Ok, based on my last hatch, the temps in my hovabator were probably too high, as all the chicks in that bator hatched too early while chicks in my brinsea hatched reasonably ontime and were from the same batches. I had THREE thermometers in there and I kept the incubator around 99-100 based on what my most reliable thermometer said, but I have to admit to fiddling a bit with the knob even though the bator is in a reasonably temp stable upstairs room. Thermometer #1 is the cheapie one that came with the incubator and is on a plastic sheet. It almost always said 100F or a hair under and was resting on TOP of the eggs. Thermometer #2 is a brinsea spot-check - I put the probe through one of the vent holes and had it hang into a blank area about mid-egg. It generally read 99-100 as well. Thermometer #3 is the cheapie hygrometer/thermo from Walmart (I am buying a new one of these, as this I think is my problem) which would read exactly three temperatures - 98.5, 100.3 and 102! THat last thermometer is what worried me and caused the fiddling. It sits a bit up off the turner so would be hanging near but not at the bottom of egg level. I tend to trust the brinsea the most, but it's only a spot check probe thermometer, so I might have the probe sitting in the wrong place. I'm using the hovabator on this hatch only for overflow - any advice on where to put the brinsea probe for the best reading? Also, if I have just a few eggs, should I cluster them all together near the middle? This incubator does have a fan. I am hoping to pull these out after week one if there's room in my brinsea (which is supposed to hold 24 but doesn't seem to )..
