Incubator question...mine not consistent in temp

[Cluckette]

1st time incubating 12 asst eggs...temp keeps jumping anywhere from 99.4 to 104 no matter what it is set on. I guess that means my chicks that are due to hatch Feb 21st are NOT!!?

I'll be buying another incubator... hecketh becketh

 

[Peeper7]

Hi!

If you are using a little hobby incubator know that it is very sensitive to changes in the room temperature. Try to keep a steady temp in the room at least 70 degrees.

Your chicks are at the age where they will be generating heat on their own also. You should be on lockdown now with high humidity and the eggs on their sides not to be disturbed.

Don't give up -- those fluctuations aren't so bad. Good Luck! I have them all the time.

 

[panner123]

Before your buy a new bator, chick the thremometer. If you are useing the one that came with the bator, throw it away. If your bator is a still ait model don't worry ablut the spikes that much. The hatch maybe a day early or late. Today is only the 19th, your hatch date is the 21st.

 

[tnchickenut]

You should be in "lockdown" - which is just a short way of saying... stop rotating, they got three days left.

Your humidity should be up in this time period. Add more water. I assume you are using a styrofoam incubator... there should be a "water tray". You should have had water in the center water compartment, now is the time to add water to the second water compartment as well.

Yes, the chicks are generating their own heat... which brings the temp up. Yes, the room temp (and outside humidity) effects the incubator.

Tempature can go up and down by a couple degrees and not be a issue. It's when it is 3 or more degrees off should you make very small adjustments.

Take those babies off rotation. Add water to bring the humidity up to 70-80%. Sit, wait, watch. Don't touch! They will be here. Just trust the process. I know it is hard when it is your first time! Good luck!!


PS. you probrably don't need another incubator. Mine has jumped up right now (they are due on Wed.) - tempature outside jumped up, so so did the incubator. No worries. Just correct and trust.

 

[GotChicken?]

Quote:
Now I know I'm a newb. I was worried because my eggs (on day 17) felt hotter than they should, and the incubator has been giving me fits the last couple of days because the once stable temps kept creeping up.

Severe duh moment, everyone.

 

[Peeper7]

GotChicken? :

Quote:
Now I know I'm a newb. I was worried because my eggs (on day 17) felt hotter than they should, and the incubator has been giving me fits the last couple of days because the once stable temps kept creeping up.

Severe duh moment, everyone.

Not "duh" .... it's all part of the learning process....