I'm new to quail hatching and I'm terrified by my temp fluxuation

[Jules24]

I have 30 adorable coturnix quail eggs arriving in the mail tomorrow shipped from Myshire Farm. My incubators been running since yesterday morning, and it's fluctuating between 99.5-100.7 F according to the incubator thermostat. I have read that LG thermostats are notoriously inaccurate, so i have a second meat thermometer poking down through a hole in the middle right-hand side. It agrees that it's around 99-100 F. However a third digital thermometer says its only 95 F (I calibrated it yesterday using freezing water). I have its sensor sitting directly on the egg rack in the lower left corner. Humidity is 53% and rising atm.

So is this amount of variance okay for the eggs? I'm guessing the digital thermometer has an incorrect reading somehow. Mostly I'm using it for the min/max temp alarm feature anyway, so I can just set the alarm to 94-96 F.

Maybe I'm micromanaging, but I've never incubated any kind of egg before and I want to do right by these little guys. I mean they're so freakin' cute and tiny and delicate. Someone with experience come tell me i'm over reacting XD

 

[le_bwah]

I worried about temp on my first hatch, too. My advice is to find the most accurately calibrated thermometer and stick with just that one. Multiples will have you second guessing.

I splurged on a Brinsea purpose-made thermometer for my second hatch—it held true, no problems.

 

[cosmosue]

I have a little tiny bit of fluctuating but not much but also my incubator is in my office and my computer is an art computer and creates its own heat in there and sometimes it’s quite warm because 3 computers are going at once (graphic art/games) but they have all seemed to be fine (the hatching) lol I have a probe thermometer with a humidity gauge as well.

 

[Jules24]

I worried about temp on my first hatch, too. My advice is to find the most accurately calibrated thermometer and stick with just that one. Multiples will have you second guessing.

I splurged on a Brinsea purpose-made thermometer for my second hatch—it held true, no problems.

That seems like good advice! I think I will just ignore what my digital thermometer is saying. Did you notice one part of you incubator being hotter/colder than another part?

 

[Jules24]

I have a little tiny bit of fluctuating but not much but also my incubator is in my office and my computer is an art computer and creates its own heat in there and sometimes it’s quite warm because 3 computers are going at once (graphic art/games) but they have all seemed to be fine (the hatching) lol I have a probe thermometer with a humidity gauge as well.

Ok phew. I wasn't sure if +1-1 degree would harm the hatch. I guess in the wild, the mother quail would have to get off of the eggs sometimes, so that makes sense.

 

[le_bwah]

That seems like good advice! I think I will just ignore what my digital thermometer is saying. Did you notice one part of you incubator being hotter/colder than another part?

My incubator (Janoel 12) is forced-air, so the fan keeps things pretty stable throughout. Just make sure you're measuring from the top of the eggs with your best thermometer.

My first hatch fluctuated between 1.5F too hot and 1.5F too cold, but I only had one chick "quit" on me. It's a pretty forgiving process—it works most of the time.

Post in the hatch-along threads when you get your eggs—so fun to watch peoples' progress!

 

[cosmosue]

My incubator (Janoel 12) is forced-air, so the fan keeps things pretty stable throughout. Just make sure you're measuring from the top of the eggs with your best thermometer.

My first hatch fluctuated between 1.5F too hot and 1.5F too cold, but I only had one chick "quit" on me. It's a pretty forgiving process—it works most of the time.

Post in the hatch-along threads when you get your eggs—so fun to watch peoples' progress!

100% I also have a janoel, and that is exactly how I check temp. And you are right they are quite forgiving.

As the OP said - mom gets off the nest from time to time to eat/drink and also stands to turn them so her temps won’t be 100% perfect the entire time either.

I think you are doing fine (saying to the OP, and everyone else lol) I’m no expert but I hatch quite a bit with 2 different models of bators

 

[BReeder!]

Join us in "Quail Hatch Along". The is plenty of advice and helpful, experienced peolple.

 

[CoturnixComplex]

A word of consolation to OP - I have terrible cheap incubators, and even with extra monitoring they fluctuate.

I still get plenty of chicks! Not as high a hatch rate as some, and weirder occasional deformities than some, but still plenty of chicks. They want to hatch and are doing their best to make it happen; mostly what you've got to do is not get in the way too badly.

Have extra temp and humidity sensors properly calibrated on the incubator, do your best, don't overcorrect settings out of panic, and it will be fine.

 

[cosmosue]

Omg my incubator has been really wonk the past two days and it’s driving ME BATTY!!!! Arrgggffff