Incubator temp problems

[kuchchicks]

I have tried to hatch eggs 3 times in my Little Giant incubator. It is a still air unit but my husband added a fan as well as a turner. I have 3 thermometers going, all of which were calibrated to 1/10 of a degree to each other. My problem is that even with the fan my temps are different in different parts of the incubator. I have gotten the temps to hold relatively steady but there are still hot/cold spots. My hatch rate has only been about 15%. This incubator is about 3 years old and I thought maybe the problem was it was just breaking Down. So I borrowed an incubator from a friend. Hers was purchased as a forced air unit and is a different brand - Pro Series. It has a built in thermometer in the top of the unit that I have been able to regulate perfectly at 99.5 (this thermometer is in the top of the unit in the center). However the thermometers I have on the inside again show varying temps... The one directly under the factory thermometer reads 99.5, but each row I move over in either direction increases by approximately 2 degrees. The rows that are closest to the heating rod is 104 on both sides. This is the same problem I was having with my LG. I called both manufacturers who said they have never heard of this problem with forced air units. The only thing they could suggest was unplugging it to let it cool down and reset and then plug back in. I did that but am still having the same issue. I have eggs I am supposed to pick up in 2 weeks and Dont know what to do. Since I am having the same issue in both bators I'm thinking its me?! My humidity in both have been perfect. Any suggestions? HELP!!!!!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Have you tried running it as a still air?
There are temperature variations, even in forced air 'bators, but they shouldn't be as much as you're seeing. Maybe the fan that was installed isn't strong enough to keep the temperature more consistent?
I'm not sure what else to suggest. I have 2 still air LGs, an older one (that's at least 10 years old) and a newer, digital one. The older model has always been rock solid. They newer one is a little more finicky.

 

[kuchchicks]

I did try running it as a still air and variations were worse....98-104. I thought the fan we installed could be the problem too which is why I tried my friends that came from the factory as a forced air. So frustrating that I am having the same problem.

 

[kuchchicks]

OK so I just tried unplugging, letting it cool down, and then restarting like rebooting a computer. Several hours later still same results. Any thoughts? Anyone ever have this? Not really sure what temp or which thermometer to go by or where to place eggs. If it were only a degree difference I would not worry but these are several degrees (5-6) different.

 

[JanetMarie]

I have a Little Giant still air with egg turner that I used 3 years ago. Out of 13 eggs 11 hatched. I moved the eggs every few days to a different area of the incubator to make up for any difference in temperature. I used two digital thermometers with humidity reading also. On my notes I wrote not to put eggs in the very center of the incubator because the temperature difference was 2 degrees hotter.

I am getting ready to use it again and have it up and running since yesterday. My eggs arrived today! I hope it goes well, my thermometers are reading one degree different from each other. I have to remove one so there is room for all of the eggs.

I hope some of my hens go broody very soon. It's much easier, and I would like them to raise the chicks also!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I have a Little Giant still air with egg turner that I used 3 years ago. Out of 13 eggs 11 hatched. I moved the eggs every few days to a different area of the incubator to make up for any difference in temperature. I used two digital thermometers with humidity reading also. On my notes I wrote not to put eggs in the very center of the incubator because the temperature difference was 2 degrees hotter.

I am getting ready to use it again and have it up and running since yesterday. My eggs arrived today! I hope it goes well, my thermometers are reading one degree different from each other. I have to remove one so there is room for all of the eggs.

I hope some of my hens go broody very soon. It's much easier, and I would like them to raise the chicks also!

Yours is warmer in the middle?? Mine is just the opposite. (I have the older model that the heating element runs around the top in a circleish/square.) The outside perimenter under the heating element is 1-2 degrees warmer than my center area. Good luck!!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Maybe the element has gone bad?

 

[kuchchicks]

Yeah mine is hotter the further away from the center the closer you get to the heating element.

I too would think bad heating element except its happening in 2 different incubators. I feel like I have to be doing something wrong....

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Yeah mine is hotter the further away from the center the closer you get to the heating element.

I too would think bad heating element except its happening in 2 different incubators. I feel like I have to be doing something wrong....

It's just the set up of the incubator. It's hotter where the heat is originating from. I have a fan kit installed and it's still off by that much. I just set my temps to get my goal temp at the outside areas under the elements and try to keep my eggs in this area and leave the center as egg free as I can.

 

[JanetMarie]

Yours is warmer in the middle?? Mine is just the opposite. (I have the older model that the heating element runs around the top in a circleish/square.) The outside perimenter under the heating element is 1-2 degrees warmer than my center area. Good luck!!

Yesterday while checking my incubator I thought my previous notes did not make sense. I may have noted the temperature before the incubator was stabilized at that time.