Is Something Wrong With My Serama Eggs?

[NatJ]

How do you do that exactly?

To calibrate a thermometer, stick it in something where you know the temperature, and see if it's right. If it is not right, adjust it until it is.

You can use ice and water: fill a glass with ice, add water almost to the top, stir constantly with the thermometer. You should end up with 32 degrees fahrenheit (0 celsius), because that's the point where water melts/freezes. With that much ice, but the water liquid, it should stay right at that temperature as long as you keep stirring (the stirring makes sure it doesn't get warmer spots or colder spots.)

Boiling water can work too, except that water boils at different temperatures depending on how high above sea level you are, so it will not always be 212 f (100 c)

And of course you need a temperature your thermometer can measure, not something too cold or too hot for it.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

@MGG is gifted at explaining this in a way that is easily understood. I'll look for her directions and share them here as soon as I find them

 

[HeatherKellyB]

@NatJ is also gifted at explaining things and did a fabulous job above.

Nat, we must have posted at the same time

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I believe @Kiki uses this incubator and may have some tips and/or tricks to share with you. I know that she is big on using a separate calibrated thermometer and hydrometer Even if the thermometer on the unit is close to being correct, the incubation temp suggested for a still air incubator is higher than a forced air. What temp have you had it set on?

 

[MGG]

Still air incubators should be set higher than forced air. I've not had any incubate at such low temperatures so I'm not sure what you'll want to do here. Do you have any other thermometers? That's a big difference. I know that @MGG has a lot going on this summer but I'm going to tag her in hopes of her being available. She'll have more advice.

Sorry I've been kinda MIA lately!
I just read through.

Do you think it would be okay if I bought this?View attachment 2778708

I wouldn't get that one, digital type ones are easier. I use some little thermometer/hydrometers from AvianWeb. I can't remember what exactly they were called.
The hydrometer part will have to be salt tested too though.

This didn't post earlier, sorry!

 

[MGG]

How do you do that exactly?

The way I calibrate mine, is I take a mug, fill it 3/4 of the way full with crushed ice, and then fill it almost to the top with cold water. Take the digital thermometer and put it in a Ziploc bag. Seal it. Then submerge the thermometer about halfway down in the ice water. Set the mug inside the fridge so it doesn't warm up too quickly. Wait about 10 minutes, and then pull the bag out and check the thermometer. If it says 32° F, then it's perfect. If not, put it back in and wait another 10 minutes. If it's still not at 32, dump out the water, and then try again. You really want it to get down to 32. Usually it only takes one or two tries to get it to go, if it won't go, take the thermometer back and get a new one. I like to buy a few and test them all, then take the others back and keep the best one.
I know there's other ways to calibrate but this is how I do mine. All of my thermometers go down to 32 on the first try, so imo they're good. I always re-check them all between batches of eggs though.

 

[nickkaylee]

So I bought another digital thermometer and the thing that checks the humidity. Right now according to the digital thermometer it is 95 in there, and the brood thermometer says its about 96. The incubator thermometer says it is 104. The humidity thing I bought says it is at 70%. The incubator one says 59%. What the heck is going on??

 

[MGG]

So I bought another digital thermometer and the thing that checks the humidity. Right now according to the digital thermometer it is 95 in there, and the brood thermometer says its about 96. The incubator thermometer says it is 104. The humidity thing I bought says it is at 70%. The incubator one says 59%. What the heck is going on??

Did you calibrate the thermometer yet? And did you salt test your hydrometer? Don't trust anything until after you do that.

 

[nickkaylee]

Did you calibrate the thermometer yet? And did you salt test your hydrometer? Don't trust anything until after you do that.

I took the brood thermometer and stuck it in ice water and it got down to 33 before I stopped stirring it around in there.

 

[nickkaylee]

So it seems to me that something is definitely wrong with the readings on the incubator. And it is almost the end of day 20 and still no movement or external pips.