1st time hatching eggs....have a temp ??

[Trisseh]

It’s hard when you’re using a “new to you” incubator and aren’t sure where the temp is actually at. I personally like the little thermometer/hygrometer combos meant for reptile enclosures. I’ve had success with them, and have had many successful hatches based on them. This first go round you may wind up with a bust, or few hatching, but you’ll have a better idea of what the conditions are actually like in that incubator after. Any information you get will be helpful for the next time.

Multiple thermometers are excellent even if they’re all reading differently, because you can at least then average them and adjust from there.
It could also very well be that you have hot and cold spots in there. This is a still air incubator correct? Move your combo one around in there and get a feel for what it’s telling you at different locations.

I’ve also gone by the relative temp based on my weather centre thermometer. I put the new one right beside it, and compare. It’s usually fairly accurate.

and... you’re not calibrating your thermometer unless you make changes to it’s reading. All you’re doing when testing it is comparing what it’s reading to what it should be reading.

 

[Mom-ma B]

It’s hard when you’re using a “new to you” incubator and aren’t sure where the temp is actually at. I personally like the little thermometer/hygrometer combos meant for reptile enclosures. I’ve had success with them, and have had many successful hatches based on them. This first go round you may wind up with a bust, or few hatching, but you’ll have a better idea of what the conditions are actually like in that incubator after. Any information you get will be helpful for the next time.

Multiple thermometers are excellent even if they’re all reading differently, because you can at least then average them and adjust from there.
It could also very well be that you have hot and cold spots in there. This is a still air incubator correct? Move your combo one around in there and get a feel for what it’s telling you at different locations.

I’ve also gone by the relative temp based on my weather centre thermometer. I put the new one right beside it, and compare. It’s usually fairly accurate.

and... you’re not calibrating your thermometer unless you make changes to it’s reading. All you’re doing when testing it is comparing what it’s reading to what it should be reading.

Yes, very sound advice. Thank you. I had an old aquarium thermometer I also have now put in there next to my dual: temp and humidity one. I'll read them in 3 hours when I turn the eggs again. It is a still air incubator with no Turner. I didn't touch the eggs the 1st 24 hours they were in there, then this morning, at 24 hours turned them and rotated them around. And I will turn them every 4 hours and not turn them, and rotate then around the incubator but not at night. I hope it's just enough and not to much turning. I'm pretty quick about it. I grab 3 or 4 fron the middle and then roll the rest towards the middle and put the ones in middle on the outside.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

It's all over three f-ing board and me being new to trying to hatch some eggs have no idea about all of it. But it's all a learning curve. But I would like to know the temperature of the incubator and not fry my eggs. They are inside where we keep our horse around 72.

When we got our first bee hive we had no idea what we were doing either, but now have had hives for 5 summers this year. You lose so you win some. I'm not trying sell these chicks, just trying to show my sons the whole process abs learn from it all.
I did buy some Marans And crested legbar eggs to try and hatch with our chicks eggs.

Thanks for your input!

You're doing a great job and asking the right questions. An accurate thermometer will make or break your incubating. You need to acquire one through any means necessary.

As for calibrating a thermometer we are all just doing the best we can with the information and equipment at our disposal. I admit it's imperfect (home calibrating) and there is a lot of room for user error but it can be very accurate. Yes, this is backyard science. It's also physics.

When I've run a still air I've kept it at 102 when measuring at the top of the egg. The rack under the eggs measures 97-98°. That averages out the temperature in the middle egg to what you want to be for incubation. I usually have hatching on day 21 or day 20 if it ran hot by a degree.

If you're going to error consider erring on the side of slightly low temp. You'll still have development but late hatching. Also potential developmental issues from the low temp. If you error high on your temp and it spikes or stays high for extended periods throughout the hatch you will have early hatching, navel issues, and most importantly kill the chicks. They are very sensitive to high temperature especially later in incubation.

If you hold the egg up to your eyelids it should feel warm to the touch. Pretty similar to your own body temperature. Not hot or cool. It hard if you've never done it before but you'll get the idea. You can also post pics as they develop. Some people on here can possibly assist based on how they're developing. But getting an accurate thermometer is critical.

 

[Mom-ma B]

You're doing a great job and asking the right questions. An accurate thermometer will make or break your incubating. You need to acquire one through any means necessary.

As for calibrating a thermometer we are all just doing the best we can with the information and equipment at our disposal. I admit it's imperfect (home calibrating) and there is a lot of room for user error but it can be very accurate. Yes, this is backyard science. It's also physics.

When I've run a still air I've kept it at 102 when measuring at the top of the egg. The rack under the eggs measures 97-98°. That averages out the temperature in the middle egg to what you want to be for incubation. I usually have hatching on day 21 or day 20 if it ran hot by a degree.

If you're going to error consider erring on the side of slightly low temp. You'll still have development but late hatching. Also potential developmental issues from the low temp. If you error high on your temp and it spikes or stays high for extended periods throughout the hatch you will have early hatching, navel issues, and most importantly kill the chicks. They are very sensitive to high temperature especially later in incubation.

If you hold the egg up to your eyelids it should feel warm to the touch. Pretty similar to your own body temperature. Not hot or cool. It hard if you've never done it before but you'll get the idea. You can also post pics as they develop. Some people on here can possibly assist based on how they're developing. But getting an accurate thermometer is critical.

Thank you! With the reading I was doing I also thought it better to be slightly cooler than hot so it's great to hear that. I have 3 thermometers now, the dual one I bought (temp and humidity), the incubator one, and I added an old aquarium glass one for good measure. I'm not to worried about my hatch rate, I just want whatever chicks that do hatch to be healthy and developed properly.
Great advice about posting pictures. I'll be candling at 7-8 days to check if the eggs are fertilized ABC's growing according. I'll post pictures for others to comment on to make sure they are growing according

 

[Mom-ma B]

You're doing a great job and asking the right questions. An accurate thermometer will make or break your incubating. You need to acquire one through any means necessary.

As for calibrating a thermometer we are all just doing the best we can with the information and equipment at our disposal. I admit it's imperfect (home calibrating) and there is a lot of room for user error but it can be very accurate. Yes, this is backyard science. It's also physics.

When I've run a still air I've kept it at 102 when measuring at the top of the egg. The rack under the eggs measures 97-98°. That averages out the temperature in the middle egg to what you want to be for incubation. I usually have hatching on day 21 or day 20 if it ran hot by a degree.

If you're going to error consider erring on the side of slightly low temp. You'll still have development but late hatching. Also potential developmental issues from the low temp. If you error high on your temp and it spikes or stays high for extended periods throughout the hatch you will have early hatching, navel issues, and most importantly kill the chicks. They are very sensitive to high temperature especially later in incubation.

If you hold the egg up to your eyelids it should feel warm to the touch. Pretty similar to your own body temperature. Not hot or cool. It hard if you've never done it before but you'll get the idea. You can also post pics as they develop. Some people on here can possibly assist based on how they're developing. But getting an accurate thermometer is critical.

Ok, so I have 3 thermometers in the incubator. I have been moving then around to see the temps. Right now the incubator temp is saying 104 degrees but my aquarium thermometer that is laying right under the heating element right on top of those eggs is reading right around 98 degrees. The other one, the double is in one of the corners of the incubator abs reading around 94 degrees.

Would you call this a good place for the eggs??

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Ok, so I have 3 thermometers in the incubator. I have been moving then around to see the temps. Right now the incubator temp is saying 104 degrees but my aquarium thermometer that is laying right under the heating element right on top of those eggs is reading right around 98 degrees. The other one, the double is in one of the corners of the incubator abs reading around 94 degrees.

Would you call this a good place for the eggs??

You'll need it warmer. Especially if you're hand turning. Where is this incubator located? It needs to be in a room with the most stable temperature in your house. Avoid putting it near a door, vent, or direct sunlight.

Try wrapping a towel around the edges, and some of the top, to help it keep the heat in. Be careful not to cover any air vents it has. This might help you stabilize the temperature. I would start by wrapping it with the towel. Then leave it alone and allow plenty of time for the air to stratify. At least 2-3 hours before opening again while checking through the window every 20 minutes. After this you'll know how well it's running. These tabletop incubators can be fiddly. Some machines need more support, babysitting, than others.

 

[Mom-ma B]

You'll need it warmer. Especially if you're hand turning. Where is this incubator located? It needs to be in a room with the most stable temperature in your house. Avoid putting it near a door, vent, or direct sunlight.

Try wrapping a towel around the edges, and some of the top, to help it keep the heat in. Be careful not to cover any air vents it has. This might help you stabilize the temperature. I would start by wrapping it with the towel. Then leave it alone and allow plenty of time for the air to stratify. At least 2-3 hours before opening again while checking through the window every 20 minutes. After this you'll know how well it's running. These tabletop incubators can be fiddly. Some machines need more support, babysitting, than others.

Its in our spare room, but the heat is on and vents open in there. I have it so air can flow under the machine, do you think I should put it straight in the floor??

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

I noticed in your first pic you have water condensation on your viewing window. You haven't mentioned humidity yet but it might be time to revisit that when you get the temp stable where you want it.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Its in our spare room, but the heat is on and vents open in there. I have it so air can flow under the machine, do you think I should put it straight in the floor??

You don't want it directly on the floor because of poor air quality closer to the ground (or so I've read). You could bundle it up on a piece of low or mid height furniture or something. You'll have to work out the details based on what you're comfortable with and what equipment is available.

 

[Mom-ma B]

I noticed in your first pic you have water condensation on your viewing window. You haven't mentioned humidity yet but it might be time to revisit that when you get the temp stable where you want it.

I had both top vents open to help with the humidity, but now have since put the back one on again because there humidity dropped to 50%