3 different temps... 3 different thermometers... what to believe?

[mmaddie's mom]

Still holding but i'm thinking i need to go up a degree or two

 

[dretd]

I am glad you are doing a lot of prep prior to placing your eggs! I am sure with your diligence you will have success!

On my first test run I had complete failure, but I learned a lot and this second run is going really well so far. I plugged it in and got it going, tweaking for about 3 days before setting but it was still not stable after setting the eggs and took several more days to get it rock solid. I left the incubator up and running after the hatch failed and tweaked for another 3 weeks before I was convinced it was trustworthy.

One thing that helped me was to put the cartons ( I decided to incubate in cartons) in so the air flow was similar to when the eggs go in. I also put extra heat sinks (water bottles on their sides) in to make up the same thermal mass as the eggs to make the conditions as similar as possible to when the eggs go in.

Good luck and keep us posted

 

[enggass]

mmaddie's mom :

Quote:
Thank you... very helpful

Let us know in 48+-

Ok. Here's the results. Using the Brinsea Oct 20 Eco w/turner - second hatch ever. Varying results with thermometers like everyone else, even the Spot Check by Brinsea.
I had eggs shipped to Maine from Tennessee and California.

The California Eggs were Barnevelders. 8/10 made lockdown - they ALL hacthed!

The Tennessee Eggs were Lav Am and a couple different types of OEs.
Am Lavs 6/8 that made lockdown hatched.
OEs 5/7 that made lockdown hatched.

So, 19/23 that made lockdown hatched. That's 83%...
19/28 mailed hatched. That's 68%...

I trusted the built in Glass Thermometer. Temp averaged @ 99.7º to 99.8º - it swung from @ 99.3º up to 100º.
I used a digital Hygrometer I got from a Cigar Store online.
Days 1-18 I ran about 37%
Lockdown I ran about 67%

My 2¢... Good luck everyone!
Steve​

 

[ChooksChick]

In my sig is a link to my Incubation Cheater- in it there's a pic of a glass thermometer I use- I buy them in groups, because they're all of $1.67 each, and because you can see on the shelf that the ones you buy agree with one another. It's specifically this model, because the whole unit, including the scale that denotes the temperature, is sealed in glass so the humidity won't change the sensitivity, or reading over time and exposure.

This is the only way I fly, because I've had too many units, expensive, affordable, digital, analog, etc. all change over time. These won't change.

Good luck!

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Quote:
Congratulations on you 83% and, even, 68% shipped!

I was surprised to see that your temp averaged 97-98 and swung so much... it's nice to know it can do that and still be successful!

Temp being slightly low, did they arrive on day 21? or were they late?

My temp is doing pretty much what yours did, according to the built-in therm. I was going to try to bump it up a degree or two, but now I am re-thinking that also.

I am thinking that a difference of air temp in the house may make up for the couple of degrees... while testing it has been Winter/early Spring here in Central Illinois (and we keep house temp @ 60*F and heat w/wood)... in late Spring/Summer we open windows and no air conditioning.

@ Steve... Your $.02 is worth lots more than that! Thanks!

 

[enggass]

mmaddie's mom :

Quote:
Congratulations on you 83% and, even, 68% shipped!

I was surprised to see that your temp averaged 97-98 and swung so much... it's nice to know it can do that and still be successful!

Temp being slightly low, did they arrive on day 21? or were they late?

My temp is doing pretty much what yours did, according to the built-in therm. I was going to try to bump it up a degree or two, but now I am re-thinking that also.

I am thinking that a difference of air temp in the house may make up for the couple of degrees... while testing it has been Winter/early Spring here in Central Illinois (and we keep house temp @ 60*F and heat w/wood)... in late Spring/Summer we open windows and no air conditioning.

@ Steve... Your $.02 is worth lots more than that! Thanks!

SORRY Major Correction to my post!!!!!!!!!!
I meant 99.7º-99.8º with a swing of 99.3º - 100º

Anyway - I do think the the room temp effected the 'bator temp although it really shouldn't with these - who knows? I had the 'bator in my basement here in Maine. Basement temp ranges from 56º at night to maybe 64º daytime. The temps did read on the lower end on colder mornings. For the most part it didn't swing a lot. I did notice that after adding all of the water/surface area for lockdown I had to tweak my temp a tad higher.

I did not see any pips until early day 21 and had just over half hatch on day 21(officially) a bunch more on day 22, and one more hatched this morning. 5:00pm today is the end of day 23 for me(officially)​

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Quote:

yep... that's a little different

So, since I have the time, I will try to tweek it closer to ideal.

thanks Steve... still a good $.02