Incubator temps?

[stanglover2001]

Hi, first of all I'm borrowing my neighbors incubator and I have never incubated before, but I've been reading up on it and think I've got the general feel for it. My question is I'm wishing to put the eggs in but I can't stabalize the temps for some reason, I don't know which thermometer to trust. I have 3 and they're all close but different

and no I don't have a hydrometer (sp) but one of the thermometers is digital and reads out humidity and I've got the humidity up in the 60%. Problem is the "mercury" thermometer hasn't reached the 99.5 range and I keep turning it up but it keeps staying constantly under at 98 degrees. Then the digital one stays at 96.

I'm about to go crazy!! Should I go out and buy a better thermometer? The "mercury" one is the one my neighbor uses and I assume it is close to accurate.

 

[speedy2020]

You need 1-2 day and keep adjust every few hours until temperature reach the 99.5-100.5F. It took me 24hrs to get its right. I have my humidity around 40-50% 1-18 days and increase to 65-70% last few days. My eggs hatched around 20 days. During the hatching the temperature can fluctuate quite a bit.

 

[stanglover2001]

Well this is the end of the second day, I guess I should have said that. I've turned it up again and I'm gonna keep watching it. I won't put any eggs in there til I know its ready.

 

[Falcon61]

humidity and temp are tied together. say its 100 degrees at 55% when you go to bed by morning it may be 103 or 104 at 35% and you didnt touch a thing. does it have a fan? the thermomitor thing is a prob. I have 10 and none say the same thing. if your works for your friend you should prob ask them whats going on with this thing. The best way for a smal incubator is to check it every 20 minutes for 21 days...lol good luck...make sure the tops on tight and move the temp control just a little at a time and wait a couple hours, don't open it at all till you get it dialed in. if no fan you need it at 104 or so, use a glass dropper and piece of that rubber shrink tubing for electrical stuff (i should patent that) to add water.

 

[stanglover2001]

Yeah, I have not opened it for like 12 hours its a styrofoam Hova Bator circulated air model. He's been using it with no problem and it was calibrated for his house but I'm just turning it up every hour or so because I can't get the temp at 99 degrees. We stuck a meat thermometer in the hole on top and it read out at 101.7 My DH has said he'll take the thermometer to work tomorrow to calibrate it with the special equipment his work has. So now I have to wait ANOTHER DAY