Incubator temperature question

[Chotii]

I would say, if that's the case...your insulation is inadequate to hold a stable temperature. If the still-air temp is rising to 104 before the light turns off, and down to 98...it needs to be turned down just a tiny fraction AND you need to insulate it better.

I, for instance, get a more stable temp inside my (2" thick walled) homemade bator, if I put a piece of blanket over the plexiglass window on the lid, which is where most of the heat escapes.

People use different kinds of 'fake eggs', from water-wigglers to plastic bags full of water, stuffed inside another plastic bag, with the temp probe inserted against the interior bag-o-water, to fancy-dancy egg-shaped temp probes which you can buy on Ebay, and everybody here is right: you have to keep the temp inside your real eggs as close to 99.5 as you can, and the best estimation you'll have for that is the temp inside your 'fake' egg. 104 is probably too high.

However also remember that the temperature of the eggs won't drop or rise as quickly as air temperature, so having air temp drop briefly to 98 when the lid is opened, isn't going to be critical or maybe even effect internal egg temps. They do say however that if the internal temp of the eggs ever gets to 105F, you might as well throw the whole batch out and start over.

 

[fdodgen]

Thanks Chotii, I believe you are right tonight will cover cooler with a blanket and see what happens. The temp guage I have records the high and low temp will get it to a 100 which is what it gets to now. Then drops to 96 prior to kicking on. Well wish me luck if this is the case think I will invest in a hard cooler and move everything to that instead of the 9.00 styrofoam cooler.

The good thing is the fact that the temp is stable inside the fake egg right at 100 no movement there.

 

[jvls1942]

all the insulation in the world is not going to make your thermostat stabilize.. It is always going to kick on at 98 and off at 104.. the extra insulation will just make the cycle different..

as long as your egg temperature is stable at 100F they should hatch.
It would be better if you could make the egg stable at 99.5F.. but working with what you have, you should be OK..

Your hum% is OK too.. I run around 60% for the whole hatch..

only , for geese I get the hum% as high as I can..

 

[fdodgen]

Thank you all for your input, last night the temp inside the incubator did fluctuate as normal but the temp inside the fake egg did stay stable at 99.5 to 100 all night. I believe now I will wait for my rooster and hens to give me a fertilized egg and we will start this baby and try to hatch and egg. Course I only have two hens and one of them started her hatch of one egg on the 7th of this month I guess we will see how hers comes out first before I try my bator out.

SOON TO BE MOTHER

 

[dave3877]

i set my bator with real eggs sice thats what youll be trying to hatch. i keep mine at 99-99.5 constant and humidity at 55%. i take the eggs out 3 days before hatching and put them in a still air incubator i use for a hatcher. it actually works great to that end.

 

[rancher hicks]

I have stupid question or not. How much of a fluctuation to you think happens when the maw gets up to eat and relieve herself?

 

[walkswithdog]

Quote:
You are correct, as long as your egg temp is stable, the air temp can vary slightly.

Constantly cycling in fresh air causes a variance that is normal.

 

[walkswithdog]

I've seen hens leave nests for hours to no ill effect. Quite a bit of cooling happens then. Cooling is never as detrimental as high heat spikes.

Consistently high heat kills. Over 105 for any long period will kill some chicks. Though I had six recently survive a spike of 134 for a short period, so it's not set in stone.

Huge spikes or deficits the few days before hatch are more lethal than earlier. The less developed eggs withstand it better.

Hens tend to be more casual early in a hatch and then sit very tight the last several days.

 

[fdodgen]

Thank you to everyone that has replied. I believe I might have a handle on the situation. All that is left is to try and hatch some.

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
probably ten degrees.. However remember it is usually only once a day, not several times per hour..

and when the chicken gets back on her nest the hum% and the temp is instantaniously restored..

so I suggest not trying to compare a chicken to an incubator as many people want to do..

just concentrate on making your bator work the best for you .

and every setting bird is different..
My muscovy hen RUNS to drink and eat and gets back to her eggs in less than 10 minutes..