First timer hatcher with OCD needs clarification

[montanaquail]

Ok, so with eggs coming tomorrow or Saturday, I just went out the the ranch supply store and bought their only incubator that was in stock: the Farm Innovator 2100 still air unit. Upon googling, I think I feel OK hatching in a still air. But last night I set it up with 3 thermometers and 2 hydrometers, and I want to know if I need to tweak any further or leave it alone:

The bulb thermometer laying flat on the wire is 99.5. The digital one that is approximately 1 inch from the floor is 101 and holding steady for 12 hours. It doesn't give me 10ths of a degree on that thermometer. The wafer one built into the top of the incubator fluctuates a lot and I'm not relying on it as it's only temping the very top of the incubator where no egg or chick will ever see. It goes from 98 to 102 and adjusts every time the heating element comes on. Humidity is at 52-57%. I also laid that bulb thermometer on top of the digital for awhile and it read nearly 102 (about 2 inches off the wire). So how do I figure which is accurate? I'm a first timer, and here's the rationale I have: Average the temp from the very bottom of the incubator with the temp of the digital; that should give me the average temp of the area where the eggs will be. Yes, no, I'm an idiot? Advice??

 

[dc3085]

Ok, so with eggs coming tomorrow or Saturday, I just went out the the ranch supply store and bought their only incubator that was in stock: the Farm Innovator 2100 still air unit. Upon googling, I think I feel OK hatching in a still air. But last night I set it up with 3 thermometers and 2 hydrometers, and I want to know if I need to tweak any further or leave it alone:

The bulb thermometer laying flat on the wire is 99.5. The digital one that is approximately 1 inch from the floor is 101 and holding steady for 12 hours. It doesn't give me 10ths of a degree on that thermometer. The wafer one built into the top of the incubator fluctuates a lot and I'm not relying on it as it's only temping the very top of the incubator where no egg or chick will ever see. It goes from 98 to 102 and adjusts every time the heating element comes on. Humidity is at 52-57%. I also laid that bulb thermometer on top of the digital for awhile and it read nearly 102 (about 2 inches off the wire). So how do I figure which is accurate? I'm a first timer, and here's the rationale I have: Average the temp from the very bottom of the incubator with the temp of the digital; that should give me the average temp of the area where the eggs will be. Yes, no, I'm an idiot? Advice??

You are correct in not trusting the nearly worthless thermometer that comes with most units. You can pretty much spare yourself the math too, the eggs will hatch well at any temp between 99.5 and 101. Actually it is recommended to run still air units at 100-101 so you're about as close as you will get.

Things that will help you get a better hatch;
-Leaving the incubator in the room with steadiest temps
-Opening the lid as little as possible
-Touching the eggs as few times as possible (resist the urge to remove and candle or water candle until you have more experience)
-Allowing shipped eggs to stand in the room with the incubator for 24 hours to acclimate to the ambient temps and humidity.
-Practice lockdown ahead of time (humidity can be hard to control at times)

 

[Outpost JWB]

They have a hatching thread on here that can help you with all the steps. I used a borrowed incubator the past 2 years. I have returned it already so couldn't tell you what type it was. It is styrofoam & think forced air with the automatic egg turner. I used her thermometer as well and it was a flat piece of plastic with thermometer attached. I kept it on the bottom of the incubator at 99.9 degrees as advised by the person I borrowed it from. Since you have not started incubating them yet, I want to tell you to make sure you get the temp right 24hrs before you put them in. Also read up on the temp. My last hatch had 30 eggs, hatched out 21. 17 of them are roos! I think it had something to do with the temp & I will read up before next spring. Be sure to visit our hatching thread and