Incuview Incubator

[PD-Riverman]

I'm wondering if using a circle of the aluminum water heater wrap (like bubble wrap) under the incubator would be helpful in more even temp in center of incubator. Also using a towel under bator. Does anyone use heat reflective material like this around incubators?

Leela

If your incubator is setting on a solid table It Probably would not help much because heat rises. If you took stiff insulation board and made a VENTED bottom-less box to sit over the incubator---this should help alot.

 

[Happy Dad]

Quote:
The base is made of a sturdy thin walled plastic. Heat is lost downward through conduction.

 

[enola]

A couple of sheets of cardboard under the incubator would help wth heat loss through the bottom of the incubator.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Quote: I am not familiar with yours----Any Vent holes in the bottom? Most styrofoam ones have vent holes in the bottom that do not need to get blocked.

 

[enola]

No vents in the bottom.

 

[Happy Dad]

I am not familiar with yours----Any Vent holes in the bottom? Most styrofoam ones have vent holes in the bottom that do not need to get blocked.

Here is a photo of the bottom for those wondering.

 

[Happy Dad]

And we are off and running!! 14 Banty Cochin eggs from Lucky Pickens. I also have three eggs in there just for fun from our two Americana Bantams, they may have gotten too cold before collection. I'm leaving the turning tray out for 48 hours as three of the shipped eggs have detached air sacs, two are questionable and one appears to be on the wrong end. I'm leaving the egg with the air sac at the wrong end as is as it is secure, will see what happens. I hope it hatches as it is the only Blue Mille Fleur egg.

I filled only the outer ring with water and plugged it in just a few minutes ago. I have a towel on the bottom and a towel wrapped around the sides. Even though we keep our house at a steady 70 degrees I like the added insulation the towels provide based on my dry run findings. I'll take IR eggshell temps in two days when I put the turning tray in.

 

[Happy Dad]

Put the turning rack in when I got home from work and was taking temps with the IR gun and getting crazy readings of 102.5 to 103.5 on all of the eggs.
Googled on how to verify the accuracy of the gun and used a crushed ice-water bath method. The gun read 32 degrees perfectly.

I then found a procedure on Aviagen's website that shows how to use a medical infrared ear thermometer which we just happen to have. I just now tried it on a few of the eggs and got a readings of 99.3 to 101.1 which makes more sense. The 99.3 egg was near the center. I'll check a couple of the center eggs again in the morning and if they are still down in that range I'll rearrange the eggs in a fashion so that none are in the center. See photo below for how they are setting now. Not sure why the gun would be so much different. I'll be using the ear thermometer from here on out.

I also changed my water strategy. I have the inner and middle ring filled with water and the plug is out. Humidity has stabilized at 40%

 

[aart]

Put the turning rack in when I got home from work and was taking temps with the IR gun and getting crazy readings of 102.5 to 103.5 on all of the eggs.
Googled on how to verify the accuracy of the gun and used a crushed ice-water bath method. The gun read 32 degrees perfectly.

I then found a procedure on Aviagen's website that shows how to use a medical infrared ear thermometer which we just happen to have. I just now tried it on a few of the eggs and got a readings of 99.3 to 101.1 which makes more sense. The 99.3 egg was near the center. I'll check a couple of the center eggs again in the morning and if they are still down in that range I'll rearrange the eggs in a fashion so that none are in the center. See photo below for how they are setting now. Not sure why the gun would be so much different. I'll be using the ear thermometer from here on out.

I also changed my water strategy. I have the inner and middle ring filled with water and the plug is out. Humidity has stabilized at 40%

I'm sure the ear thermometer is made for a tighter range of temperature and calibrated for more accuracy due to it's use than the general multi use/range IR gun.

 

[Happy Dad]

I'm sure the ear thermometer is made for a tighter range of temperature and calibrated for more accuracy due to it's use than the general multi use/range IR gun.

Yup, I just looked on the manufacturers websites. Accuracy is +/- 3degrees F for the IR gun.
The ear thermometer's accuracy is 0.2 celcius or approximately 1/3 of a degree F.