Bantam eggs hatching too early in incubator

[mahsmaj]

I set some of my pullet eggs and 9 of 11 hatched and are doing well... and all of the eggs had gotten fully developed... but the 2 just didnt make it...

 

[Akane]

I'd trust the thermometer that came with my incubator before the junk that's sold at walmart. Usually my walmart thermometers are 3-5F off and I one that was 10 off. I compared mine to my house thermostat and the expensive probe type digital one that I bought for my saltwater fish tank.

 

[chicksinthemachine]

I just posted about my banties and they weren't supposed to hatch until tomorrow and they started last night! My temps have been normal and humidity too maybe they just hatch earlier than other eggs? Anyway I'm happy to add them to the family.

 

[twigg]

Quote:
ANY thermometer used for incubation should be calibrated.

My Walmart $4 junk is 1.3F low at 99.5F. I know this, so it just became extremely accurate

Price isn't always a guarantee of accuracy. In fact "repeatability" is rather more important.

 

[Akane]

Walmart thermometers (same brand is also sold in the cheaper end of equipment at petstores) can't always be calibrated accurately. I had one off 3F before I put it in the fish tank and after it rose 20F it was off by 5. Not a huge deal with a typical fish tank but I still pitched it. I've also had some steadily get off by more and more after a year or 2 of use. Not worth the hassle of checking them all the time. I even gave up on putting a thermometer in one tank because the thermostat to the expensive heater I had in there was far more accurate than any cheap thermometer even after 5years of use. When I tore the tank down and checked it before putting it in another tank it was still dead on. The thermometer that came with my hovabator and the digital I got at petsmart have been the same every time I checked so far. I've bought dozens of thermometers from various sources since I had a few dozen fish tanks running at one point and while all thermometers should be double checked the price does have some impact. I've learned to avoid the really cheap end ones and never trust those thermometers sold in the walmart fish section.

 

[twigg]

Quote:
Most can be quickley checked each time you set up the incubator.

Just put an egg sized ball of modeling clay in there, with the thermometer stuck in it.

Give it an hour .... then check the clay temp. with a medical thermometer ... compare the results ... easy.