Incubator temp/bad hatch rates

[bigz1983]

I have 2 pictures of my incubator.
It is a $85 Chinese eBay incubator that holds 48 eggs, automatic egg turning trays and has a fan.
My hatch rates are not very good like less than 50%
I have a mercury thermometer that I bought from Tractor Supply it's a Producers Pride brooder thermometer.
I have watched YouTube videos about incubating eggs and they say to buy a additional thermometer to track the temperature because the built in thermometer on most incubators is way off.
Where do I put the thermometer to track the temperature?
Right now I have the thermometer on the floor of the incubator by a spot that I cut out a small section of foam so I can see inside the incubator.
On the floor it says 98 degrees but I raise it higher up to egg level it says 100 degrees.
I have been keeping humidity at 50-60%
Should I try lower humidity?
I'm trying to get better hatch rates.

 

[Tonyroo]

Is it a still air or fan powered incubator?

 

[bigz1983]

Is it a still air or fan powered incubator?

Fan powered incubator.
Eggs not washed.

 

[mcdze]

i put a small one in an egg pocket .. and my 'bargain bator' has stayed super stable since i got it about a month ago .. hatches them out beautifully with so-far no losses .. thats not including dud eggs to start with, your eggs have to actually be good and fertile going into it ..

 

[bigz1983]

i put a small one in an egg pocket .. and my 'bargain bator' has stayed super stable since i got it about a month ago .. hatches them out beautifully with so-far no losses .. thats not including dud eggs to start with, your eggs have to actually be good and fertile going into it ..

You have the exact same incubator as me?
Where did your get your small thermometer?

 

[Lilokieescorter]

I too have the same thing, this last batch that hatched was not the best. I never could get the humidity down, lost a lot of babies because they drowned so to say..... This time it was high again, used a baster to pill water out, I even tried just using paper towel too. Last hatch out started withb 48 eggs with 35 that were viable, 1 hatched a week early, thought it was a guenia! Only to have 6 guenia of 10, & 2 turkeys survive of 4 that hatched out of 9 eggs & 5 chicks out of 29! So I'm going to try this & this will be my last hatch for awhile since I'm going to have Carpal Tunnel surgery soon

 

[bigz1983]

I too have the same thing, this last batch that hatched was not the best. I never could get the humidity down, lost a lot of babies because they drowned so to say..... This time it was high again, used a baster to pill water out, I even tried just using paper towel too. Last hatch out started withb 48 eggs with 35 that were viable, 1 hatched a week early, thought it was a guenia! Only to have 6 guenia of 10, & 2 turkeys survive of 4 that hatched out of 9 eggs & 5 chicks out of 29! So I'm going to try this & this will be my last hatch for awhile since I'm going to have Carpal Tunnel surgery soon

I too have the same thing, this last batch that hatched was not the best. I never could get the humidity down, lost a lot of babies because they drowned so to say..... This time it was high again, used a baster to pill water out, I even tried just using paper towel too. Last hatch out started withb 48 eggs with 35 that were viable, 1 hatched a week early, thought it was a guenia! Only to have 6 guenia of 10, & 2 turkeys survive of 4 that hatched out of 9 eggs & 5 chicks out of 29! So I'm going to try this & this will be my last hatch for awhile since I'm going to have Carpal Tunnel surgery soon

I decided to remove the Govee thermometer and just roll with the factory settings.
I got 18 to hatch of 48.
But I candled them and something like 26 made it to lock down.
So 18 of 26 that made it to lock down.
Needless to say using a Govee thermometer does not work.
Better results just going with factory calibration and trusting the factory sensors.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Those are terrible, I am sorry you had used one. I had one I bought from a guy I know, he hatched one batch said it worked fine. I hatched a full incubator of eggs one time, I went to set another round later in the season, (expensive shipped eggs) and it did the low temp thing, I had to make a DIY incubator, until I could have a diff incubator sent, it took a week. My new one was a still air foam FI. I am still using it. (Hand turn.) My favorite was LG foam with the fan, and turners, I could load the LG and walk away. The LG worked so good I sold it because I wanted to quit hatching and it did so well, selling it was the only way to stop me from hatching, then I still hatch in my FI, I would probably just use my DIY if I sold my FI.

Don't by any more yellow top Chinese incubators, and if you do have another incubator hand.

Bonus of the foam ones they don't have a low water alarm, or low heat alarm, that wakes you at 4:00 am. Then have to explain that to DH.

 

[Newbiechick24]

I am a newbie with only 8 eggs in one of these Chinese yellow incubators. The humidity alarm is a nightmare that goes off every 2 hours if it goes below 45. I have tried to turn off alarm by setting minimum humidity to 20 but it still beeps as soon as it hits 45. Very annoying. I bought 3 thermometers from Amazon and the bator temp is in line with all 3. Fingers crossed i get something out of my eggs, others will be gutted especially the kids who are looking forward to it. I only have a few eggs...candled them 2 days ago and they look well so holding hope