I messed up my incubation:Help

[jvls1942]

OK, but my question still remains.
How do you know which of the 5 is correct? just because you have 2 that read the same, does not make them accurate..

I will give you this much.. If you pick one and your hatch comes out very high, right or wrong, I would use that thermometer..

 

[astronoc]

jvsls - that is a great suggestion. I am going to play with all 5 and see what I get.

Well, the first batch was supposed to hatch yesterday and they didnt. The second one is supposed to go on lockdown today and due on tuesday. It was my very first incubation so I guess I shouldnt be surprised if none hatch. I'll keep everyone updated!

 

[Akane]

I'm in Iowa which is generally humid but can be very very dry in winter and certain times of the year. I've hatched year round so I've dealt with very dry and I've dealt with drowning chicks. I drowned a whole bunch this spring because the humidity here shot up and I was used to hatching over winter. Then I killed a few seramas because I was using my new lg, didn't realize it didn't hold humidity as well, and it was a rather dry week when they hatched so the humidity outside the bator was low. I had to help them out and only saved 2.

You can't tell a thermometer is accurate or not. Even if 2 read the same they could both be off. About all you can do is run a hatch through the bator and see if they go early or late. That's why it's a good idea to use a test batch of cheap eggs for your first run with an incubator. If they go late you need to keep the temp higher on that thermometer and if they go early you need to keep it lower. Use the same thermometer hatch after hatch and you'll know exactly what it needs to read. When you get a new one put it in the bator with that one in the exact same spot and run it for a hatch to see what numbers it should read. I did have a very accurate temp probe for aquariums that I tested my first one by so I had a better idea what to try it at but those aren't really within the price range to buy one just for checking an incubator.

 

[jvls1942]

one way to test a thermometer that is not real scientific, but will bring you close.. put it outside out of the sunlight.. now watch your local weather on TV or radio.. they will tell you what the temp is.. just see how close your therm is to that..

You can adjust a thermometer also

If you know what the temp is, just loosen the glass tube of the thermometer and line the top of the red line up to the proper number..

 

[Akane]

Problem is your nearest weather station can be many many miles away. Ours is actually 30miles one way and 30miles the other. The difference between them can be 5-10F and we're somewhere in the middle of that. All it takes is 1F different and your incubation will be off.

 

[dancingbear]

I use a mercury fever thermometer to check mine. Those old-fashioned therms are pretty darned accurate. they won't work to leave in the bator, because the reading won't go back down on it own, and has to be shaken down, but they're great to put in the bator to see how far off all the others are, or how close.

My best alcohol therm matches right up with the merc one, though the markings aren't in 1/10's like the fever therm, so you have to be careful reading it, that you don't read it too high or too low.

I just make sure they're at the same height, and close together when I check them, so I can be reasonably sure they should all read the same.

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
I understand that.. but on certain days the temp is about the same all over the state.. I am not saying that this is the ultimate test..

and 1F off is not all that critical..

most of the incubators used by most of the people on this site do not hold temps that close..

another way to test is by the method dancing bear tells ..

the very best method is to take a therm that you KNOW is correct and comparing all other therms against it..

BTW,,, you shot down my solution,, but you did not produce a better solution.. what IS your solution??

..........jiminwisc..........

 

[Akane]

I already posted that I compare mine to a temp probe for a saltwater tank but that isn't cost effective to buy just for an incubator unless you've got some really expensive eggs. Really my second mention is the most fool proof. Just run a batch of cheap local eggs through the bator and see if they hatch early or late. Most people don't want to be that patient though. Most any other method is hit or miss.

1F can be enough to kill a hatch. If you also take into account the swings in temp of a small bator plus being 1-2F off on the thermometer. Then put the temp nearer one of the extremes like trying to make your still air exactly 102F. There's good odds it will hit 103-104 and maybe even higher resulting in some dead chicks. If you put it near the low end to be safe you are going to have a very late hatch which never results in quite as healthy of chicks. That degree or 2 is still going to be significant.

My state is never the same temp across the state.... It's impressive if it's the same temp from 1 town to the next.

 

[DANNY]

I have been hatching birds for 40 years and i set a batch and see what happens during the hatch and adjust from there if needed.

 

[mom2chicksandpups]

I agree with moving them all on day 18 for the first batch. I have moved mine a day or 2 early and it did not make a difference. I read somewhere that you can actually start turning any time after day 14, though I try to wait until 18.