I am going crazy!!

[happyhens]

I bought a LG bator almost 2 weeks ago. I turned it on, and it held 101.1 rock steady for 4 days. Then I add 3 dozen eggs from a friend last Friday. The temperature drops to about 95*, which I expected since the eggs needed time to warm up. So I left it overnight. The next morning, it was still at 95*. So I increased the temp just a little tiny bit, and when I come back in about 3 hours it is at 104. So I lowered it again, it goes down to 98*. I can't find a middle ground here! The eggs haven't been the right temperature for 2 days. I hope they aren't ruined

Then I have 2 dozen coming from Siz (hopefully arriving tomorrow!) that I was going to put in with the other 3 dozen for a staggered hatch. Now I don't know what to do! I still have the receipt from the bator, I am thinking about returning it and doing something different. But if I do that, then what am I going to do with the eggs? Gah! I wish a couple of my silly hens would go broody, then I could at least count on some of the eggs hatching.

 

[hobbychick]

This is my first time incubating to but I think a temp of 98 is probably ok, if it is a constant temp. I have a homemade bator that I got from someone and he hatched thousands of eggs out of it. He told me that a temp of 97-101 was ok as long as it was constant. My bator has been at a even 99 of 10 days not and I candled and have chicks. Is it a forced air or still air? Still air temps are supposed to be higher. Mine is a forced air. Good Luck!!!

 

[Chic Chick]

I also had the temperature between 98 and 102 just about every time I looked.....Day 21 now and I have 9 hatched and another 16 pipped so far, so it looks like they can take the fluctuations. Don't worry too much! With the higher temps they actually started pipping a day early but it looks like they'll all be fine.

 

[happyhens]

Thanks for the encouragement. It was starting to hold between 100-101*F, but then I had to add more eggs. Now the temp is down to 92 and is going crazy again. Grrr