SilkieLoverFarm
Chirping
So I've read a lot of post here and even had many people make recommendations about how to try to get the temperature consistent in incubators. Also, suggestions on different test you can do to your thermometers, where to measure the temperature of your eggs, ect...
Needless to say, my first times trying to hatch has been frustrating with all the variations, including the now four different temperature readings from digitals to aquatic thermometers I have in my bator, etc...
I came across this site that spoke of calibration and explained temperature fluctuations inside of an incubator and it's the first thing that actually made sense to me. And here I am trying to balance the thermometers on top of eggs, between eggs, all over the bator. And still getting different readings. Maybe the clay suggestion is on here somewhere but I never saw it. So I thought I'd post this.
Below is what I found tonight and it seemed to be an Eureka moment in this for me....
Qoute:
Example1.1:
An Incubator is set to control a set point of 37.8°C. Anything below that temperature and the heating element will be on. As long as the element is on the temperature keeps rising. When it reaches 37.8°C the element switches off, but there is a lot off residual heat in the element and the temperature goes up to 38.4°C. The incubator now starts cooling down. It drops down to 37.7°C and the element turns back on again. This time the element is cold and needs some time to heat up. The temperature drops to 37.2°C before it starts picking up again. This cycle continues for the entire incubation period.
The egg temperature will be the average of the high and low temperature. 37.8°C.
We need to find the average temperature of the incubator before calibrating. Therefor the thermometer tip of your calibrating thermometer needs to be covered by at least 25mm (diameter) of putty or plasticine clay (prestic or similar substance will work). The incubator needs to run for at least 24 hours for the entire machine temperature to stabilize. This helps you find the average temperature (actual egg temperature) in the incubator.
Has anyone tried a ball of clay or putty with the thermometer stuck in it, to try to get an actual temperature of the inside of the egg? What was your experience with it? Did you find it accurate? Did your multiple thermometers line up better using clay/putty in this manner? Did it increase your hatch rate? What worked best for you?
Needless to say, my first times trying to hatch has been frustrating with all the variations, including the now four different temperature readings from digitals to aquatic thermometers I have in my bator, etc...
I came across this site that spoke of calibration and explained temperature fluctuations inside of an incubator and it's the first thing that actually made sense to me. And here I am trying to balance the thermometers on top of eggs, between eggs, all over the bator. And still getting different readings. Maybe the clay suggestion is on here somewhere but I never saw it. So I thought I'd post this.
Below is what I found tonight and it seemed to be an Eureka moment in this for me....
Qoute:
Example1.1:
An Incubator is set to control a set point of 37.8°C. Anything below that temperature and the heating element will be on. As long as the element is on the temperature keeps rising. When it reaches 37.8°C the element switches off, but there is a lot off residual heat in the element and the temperature goes up to 38.4°C. The incubator now starts cooling down. It drops down to 37.7°C and the element turns back on again. This time the element is cold and needs some time to heat up. The temperature drops to 37.2°C before it starts picking up again. This cycle continues for the entire incubation period.
The egg temperature will be the average of the high and low temperature. 37.8°C.
We need to find the average temperature of the incubator before calibrating. Therefor the thermometer tip of your calibrating thermometer needs to be covered by at least 25mm (diameter) of putty or plasticine clay (prestic or similar substance will work). The incubator needs to run for at least 24 hours for the entire machine temperature to stabilize. This helps you find the average temperature (actual egg temperature) in the incubator.
Has anyone tried a ball of clay or putty with the thermometer stuck in it, to try to get an actual temperature of the inside of the egg? What was your experience with it? Did you find it accurate? Did your multiple thermometers line up better using clay/putty in this manner? Did it increase your hatch rate? What worked best for you?
