Hatching temperature

[beetandsteet]

Is it true that you should set the incubator after lockdown to a lower temperature (98-99 degrees F)? I thought I had read that somewhere. Has anyone tried this, and does it improve hatching rates?

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Some folks do, and some don't. I don't, and I still manage to have great hatch rates. Besides, my incubator is such a pain to get dialed in to the correct temp, it would be too much trouble to adjust it for me so I've never tried to see how it would work.

 

[kuchchicks]

For whatever reason my bator drops on it's own about a degree every time I go into lockdown. I sometimes wonder if it has to do with my automatic turner not being in there (but that does not make sense because my bator is supposed to auto adjust the temp). My hatch rate last year (8 hatches all together) was between 87%-94%.

 

[beetandsteet]

For whatever reason my bator drops on it's own about a degree every time I go into lockdown. I sometimes wonder if it has to do with my automatic turner not being in there (but that does not make sense because my bator is supposed to auto adjust the temp). My hatch rate last year (8 hatches all together) was between 87%-94%.

I think it's because of the raise in humidity. I have observed that whenever the humidity level raises, the temperature drops, and vice versa.

 

[kuchchicks]

Definitely agree with that. I just find it crazy that my incubator does this and it is supposed to self adjust. Either way my hatch rates are good so I'm ok with it.