If my thermometer says 99.1......

[enggass]

Thanks. I think those are cases when your temps may be above or below 'acceptable' range. I'm sure some fluctuations between 99º and 100º would not be too damaging. In fact, I'm willing to bet there are people trying to hatch eggs that would kill to have this problem of honing in on 99.5º were there biggest fluctuations are 10ths of a degree.

 

[chicmom]

Note to self........QUIT OBSESSING!!!!!!

 

[enggass]

I hear ya... We need to relax!

 

[tnchickenut]

Here is a "don't worry about it so much" story:

Once I ordered 6+ of shipped eggs... bantams... two strikes against a good hatch already from the word "go"

I set them... used a digital thermometer that read 100F... so I was happy. I went to bed then work (ten hour shifts PLUS drive time)... came come in the evening. Noticed 112F!!! That is not a typo One Hundered And Twelve!!!

I took the lid off for about 3-5 minutes, went and got two other thermometers, cleaned them (outside porch style), put them in... yup 112F...

Off the lid came again, turned the dial down three whole turns. Placed the lid back... 102F... turned another half turn.... 100F.

Some would have gave up and threw the eggs out.... I went the distance with them and got (drumroll please) 100% hatch.

Don't stress so much. You'd be amazed what they will hatch through. (I know a friend who lost power for DAYS and still got some to hatch - dead of a snowy winter)

 

[raimnel]

mine are due the 19th of March!

happy Hatching to u!

 

[chicmom]

Quote:
SOOOO REASSURING TO HEAR! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

 

[Fyrekitten]

I have to agree with the thermometers that come with the Incubators! I have one Hovabator, 3 Little Giants and one big homemade one my husband did that is really great. We went out and bought the Hygrometers and let me tell you know I know why I had some low hatch rates earlier this Winter! The little ones they came with were off by a good 6 plus degrees or MORE! We have two different kinds of Hygrometers - the ones that go in the Bators and register temp, humidity and past hi's and low's. Then we have the kinds where they stay outside of the Bator and have a Sensor that feeds into the Bator that registers the Temp, Humidity and such. My temps are running right about 100.0 to 99.9 so I hope that all my eggs will hatch out okay - humidity seems to be very hard to keep up and I have some eggs that are due anyday now that got delayed due to a 22 hour power outage that took them down to 86-91 degrees during that time. I'm using small natural sea sponges, water in the trays and cotton balls soaked with water to see if it keeps it up.

But I agree with everyone else! Don't fool with the Temp-steady is best as long as it is close like yours.

BTW, has anyone tried out the new temp gauges I've seen on ebay? It is shaped like an egg and has a sensor that is supposed to be pretty exact as it simulates the conditions in the egg.

Let me know and good hatching everyone!

 

[JScatt69]

Quote:
It is definitely stressing me out. I have the Brinsea Octagon Eco 20, the basic one, and it comes with this "liquid in glass" thermometer, then I put a digital hygrometer/thermometer in there, and that thing will read 99.1 sometimes, and then if I tilt the incubator as per instructions (to turn eggs since I don't have a turner), that darned digital will say 102!

It's scaring me and driving me nuts!

I surely hope I get a chick or two..........

I really appreciate the advice of everyone! Makes me feel much better.......First time hatching with this incubator....and it's only my second time hatching chicks.......

I had the same problem but my glass thermometer that came with my hova bator reads 102 and the digital reads 99 ish. I ended up sticking a meat thermometer, that I know is accurate, in the vent hole and it reads the same as the digital, so now I know which is off

 

[chicmom]

Oh, those thermometers will drive ya nuts! I'm kind of numb to it now.....it's been two weeks of worrying and I'm truly done obsessing......Wednesday is lockdown, so I'm really excited about that.......

(It does help that I went and bought 12 chicks from TSC this weekend though, six Silver Laced Wyandottes and six red pullets.....) These little cuties are definitely helping to distract me from the eggs!

 

[Fyrekitten]

I know the feeling! I went and bought some GL Wyandottes from them - oh so cute! I do have other hatchlings that are about a month old now and they are really developing nicely. I have two Silver Phoenix now that have hatched in the last day and one egg is rockin and rollin. There are a couple others that if you pick them up and coo at them you get some light scritching sounds inside. I was looking at some eggs today and realized that I had forgotten out of the 3 sets that went into lockdown yesterday I have two other sets that go into lockdown today! I am too too excited! I keep going and looking at the hatching incubators (2 out of my 5 I'm running) and finally decided to clean out my homeoffice and desk because I needed a distraction! How funny is that!