How much can the temperature fluctuate?

[Mosey2003]

Yeah, tabletops really perform best when the room is pretty stable. As long as you don't go over 102, they should be okay.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

There are two plugs, and they're both in. The incubator manual says to only take them out if using it at an altitude of more than 6000 feet above sea level, or during hatching if the humidity is too high. How would removing them help stabilize the temperature?

Remove those plugs! It won't stabilize the temperature... but it WILL maximize the oxygen available to the embryos which can be a limiting factor.

I live AT sea level... a few miles from the beach... and keep my plugs out ALWAYS.

I don't know exactly. The incubator has four troughs. It says to use only trough #1, except for areas with high humidity conditions, in which case it says to use only trough #2. That's what I did. The humidity here is often extremely high (somewhere between 70-90%).

Do you have a hygrometer to measure your humidity inside the bator? Instructions that come with them are POOR advice sometimes... and humidity is one of the biggest blunders they suggest.

The humidity here is often extremely high (somewhere between 70-90%).

Same here... and sometimes I have to run my bator completely DRY.

Yep, I have the one that came with the incubator. It's currently just lying on the bottom, but I'll put it on top of the eggs next time I turn them. The other thermometer is about an inch or two above the eggs since, like I said, it's stuck through one of the vents in the top, and that's how far down the metal rod goes.

Right now it's 101.1.

Yes, top of the eggs will be best. It is VERY normal for the floor to be a few degrees cooler than the top in STILL AIR.

Definitely DON'T give up yet... life finds a way!

I need to research goose hatching since the numbers I have for temp and humidity are relative to chickens... Aside from those adjustments though.. Put it inside a closet if you need more stable temps... or build a wall around out of card board boxes.

I actually love my 1602N and have gotten a few 100% hatches out of it. The thermometers that come with however are OFTEN off in their readings. Mine was off by 4 degrees.

This thing is useful to me...
https://www.amazon.com/Incubator-Th...d=1544890741&sr=8-30&keywords=temp+hygrometer

 

[quackingdom]

Remove those plugs! It won't stabilize the temperature... but it WILL maximize the oxygen available to the embryos which can be a limiting factor.

I live AT sea level... a few miles from the beach... and keep my plugs out ALWAYS.

Ok, the plugs are out. I also put in two water bottles with water that was preheated to exactly 99.5.

Do you have a hygrometer to measure your humidity inside the bator? Instructions that come with them are POOR advice sometimes... and humidity is one of the biggest blunders they suggest.

Actually, come to think of it, I do have a hygrometer. I'll measure it.

Yesterday was really hot, and unfortunately the temperature did go over 102 for a little while. Today is much nicer, and the temperature has actually been close to perfect all day as well as last evening.

Also, fortunately, Charlotte started laying again, so if these eggs fail, we should have another chance.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

For a tabletop incubator with ambient temperature swings, you can build a mini wall around it with pieces of cardboard. That will keep draftiness to a minimum and hold temp in a bit. Just don't block off any holes that allow air to enter.

 

[quackingdom]

For a tabletop incubator with ambient temperature swings, you can build a mini wall around it with pieces of cardboard. That will keep draftiness to a minimum and hold temp in a bit. Just don't block off any holes that allow air to enter.

Will do, thanks.

We decided to candle early. The bad news is that two eggs were rotten (which we had guessed from the smell). The good news is that one egg, at least, has definite, clear blood vessels.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Follow your nose.
I only remove leakers and stinkers.

 

[quackingdom]

Update:

The temperature was probably never as steady as it should have been, but in the end, one egg hatched. (The ones that didn't were either infertile or rotten, which I think was unrelated to the temperature fluctuation.)

And here's Elvie (short for either Elvis or Elvira, depending on whether Elvie is a male or female):