Calibrating thermometers - the easy way

[twigg]

Quote:
Expect them to hatch towards the end of the regular time. 1F low is not a disaster, but might delay the hatch a day.

The problem often is that poor hatches are a result of a cumulation of small errors. Each on it's own not enough to prevent hatching, but taken together .....

I figured this was a way to eliminate at least one of the possible errors.

 

[OCchickens]

Cumulation of small errors (& large) seems to sum up my hatch so far!

Here's to the learning curve, and many thanks to this website for making it much more enjoyable!

 

[pepper48_98]

I am having trouble with my humidity. How do I double check it? I bought one from walmart that reads the temp and humidity but I don't think it is right.

Twigg.......... is there somewhere local that I can pick up a good one?

 

[twigg]

Quote:
I use a $6 Walmart one. I also have an expensive Amprobe psychometer, but it rarely deviates much from the cheapy.

At $6, I would buy 2, and compare them.

 

[pepper48_98]

Thanks......... I will do just that. The one I have is the $6. one... Springfield... I think it is the same one that I have seen on e-bay selling for $15 - $20 that I almost bought.

 

[twigg]

Quote:
That's the one I have

 

[OCchickens]

I checked again after I increased the temp in the bator by about 1/2 degree (after about 4 hrs) & now it's reading 97.6.

I got to wondering whether with a small lump of clay (the one I have is about the size of a bantam egg) the mass of the thermometer at room temperature can lower the temp in the center of the clay. Prob. the bigger the lump of clay the better?

 

[twigg]

Quote:
I just made mine egg sized.

Long as it has sufficient mass, and is allowed to stabalise, you shouldn't have an issue.

 

[OCchickens]

Quote:
Maybe my temps weren't so low after all! I have all 8 eggs pipped on day 20!

Six more were set up a day later.

 

[danielnv]

Modeling clay? Are we talking about playdough from the toy store or something else?

My thermometer is digital, so I assume with this method I place the clay and medical digital thermometer in the bator, wait an hour or so for them to get up to temp, and then push the button on the thermometer to get a reading? Of course I need to record the temp on the digital before opening the bator so I can compare.