Dickey hatcher won't get up to temp

[Cadeau]

So - I bought a used Dickey hatcher from a lady - has the manual thermostat.

I had her turn it on, so that it was up to temp and running when I arrived and it was fine - perfect 99.5 degrees, 30% humidity.

I turned it on yesterday to get ready for it's maiden voyage and I can't get it up to temp....

It is stuck at 97.7 - I checked it with another thermometer/hygrometer....

Fiddled with the little air holes on the back - no difference....

HELP! I have eggs to hatch for Saturday!!

 

[FeatheredObsessions]

Try and make sure nothing came loose. A bolt or the heat elements etc. What is it sitting on? If it is sitting on something that draws heat from (concrete, freezer top, etc) it you might move it. A draft on it. I'm not familiar with this one in particular though.

 

[FeatheredObsessions]

Position of the thermometers too....

 

[Steph Martin]

Hi. I don't have that type of incubator but I also have a crappy unreliable one. This thing drove me crazy for my first hatch (April). I hovered over that worse than any hen and even woke in the middle of the night to check it. It fluctuated up and down from 97 to 108 F and I freaked almost every day trying to accommodate the darn thing. The humidity was off as well. I even put a meat thermometer in there to see if maybe the hygrom/thermo was off...still don't know. What I know is that you totally have to cater to the incubator. I took out the little plastic windows when the temp was high, I plugged holes with paper towel to help with heat and humidity retention....good I'm a stay at home Mom and obsessive. I guess I really don't have an answer other than I had my temps high and low and my humidity high and low but, when you think of it hens are the same. They get off for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. When it's hot or humid in a coop things are going to change under the hen too. When I say I had trouble I really did. I never thought that one would hatch but I managed 12 out of 17 at the end of things. Nature can be very forgiving. Try your best and keep your fingers crossed and good luck to ya.