Incubator trouble

[letitiah81]

I am planning putting eggs in tomorrow but my little giant incubator is all over the place regarding temperature. I increased the set temperature to 101.4. I put 3 other thermometers in there to compare. My incubator read 101.3. The thermometer lying right next to the incubator thermometer on top of the plastic screen reads 100. Another one in the corner read 97 and another in the opposite corner read 86. I have had it running 3 days trying to figure out the best thing to do. Should I increase the set temperature more? I know these are not the best incubators but it is all I have and I just want to do the best I can with it.

 

[Habriel]

I am planning putting eggs in tomorrow but my little giant incubator is all over the place regarding temperature. I increased the set temperature to 101.4. I put 3 other thermometers in there to compare. My incubator read 101.3. The thermometer lying right next to the incubator thermometer on top of the plastic screen reads 100. Another one in the corner read 97 and another in the opposite corner read 86. I have had it running 3 days trying to figure out the best thing to do. Should I increase the set temperature more? I know these are not the best incubators but it is all I have and I just want to do the best I can with it.

It sounds like it isn’t fully sealed and that the temperature isn’t dispersing properly. Those have been known not to seal properly and let air escape

 

[Windy_Acres]

I wouldn’t increase the temperature anymore. Too hot is far worse than too cold. If you’re going to use it, I’d just keep the eggs in the most stable parts, and rotate them around so that they all share time in the cooler zones. That way, they should all hatch out around the same time.

Adding a heat sink if possible (a bottle of water, a rock) may also help.

Best of luck!

 

[fire370]

Have you checked these thermometers and the incubator to see if any of them are correct to a known standard? There is no way you have a 15 degree swing in there. You need to calibrate and then you can move forward.

 

[aart]

You need to calibrate and then you can move forward.

This^^^
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...incubator-thermometers-and-hygrometers.73634/