Brinsea Mini Eco- Frustration

[ChcknNurse]

So let me start by saying that I have 2 Octagon Eco (1 with and 1 without turner). I love them. I have become familiar with their slight variations and know they are very reliable... to the point that if an egg doesn't vein, crack it - there is no bullseye

For safety and to save money, I went with a Brinsea Eco Mini for a classroom hatch. First of all, no one except ourselves will obsess about temps/humidity/turning. Therefore, I needed something reliable. Days 1-18 were in my octagon, then moved to mini for lockdown. (After running a few days to monitor).

My first frustration was upon arrival it was showing the highest reading possible of 106 degrees. I don't know if the thermometer is accurate, as I couldn't determine the best way to reliably check with my Brinsea spot (though I kept trying). It is a mercury thermometer, so I thought it's more likely to be reading that, than 95/97 I was getting thru the vent hole ugh. Under the edge, no better... Needless to say, though 12 eggs hatched in my Brinsea Octagon, 1 hatched in the Mini Eco (of 7). I'm disappointed that this is my new, third Brinsea product for these students to learn the art of chicken growth and hatching?

 

[gpop1]

The mercury thermometer was reading 106? (max)

If that's the case I would have thought that the thermometer was placed bulb up (they don't work unless they are slightly bulb end down) especially as you had one hatch.

 

[ChcknNurse]

I dropped the temp so that it read closer to the 99.5. I'm not sure what you mean by bulb up or down. I didn't change bulb position, and it was a brand new bator. Would you explain?

When it was time for lockdown, I took the eggs from my octagon and put them into this mini. Though I again had great results with what eggs were in lockdown in my octagon, the ones in the mini, not so much... 2 struggled, 3 died in shell and the last I finally decided to return to my octagon after 2 days of zipping. I assisted after 36 hrs gently, which was successful. However, something is off. I know people love the mini, so I am hoping it can be corrected.

With my octagon I can put the spot check thru the vent hole to verify temp. when I tried to put it thru the hole on the mini, it's angled funny and I wasn't certain of what I was getting. I will plan to call Brinsea on Monday.

 

[gpop1]

sry for the confusion. Is the thermometer that read 106 degrees a mercury like a oral childrens type.