accompany the manual turning or inspection of eggs.