Darn Cabinet INcubator AGAIN... cool spot?

[CrazyWestTexasFarmGirl]

Ok my newly aquired cabinet incubator.... I have mutiple hatch dates going in it.... I have turkey and ducks due to hatch Sunday.
I transfered these eggs from the stryo that was fluctuating madly... now that they are almost ready for lockdown and I planned to put them in the hatching tray.... my temps in the cabinet incubator have me worried.... Maintaining temp very well... but the back of the incubator and the bottom hatching tray seem way cooler.... I THINK they are reading about 97... but im not sure... I put thermometers on each tray and the top tray seems spot on, 2nd tray a degree almost cooler...I put a thermoometer down on the hatching tray just now.... but Im worried..... Should I set the styro back up and hatch them in there? Or risk the hatching tray... I dont know what to dooooo..... or why the temps arent consistent.... heating element is now working just right and fan is strong..... worry woory worry.....
Now all the new eggs that went in this past sunday, the top tray are developing well, 2nd tray are developing and I could see heartbeat I think in one... thinking they are developing almost at the same rate.. maybe tray two a eensy bit slower on candeling tonight? Am I just being too nitpicky?

 

[Kiwibird]

My current understanding is this:

- Too cool is better than too hot.
- Stable is better than fluctuating for chicken eggs.
- Duck eggs need a cooling period each day, which is a form of fluctuation, so they may cope better with other fluctuations.
- No idea about Turkey eggs.

With your styrofoam incubator that was fluctuating, did the fluctuations include overheating, or was it fluctuating between about right and too cool? If it was overheating, I would say avoid it - cooler is a better risk. If it is cooling periodically, maybe put the duck eggs in it, let its cooler periods be their cooling periods (rather than turning it off and opening it up at times), and put the turkey eggs in the part of the cabinet incubator with the most favourable temperatures.

Someone who knows more may be able to give better advice.