Hova Bator question

[omar4923]

I am trying to figure out if my hovabator is working properly. It will hold the temp from 98 to 101 degrees. 3 degrees seems to me to be to much of a fluctuation. Is this normal on the hovabator with a fan? Any info would be appreciated.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

When eggs are placed in, or any heat sink of sufficient mass, the temperature stays more constant.

Regardless, the median temp is 99.5F which is right where you want to be. How often does the thermostat turn on? About every 3 minutes or so? Well that's only a 3 minutes high followed by 3 minutes low which neither is long enough to actually effect the temperature of the embryo/chick in the egg. The egg is staying constant temp of the median of your swing. Only the air is actually fluctuating.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I agree. You should test it for 8 hours, with a few water bottles in it. My guess is that with addition of the bio mass, the swings will stabilize. Right now, you are just heating air, which allows for the large swing.

 

[omar4923]

Thank you all very much for the info. There is currently 38 eggs in it right now. They are in their seventh day.

 

[CSWolffe]

I'm considering ordering one of these, and the reviews on Amazon are confusing. Most people seem to have had good success, but there are more than a few with temperature fluctuation problems.
Has anyone had good success/problems with one of these cheap little styrofoam incubators?
I only plan on hatching one small batch once a year or so, so I can't really justify anything pricier.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I own one and love it. Hatch with great success with it too. If you've a spot check type thermometer, one that reads quickly then the temp swings are more obvious. As I stated above these swings are not that big and don't effect the inside temp of the egg at all. I've a digital thermometer that reads to whole numbers I keep in it. That doesn't move at all as it takes time to register a warmer or colder setting to which doesn't really happen as it's sensor is inside a plastic housing so that's staying withing a 1 degree swing. To check it's accuracy I use a child thermometer which is near instant and put it through the vent hole a few seconds prior to the mid point of the heater on cycle. You know, the heater will turn on for say 2 minutes then off for 2 minutes so I start to take the reading 50 seconds into the heat cycle and wait 10 seconds or so to take the temp reading.

If I use that same child's thermometer and take the reading at each end of swing then yes, mine too is just under 3 degrees differential. Is that significant? I don't thinks so and with chicks hatching well and on time I'd say they don't think so either.