Hovabator users... question?

[themenagerie]

I'm on my 2nd hatch ever with a Hovabator 1632 with fan. The first one didn't do so well, only 3 out of 9 hatched, and all were fully developed chicks. For future reference..all 3 that hatched were on the outside top portion of the bator....My first thought is that my humidity was too high (ran 45-50%) , so I'm going to try to do a dry-ish incubation with shooting for 30-35%. My second thought has to do with the temperature... I did most of my first hatch with just a digital hygrometer inside, it would only fit on the outside wall slightly below turner level. I ran my temps at 100 the whole hatch, once I went to lock down I got a probe thermometer and was getting temps of 102 using the probe. Here's the question... is there a way to figure out what the "real" temp is given that the readings are different in different locations in the incubator? If it's better to err on the side of caution.. is it better to use the outside location thermostat to regulate at a lower temp, so temps in the middle moderate, or is 102 not terrible? Would rotating the eggs say... at candling dates 7 & 14 help mitigate any temperature fluctuations? Does anyone have tricks to attach a thermometer at turner level where you can actually see it?
Thanks in advance.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I'm on my 2nd hatch ever with a Hovabator 1632 with fan. The first one didn't do so well, only 3 out of 9 hatched, and all were fully developed chicks. For future reference..all 3 that hatched were on the outside top portion of the bator....My first thought is that my humidity was too high (ran 45-50%) , so I'm going to try to do a dry-ish incubation with shooting for 30-35%. My second thought has to do with the temperature... I did most of my first hatch with just a digital hygrometer inside, it would only fit on the outside wall slightly below turner level. I ran my temps at 100 the whole hatch, once I went to lock down I got a probe thermometer and was getting temps of 102 using the probe. Here's the question... is there a way to figure out what the "real" temp is given that the readings are different in different locations in the incubator? If it's better to err on the side of caution.. is it better to use the outside location thermostat to regulate at a lower temp, so temps in the middle moderate, or is 102 not terrible? Would rotating the eggs say... at candling dates 7 & 14 help mitigate any temperature fluctuations? Does anyone have tricks to attach a thermometer at turner level where you can actually see it?
Thanks in advance.

I have an lg w/fan and have the same issues. Under my heating elements and out is much warmer than center. I tried to keep as many of the eggs pushed to the outside perimeter as I could using the middle for my wet sponge. I also rotated my eggs, using candling as a guide to decipher if I thought there were ones that didn't look as advanced, I would switch eggs I thought hadn't progressed as far with eggs that looked ahead in development. As we went into lockdown I still had one egg that appeared to be behind that I noted and marked as a questioneable hatch. I was getting ready to eggtopsy on day 21 (as all but three had hatched pretty much by the end of day 20). When I candeled it had internally pipped so I put it back in, not really expecting much, that night it externally pipped and by morning it had hatched. So, I was right in thinking it was behind the others, while in reality the others were advanced, he was the only one that was right on time even though he was a day behind the others lol

 

[marchick]

I also have two hovabators. They are preset and they did a good job adjusting temp. on mine. It might help to switch eggs half way through incubation so the eggs are not in the hot spots the whole incubation period.There are ways to check your probe therm by putting ice in water and if it reads 32 degrees its right. I would check there are threads on BYC on how to check your therm. I would not adjust temp till you check to see if your therm is right.

 

[bzarz23]

HELP! Day 24 and no signs of anything. I thought I heard peeping on day 22 but may have been wishful thinking. Should I candle or do the float test? I need them to hatch because it's for a science project and I'm super upset and nervous for them! What should I do! They were shipped eggs and I have them in still air incubators around 100 degrees. For the first 18 days I turned three times a day with 40-50 humidity then stoped on day 18. On day 18 I also raised humidity 65-75 percent.

 

[marchick]

HELP! Day 24 and no signs of anything. I thought I heard peeping on day 22 but may have been wishful thinking. Should I candle or do the float test? I need them to hatch because it's for a science project and I'm super upset and nervous for them! What should I do! They were shipped eggs and I have them in still air incubators around 100 degrees. For the first 18 days I turned three times a day with 40-50 humidity then stoped on day 18. On day 18 I also raised humidity 65-75 percent.

I know there are alot better people on here to answer your question.If It where me I would candle them.A bright flashlight will work. Good luck! Sorry I couldn't help more! I hope someone else will come on and give you more insight.