Four thermometers four temperatures....

[PhiberOptikx]

Title says it all. I have 3 mercury and one digital thermometer that all read different temps. It is a forced air incubator and they are all in the same spot. Lowest is 99 highest is 102. Should I be fine since the temp is within range? What is the hottest and coldest option in a forced air incubator?

 

[Tumbling K]

Four? On my side why would you do that to yourself?

I'm no expert, but did you go through and calibrate your thermometers?

 

[goosiesnougs]

Are you messing with the cover? Be honest lol
Mine are never all the same either.. Within a degree I wouldn't worry, as long as none say over 102' I would just use them all as an average.

 

[PhiberOptikx]

Incubator came with one digital and one mercury. Since they were reading different temps I grabbed two more to get an average. I will just go with the three that are closest to each other lol

 

[kuchchicks]

I agree with the above. You will NEVER have thermometers that will agree. Having multiple thermometers I think is a very good idea. BUT it is only a good idea if you test them against each other and calibrate them first. Otherwise you will just drive yourself nuts. I agree with your logic that since all of them are within the "about" range you should be fine... UNLESS the one that is correct is the 102. Keeping forced air at 102 will not result in a good hatch. If your lowest is 99 then that is fine. I typically do not mess with my temp as long as my reading is 98.5 to 101.5. You will have temp fluctuations for a wide variety of reasons... humidity changes, changes in temp to the room you are incubating in, chick growth, to name a few. Do not worry yourself over slight variations. Even a temp of 102 is not fatal in a forced air so long as it does not stay up there for hours. What you are trying to achieve is an internal temp of about 99.5. It takes a long time for the internal temp to go up or down so slight variations are really no big deal.

 

[JetCat]

you're in the ballpark so just let this hatch run and then take your hatch day to see which one was closest. if your hatch came early, the one that's reading high would be more accurate, if it comes late the lower one, and if it's right on time the closest middle one.