Incubator question

[Buffrington]

Hi all


I have seen many of threads regarding incubator temperatures and many of those post are personal experience as well. I am a bit concerned about my "Home build incubator". It does not have a fan built in it, hence a "still incubator it is. As far as temperatures go ad converting degrees from Celsius to Fahrenheit, I do get the following. I also understand a temp fluctuation could make a lot of deference when the "hatching date" is near.

Current temp in Celsius is 36 and in Fahrenheit 96.8 converted.

Could this 1-2-3 degrees makes so much difference?

Thanks in advance

 

[ChickenCanoe]

In a still air that would be ok if taken on the floor of the incubator. If it is on top of the eggs it is way too cold.
It will make a difference in the day they hatch first of all. (later)
A temp that low will cause embryos to die in the first 3 days, chicks to be sticky from albumen, unhealed navels, weak lethargic chicks, malpositioned chicks and malformed.
Below 95 you get disproportional development so if your thermometer is off by a degree or 2 it will cause very poor hatches.

 

[Buffrington]

My home build incubator have got three shelfs, this is by the way my first attemp to hatch eggs. Anyway this temp was on the floor with two eggs in the one corner and the temp/humidity meter in the opposite corner and the light bulb in the centre.

It looks like this

ÔÔ.........< eggs

...()......< light bulb

......C\F..< temp meter


Picture of temp on the top shelf in the incubator ( been running for an hour )

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If the three shelves are for eggs - a three shelf incubator has to have a fan. There could be as much as 10 degrees difference between the top and bottom in something that tall because of thermal stratification.
The thermometer/thermostat needs to be where the eggs are.

 

[Buffrington]

I do understand the shelf temp issue, however, I have taken out two shelfs and placed the thermometer on the same single bottom shelf as the eggs, thanks

If the three shelves are for eggs - a three shelf incubator has to have a fan. There could be as much as 10 degrees difference between the top and bottom in something that tall because of thermal stratification.
The thermometer/thermostat needs to be where the eggs are.