Is my incubator temperature to high or what?

[Junglebob]

I've had some eggs in a Hovabator incubator with a fan and turner for 12 days now. The eggs are brown eggs from cinnamon queen and barred rock chickens, and a few silver laced wyandotte. I made a candling light with a 60 watt equivelant flourescent bulb in a coffee can. I checked about 2 dozen of the eggs yesterday and couldn't see anything moving, didn't notice any veining. I've been checking the temperature a number of times during the day and adjusting the wafer termostat, trying to keep it as close to 99.5 degrees in the center of the incubator as possible. I've put a little cup about 1 1/4" high in the center of the turning tray, put water in it and check the water temperature. The thermometer is a digital medical thermometer that says it is accurate to .2 degree. I think the top temperature was probably 102 and usually much lower. I also have a laser themometer and that seems to read higher than the medical one it said 102.5 degrees an the medical 98.9 however the top of one of the eggs next to the cup measured 104.6 on the lazer. I think the laser thermometer is plus or minus about 5% and will register up to maybe 500 degrees so I don't think it is the precision for lower temperatures.

I checked more eggs, about 18 this morning and didn't see anything moving in them either. I am not sure about my candling ability, but I have a hen sitting on 6 eggs for 13 days now and I took one out of the nest this morning and candled it I could see a chick moving inside and some veining. I think that most of my eggs are fertile as I sold some to a couple of people and they had good results hatching them. I did get brave enough to crack open 4 eggs that I was sure weren't good and there was nothing inside.

I looked around for one of the water weasels, water tubes at Dollar General and Walmart without success. I have a hydrometer in the incubator that I calibrated.

This is the first time I'm trying to hatch eggs, looks like the chicken may do much better.

 

[KellyHM]

It sounds like your temps are fine. Is there any chance the power was out for a while and you didnt know it? Or maybe the eggs were stored too long?

 

[Junglebob]

Eggs were less than a week old, and I kept them at about 60 degrees. Don't think the power has been off at anytime, our digital clock on the stove always blinks if it is.