Help! Eggs just started hatching and my incubator isn't holding the temp

[shannag]

My eggs just started hatching a few hours ago. I have 2 out, 1 pipped and 7 left. Now my incubator isn't turning off and on frequently enough so the temp is spiking too high then dropping too low. Early this morning it was holding steady. What gives and what do I do?
It's the Farm Innovators pro series 4200.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I would turn the temp down a little, better to be too cool than too high. They are generating some of their own heat now.

 

[GardenDave]

Yeah I'd suggest the same as ChickenCanoe and reduce the heat. The thermostat is probably having a hard time dealing with all the temperature changes that come with the hatching of the eggs, use of the chicks energy etc etc. If you are really worried about the hatched chicks you could wait for them to dry out and put them straight into the brooder, although I have heard that keeping them in the incubator for the first night is a good idea, this may not be suitable if the temperature changes are quite drastic.

 

[shannag]

I had eggs in my other incubator and switched them. Now both incubators are doing fine. I guess I need to use my old cheapie for when they hatch.

 

[GardenDave]

Great to hear

I bet it was the irregularity of the temperature due to hatching. How is it going? How many have hatched and how many left to go? Do you have a live webcam set up? I love watching those.

 

[shannag]

No webcam, sorry.
But 3 hatched early at day 20. Today is day 21 and I have 7 more to go.