Hatcher - sooo frustrating!!!

[2kidsn'chickens]

Well, I have 6 eggs ready to go into the hatcher for their 3 day wait. I made a second bator for a hatcher two weeks ago because I got some splash cochins a week after I set the first ones, then I got some bantam millie cochins last friday so I definetely need a hatcher...
Anyway, I made it set it up, ran it and it was beautiful, perfect temps and held humidity nicely! Now I have been running it for two days and the stinking thing is all over the place! It gets the outside temp up to where I want/need it and then drops incredibly then comes back on and goes up to 107! Wiggler temps are only 96-98 and the humidity is not a problem. It's a still air.I have two pencil sized holes in the bator two on one side, two on the other, could that be part of the problem? But like I said, I had it running before and it was perfect.... argh!!! I dont know what to do, just put them in the hatching bator and hope for the best? Thanks in advance!
Sara

 

[BirdBrain]

Sara,
Can you harvest an old computer fan from somewhere and wire that in? What have you got for a thermostat? I am assuming it is the hot water kind, but have you thought of using a dimmer switch to control the heat source?

 

[2kidsn'chickens]

BirdBrain,
I am using a water thermostat, I hadnt thought of the dimmer switch... I did put a lower wattage bulb in to see if that helps, so far no. Everything is currently at 106 degrees.
I dont have a old fan but I guess I could run out to staples and pick one up for 10 bucks. It would probably be better for the hatching chicks too right?
Thanks for your help!
Sara

 

[BirdBrain]

Try putting the fan in such a way that it blows across the light and toward your thermostat, assuming your thermostat is on the opposite side from your light. You might also try filling that bator as full of water filled peanut butter jars as you can. Canning jars would work well too. That is to create a thermal mass so you hopefully have less temperature fluctuations. When you put the water jars in, be sure your water is about 100 degrees so the temp doesn't dip (with cold water) or shoot up (with hot water). Of course these thermal masses must have tight lids.