Heating element in incubator? Heat bulb vs. light bulb?

[winteree]

I have heard that candling eggs to much is bad for the hatch out rate but in my incubator and several i have seen online use light bulbs for the heat element in the incubator does having a light bulb for the heat source in the incubator cause the same effect as over candling? Because i have heard this is one of the reasons homemade incubators sometimes have lower hatch rates should i use a heat bulb or a heating pad instead has anyone had better results using ether? And to those of whom who use home made incubators what do your hatch rates look like? And further to those who have use both home made and store or online bought incubators have you seen a difference in your hatching rates in-between them? Do you have a preference?

 

[ThaJuicyJuice]

Homemade incubators are usually less likely to have reliable hatch rates, because of fluctuations in temps and humidity. If one can achieve stability in these two, then homemade incubators are fine. People have such a bad opinion of candling because it causes temperature swings when opening and closing the incubator. I do believe that a heating element is more conducive to measuring temperature because they use sources of conduction and convection for heat. A light bulb uses the added radiation form of heat transfer which we cannot measure, other than by lightbulb wattage.

 

[TullyRiver Quail]

Re: frequent candling on hatch rate success: I wonder if over handling the eggs (perhaps disrupting the protective coating on the outer shell) has as much of an influence as the heat loss from being out of the incubator? After all, in the wild momma bird is forced to leave the nest occasionally and unless your candling in 40° weather, the few seconds it takes should not cause a significant drop in egg temp. I would wear rubber gloves and will only candle a portion of a tray per day, record the effects to see if the incubation date has any effect, and maybe even consider a clear lid candling box with a heating pad and XXL rubber gloves built into either side so you could set an entire tray inside a 98.5 degree box and candle away like Homer Simpson handling an isotope. But as mentioned above, momma birds don't do this and we still have birds. The only real difference is your human touch.