Help!...Uneven incubator temperature

[danielnv]

I have the Little Giant incubator with forced air and turner. I put 1 thermometer on 1 side under the window, and another on the other side, and left side is always cooler. I even switched around the thermometers, and still, left side is cooler. I bought a Radio Shack indoor outdoor thermometer with hygrometer, put that on the left side on top of eggs, with the outside probe on the right side, kinda laying on the bottom next to the turner, and it says the left side is 97.7 and the right side is 101.5! The original 2 thermometers are on the right side on top of eggs, and one reads 98, and the other 100!

Could the temperatures still be settling down because the eggs are warming up? I thought the forced air fan was supposed to make the temps consistent! I am thinking about putting the vent plug back on even though the instructions said take it out--there are smaller holes spaced around the incubator so it seems like it should breathe, and maybe this larger hole (1/2 inch diameter) is causing to much temperature variance? That's my only theory so far.

 

[the1much]

set the thermo's at the bottom of the eggs,, see if there is still a difference,, how long have the eggs been in there,, how long has the bator been running,, were the eggs room temp when put in....

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

!!! How many eggs do you have in there, and what day are you on? Hopefully they'll be ok because I'm in the same boat. I have 5 thermometers in my LG still air and all 5 read differently. I have two that came with the bators that read 99 (they aren't laying over the eggs because they are in the turner and keep falling off), two Accurite digitals that read 101-102, and a new Accurite digital indoor/outdoor with the probe that reads 98. I tried laying the probe at the top of the eggs but it doesn't change. I went through this a couple weeks ago with another hatch and 4 out of 5 eggs hatched, although they were later than usual. I think you really just have to wing it and assume a happy medium. I never take the vent plugs out though unless it's within days 18-21 and the humidity skyrockets.

I'd put the vent plug in and see if that helps keep it in the 98-101 range (although I can't remember what the temps should be with a forced air so my advice might be off a little - s/b 102 with the still air.) Good luck with your hatch!

 

[danielnv]

Thanks, The temp is supposed to be at 99.5 with the forced air. I have 18 khaki campbell duck eggs on the left side, and 14 golden cuckoo maran eggs on the right side, so it's fairly full.

I put the vent plug back in, and moved the outdoor temperature probe-it was kinda down at the screen, so maybe the metal was heating it up. Now the left side says 97.7 and the right side says 99.7

This is day 1, I just got these USPS about noon, put them right in, and now it is almost 4.

 

[danielnv]

Quote:
The bator has been running a few days now. No, I didn't wait for room temperature. It is about 60 outside, so I guess that's about where they were at. They have just been in there a few hours. Did I screw up too bad by not getting the eggs to room temperature first?

 

[Akane]

If it's only been a few hours I'd just wait and see. The eggs will take quite awhile to come to full temp and then the incubator to even out.

I have 5 thermometers in my LG still air and all 5 read differently.

A difference from the middle to the edge of a still air is normal. Mine runs 96-97 on the edge and 101-102 in the middle and that's the usual temp difference. My eggs nearly always hatch exactly on time. 96 is about the minimum they'll incubate at and 102 the highest safe temp to keep it at so as long as your eggs are in the middle they will still hatch. The ones in the lower temps will be later though. When I have lots of eggs in the still airs I rotate them every time I turn so all the eggs go from the middle to the edge and back over several days.​

 

[Tony K T]

Sounds like you need a fan to circulate the heat evenly.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[Akane]

I've had no problems hatching in a still air so I see no point in buying a fan. I even hatched buttons in trays tilting one side up and had them all hatch within hours of each other. It's really not that difficult to hatch in a still air. You just have to learn what the various temps should be to have them hatch on time and take a few precautions like rotating the eggs if you fill up the incubator.

 

[the1much]

the OP has a fan,, it sounded like it was still heating up, and it only needs to be on ( putting juice to the heating element) for a while before shutting down ( meaning it only heats up long enough to only get half the element hot before shutting off again"

on the room temp thingy,, it may not be a big deal,, but if you get the eggs from the mail, you should let them sit for 8 to 12 hours before putting into the bator,, both for the "room temp" and to let the eggs settle and get the airsac where its suppose to be.

 

[danielnv]

The temperatures are still out of whack with each other, but they seem to be stabilizing and in the safe range, so I won't worry too much. I've been reading the awesome thread on incubation humidity, and have decided to run them about 50% instead of the lesser humidity some like to use. I live in very low humidity, and the eggs came from a high humidity location, so it makes sense to me, but of course I'm still reading and learning.

Question: The two eggs that are cracked, but not broken--do they have a chance at all, or should I discard before they rot?