Help incubator temp?????

[Jacqdiva]

Seems like I was in ignorant bliss. Have been hatching with my incubator janoel 24 and have temp set to factory setting of 37.8 C I bought a CHEAP hygrometer that has a thermometer too. The humidity says 49%, and temp 34 C now I am worried. What should I believe? Incubator or thermometer? HELP

 

[Jacqdiva]

Can anyone recommend a small hygrometer thermometer to sit inside with the eggs???:/

 

[Jacqdiva]

Anyone?

 

[msashley]

They will be different. Temp should be in a still air 102F and circulated 99.6/99.8. Humidity the first 18 days 40 I believe? And for hatch 65. We are hatching today do our humidity is 65 & temp is 99.8

 

[Jacqdiva]

They will be different. Temp should be in a still air 102F and circulated 99.6/99.8. Humidity the first 18 days 40 I believe? And for hatch 65. We are hatching today do our humidity is 65 & temp is 99.8

Thanks for your response. I just don't know which to believe my incubator or cheap thermometer??? Also my tanks are full, so I don't know what to do.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I would suggest getting a reptile/lizard hygrometer from your local pet store and a small thermometer from your garden centre. I am only saying this as this is what I did when my first incubator a very cheap one failed to hatch anything the first time even though I thought I had done everything correct. I found out after purchasing the new thermometer I was cooking my eggs because the temp was so off what it should be. And that I was putting far too much water in for humidity I had the whole bottom of bator full of water when all it needed was a little splash to maintain 45% for days 1-18. I would always go on what new thermometer and hygrometer say. Hope this helps you make a decision. Also is it still air or forced air bator? Still air can have hot and cold spots.

 

[Shalah]

You can calibrate your hygrometer to check if its correct. Place enough water into a small container of salt to make it like wet sand.... NOT sludge. I used a bottle cap. Place this into a sealed plastic bag along with hygrometer and leave about 8 hrs or overnight. The hygrometer should read 75%. You can now see how much your hygrometer is " out" and make the same adjustment each time you read hygrometer.

Ive just hatched my first lot and next time I will concentrate more on approx. 13% weight loss of egg from start to finish rather than worrying about perfect humidity levels. Work out average weight of one of your eggs and how much 13% of that weight is so you know what the approx. end weight should be. Ive read others suggest anywhere from 11% - 16% is accepted so you don't have to be exact. Also pencil the outline of air cell each time you candle.

I raised the humidity higher by placing a clean wet wash cloth or sponge onto the tray of the incubator ( away from the eggs). Its the amount of wet surface area that will raise your humidity... not the amount of water. I placed the cloth under the top vent so I could carefully place more water onto it without opening the lid and also dropped a corner into the bottom so it acted as a wick from the water in the bottom.

As I said, Ive only just hatched my first chickens, so by no means an expert, but happy to help where I can as I see you have the same incubator as myself. My thermometer and incubator matched exactly but all I can suggest is that the eggs should feel warm in your hand.. not hot... not cold.

I also have parrots so I guess Ive learned a few things from reading up about them as well.


Good luck.

 

[Shalah]

Just a suggestion .... I would take the cheap hygrometer/ thermometer to Bunnings or somewhere that sells them and compare the readings against a number of other ones on sale to see if it is reading the same. I think even expensive ones can be giving the wrong readings .

 

[Jacqdiva]

Thank you so much everyone for all the tips and ideas. I have hatched in this incubator fairly successfully a couple of times. I am on lockdown, and have filled the second tank. I will hope for the best. I guess ignorance was bliss, when I was just reading the incubator temp before. This time I have faverolles eggs in that wer shipped, so I really really want something out of these. I have some of my own eggs in there Wyandottes and Orpingtons, and I did notice they had stronger development. FINGERS CROSSED!!!
I will take all your comments on board and utilise them. Thanks once again.

 

[Jacqdiva]

Ok so even if the cheap hygrometer/thermometer is right at 50% humidity, and 34 degrees C.....my own eggs from my Wyandottes and Orpingtons are pipping early!!! There is hope.