Incubator dropped to 98 overnight.

[Anarchy82]

I just started my incubation process yesterday. Last night at some point of time between 3a.m. and 7a.m. my incubator dropped to 98. I had it holding good between 99.5 and 100.3 all day. With the drop down, did this ruin the eggs?

 

[mstricer]

No all is good, you have to think most hens get off eggs at least once a day and the temp drops it shouldn't hurt it good luck
Michele

 

[Anarchy82]

I was just worried since it was Day 1 and I already had a temp change.

I don't know how true it is, but I heard its not as bad to have the temp go low. As it would be the temp to go high. That its best if there is going to be a temp change, to have it drop then spike. I don't know if this is true?

 

[onthespot]

You can put it inside a larger box, poke some holes in the larger box for air, and cover the larger box with a comforter or couple blankets. That will help it keep much more stable, both humidity and temps. Drops in temps will tend to slow down your hatch. The more you open the incubator to fiddle with, candle, "peek", add water, the more heat escapes and takes time to build back up, which delays hatching. Best thing is to get it right and leave it alone as much as possible. Radio Shack has hygrometer/thermometers that have a wire sensor, so you can tell the inside temp without opening it or messing with it, or even a wireless "weather station" so you can do the same thing but from further away.

 

[ChickyChickyBaby]

Depending on the incubator you are using, you could have a spike about half way through incubation. Since it dropped a little, just watch it today and see if it goes back up.
Room conditions influence bator temps. If it is not up 24 hrs after the drop, I would turn it up just a tough & watch for 24 hours again.

 

[Anarchy82]

Finally got my incubators to stay at a temp. They are staying between 100 and 99.6

It was a lot of back and forth until I finally found the right spot for the light to be on, and the correct amount of vent holes.