Eggs in incubator 8/22. Anyone else putting eggs in?

[Edwards' East of Eden]

Quote:
Do you have a meat thermometer? Like, for roasting meat?

I have one that registers from below freezing to above boiling temperatures, and it's adjustable. So ... crushed ice in a tall glass, enough water to make the ice move well, then I use the thermometer to stir the water until the temperature stops dropping. That should be at freezing temperature - so, 32*F, and, I guess, 0*C. There's a little grippy thing on the underside of the thermometer that I turn with pliers to adjust so the needle reads at 32*.

Then, boil water. Deep water, deep enough to get a lot of the probe in, and bring it to a boil. I'm at sea level, so boiling point is ... erm ... 212*F, or 100*C. Since I adjusted the thermometer at freezing, my boil point should be spot on - it's just a double-check.

NOW put that calibrated thermometer in there next to your rcom and let it equalize. How's it turn out? Now you know how to adjust the reading next to your rcom, either +/- as needed.

 

[Bantam Username]

Quote:
Thanks very much,

I don't have one [sigh] but I guess I can see if I can get one of those too.

 

[Edwards' East of Eden]

Okay, well, at least that's a £3 purchase in the kitchen aisle, not something you have to search out especially. Just look on the underside of it for a crimped-looking join to the probe portion - that's where you'll grab it with the pliers to adjust. My best, most easily adjustable one has markings for freezing and boiling points, so it's quickly and easily adjusted.

You've got a people thermometer, though, right? Take your temperature. Is it what it should be? Then it's probably pretty close to calibrated. So, shake it down and pop it in the incubator. You can piecemeal something here.

 

[Bantam Username]

I tried my people thermometer but it would only fit with the lid of the incubator slightly up so didn't give an accurate reading. I'll see about getting a meat thermometer tomorrow.

 

[Edwards' East of Eden]

Okay, but ... if your people thermometer is measuring accurately, then rig something up with a colander over some boiling water or at a specified distance from a light bulb or something, and measure that temperature with your people thermometer. Then measure the same thing, same distance, with the rcom. It doesn't have to be in the incubator, just - controlled circumstances. Both thermometers, no draft, ten inches from a 75w bulb or something. Whatever it takes to get a temperature around 37* on your people thermometer. Then, the same circumstances, what does it read on the rcom? 2 degrees higher? 3 degrees lower? The same? and you can adjust, then, what the rcom is reading in the incubator by that much, and you're set.

 

[Bantam Username]

Excellent I'll do that, but not using the rcom as the rcom IS the incubator and it is its own digital screen saying its at 37 degrees celcius, it doesn't have an external or removable thermometer, it just tells you on its display screen what the temp is inside it, so I've no way of measuring other temps with it. But I'll definately use this method to callibrate the new thermometer I'll hopefully be getting in the post today. Thanks for all your help.

 

[happyhens120]

Well, 1 of my original 5 was a quitter. Candled again and 4 are boucning around in there, and one was still. Thought I saw a blood ring, too. So I cracked it open and sure enough... not alive. Bummer.

I heard people say that they will fry their old eggs up and feed it back to their girls. Why is this? Does it hurt anything?

 

[rarely bored]

Got a letter from the power company to expect a planned outage Sept 10th from 6 AM to 4 PM!!

The whole community is getting these letters!

I have 4H poultry here that day!!!

The tempertures will most likely be in the mid to high 90's!

Water bottles in the 'bator. Solar heat bottles during the day... Oh dear, lock down conditions will be needed.

I want to go off the grid!

 

[Edwards' East of Eden]

I'm in hurricane country, so we have a generator. Can you beg/borrow/steal/rent one?

I've been trying to figure out how to explain to my husband that, no, I'm not worried about setting up a window air unit or keeping the weather channel broadcasting, but he's going to have to fire ours up anyway for the 'bator if Lee pushes out power out -

 

[rarely bored]

Quote:
Thanks! Your crisis is sooner than my crisis.

Hope you keep your power. Hmm, I don't think I can borrow, but maybe a facebook beg would open the door to unknown possiblities. Steal, sounds kinda good with the finances, but doubt the long term implications would be worth it. Rent, hmm. Need more coffee to figure this out!

Hope Lee doesn't give you any problems and your eggs stay happy and healthy!