Is a 2.4 degree temperature variance okay to hatch eggs?

[ChickenMechanic]

Hi, I built my own coolerbator following much of the advice on the forums. I used a Hot Water Thermostat I picked up from the local co-op. I found a coleman cooler at walmart for cheap.

I wired in two bulbs. Placed the Thermostat about 3/4 of an inch from the lightbulb. The closest I could get it with the bolts I used. I found if I moved it back my variance jumped up very high. But with the 100 w bulbs I used, I had the thermostat set all the way down and it still only cut off at 99.9 degrees. Then with residual heat it will rise another degree before cooling down.

I decided to try a 60 w bulb and now I can set my thermostat about a quarter from the lowest setting. This allows me some room to adjust. Anyways I adjusted the settings and found my temp variance is 2.4 degrees. It heats to about 99.7 or .9 then residual heat brings it to 100.8. It then cools down to about 98.4 and then the lights turn on. Cycle continues. Very stable.

So doing the math this is a 2.4 degree variance, with 99.6 being the exact middle. That is 1.2 degrees on either side of 99.6.

Will this cause any problems or will my eggs hatch alright?

I know some people mention water wrigglers to simulate the core temperatures of the eggs. I think I'll try this out. If I watch the core temperature of a water wriggler more closely then the outside temp, will I have a better hatch, or do you guys like to focus more on ambient air?


Just for a fun note: I'll be hatching some Jersey Giant, Faverolles, and Rhode Island Red Bantams in this incubator. I currently have 22 eggs in a hovabator of Jersey Giant and Faverolles. Day 7 and candling is tomorrow. I'm very excited.

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

2.4 variance is fine, my incubator is being a ***** and is having like a 5 degree variance, and mine are still growing.
By the time they're real embryos, so like day 14, they start to put off heat as well, so the variance will effect them less.
Metzer farms sell they're eggs as Balut (where they're around 17 days old, and then they remove them from the bator, hard boil, and eat, it's a Vietnamese dish) and they took out 120 eggs, 17 days old, put them in a box, and when they person didnt pick them up 2 days later, they put them back in the bator and got 100 of them to hatch or so. The eggs aren't quite as fragile as people can make them out to be, so long as you get them to the feather stage that and the shell temp. Is different then the embryo temp, so the shell will show differences sooner then the embryo will feel them
Best of luck, when the RIR banties hatch I'd say seperate them, banties are very fragile as newborns, so they can easily be trampled, just until they're a bit older. I also take the chicks out, because they pooped and the bacteria killed 2 of my eggs. I just kept them very warm
Best of luck with how you do it ^^

 

[Jordi15]

Im not sure what a variance in temp will do to your eggs. I built my own incubator also here's what I did (you might have tried this but you didn't mention it)
#1 I drilled holes in my hot water heater thermostat with 3/4" bit theres a YouTube video that shows you where to drill the holes its really easy.
#2 the BACK side of my thermostat is facing the bulb
#3 I have a fan in my incubator blowing on my bulbs towards my thermostat.
#4 my incubator worked fine with 60 watt bulbs I don't think It matters but I decided to spend the money on actual heat bulbs in the reptile section of a pet store.
My incubator clicks on at 99 and off at 100.