How hot is too hot?

[Babs_MN]

Say hypothetically, some one is incubating button quail.. and the inc spiked to 130º.
I have no idea how long it took to get to 130º and they are still happily hopeful these will hatch.
At what point are eggs just "toast"? Anyone know for sure?

Thanks
Babs

[aKirA]

I dont know the definite answer but I think it would depend on how long it's been at 130.
I have seen my home made incubator at 110 and still had hatches but 130 is awfully high.

[CharlieHorse]

I agree, depends on length of time or should I say it depends on whether or not the internal temp of the eggs got too warm. There are old posts addressing the issue as to what internal temp will toast the eggs. I can't seem to find it doing a search. Don't hold me to this, but I'm thinking that it wasn't very high, I'm thinking around 105ish. You may have better luck with a search trying to find it.

Regardless, you still won't know what the internal temp of your eggs got too or for how long. So I would say that you're in a "time will tell" situation!

[woodenegg]

Babs, was the temp on a liquid in glass thermometer or recorded on a digital?  I have had a couple of times my recored temp shows really high like that, eggs still hatched and haven't figured out what caused the reading or if it was just a temporary spike.  I understand sustained temps above 106 will change the proteins.  That is what kills the embryo. Cross your fingers and hope.

[Babs_MN]

You know, I don't honestly know. I wish I did. I had a 12 year old build her own incubator and order eggs and she was soooo excited, but she had the light apparently too close? And then she cooled them off by spraying them/it all with water. So I don't know. I was hoping they'd be magically resilient for her.
I'll let you know how it turns out.

Thanks all -
Babs

[sp2207]

Yes please keep us informed  id love to hear how the high temp  affected the eggs  and see if they hatch. I have had low hatch rates but my temp has never gone up above 105  and i keep an eye on it all the time.  so i wish you the best  and hope it turns out.
Scot

[Reeves]

From the book:
Commercial and Ornamental
Game Bird Breeders
Handbook
Allen Woodard, Pran Vohra & Vern Denton

Temperature

Temperature is the most critical factor in the hatchability of eggs. In forced-draft machines, the temperature should be beween 99 and 100f (37 and 38c) with a mean setting of 99.5f (37.5c). In still-air machines, the temperature taken at the top of the egg should be about 102f (39c); care should be taken that the temperature does not exceed 103f (40c). The lowest temperature (or physiological zero) for egg development has been determined to be about 68f (20c); the highest temperature is about 109f (43c).

Humidity Requirements

Humidity is important because it controls the evaporation of water from the egg and maintains the proper physiochemical equilibrium among the various egg consituents. High humidity seals the pores of the egg shell and prevents proper exchange of gases and can lead to asphyxiation of the embryo. Low humidity permits excessive evaporation of the egg contents and retards development of the embryo. The normal relative humidity for the incubation of Pheasant, Partridge, and Quail eggs is about 46 percent. In a constant forced-air machine, Pheasant and Partridge eggs develop best if exposed to a wet-bulb reading of 82f (28c) during incubation and a temperature of about 90f (32c) in the hatcher. Quail generally require a higher humidity at the beginning of incubation, 86f (30c) wet-bulb and about 90f (32c) wet-bulb in the hatcher.

[CharlieHorse]

Reeves always has the details and the documented proof.

[Babs_MN]

"Reeves always has the details and the documented proof."

I know it, I need to get a copy of that book! Until then, it's nice I can come here and still ask questions. ;)

Thanks Reeves.

Babs

[yarnlady]

If it makes you feel any better, our eggs sat at nearly 104 degrees for a few hours while I was out and my grandma had turned the AC way down one day, and one still hatched today.  It did kill some of the eggs, but obviously it didn't kill them all.

[posilock]

i got 7 cortinex eggs i put in the incubator and day one the temp reached 110 degrees for a few hrs till i found out! after that its been staying at 100 do you think im wasting my time? are eggs gonna hatch? or did that spike in temp kill them all?