My first buld!!

[SarasNest]

Well I guess im doing this all wrong.. I set eggs in this thing at 9am today temps were good and even threwout.. now its 99 at one end and 96 at the other.. Please someone help me.

 

[Penny Hen]

Well I guess im doing this all wrong.. I set eggs in this thing at 9am today temps were good and even threwout.. now its 99 at one end and 96 at the other.. Please someone help me.

OK if you already have eggs in, now is not the time for a major refit. I am guessing that your 96˚ is on the far side of the box away from your heat source. Drape that end of the box in some thick towels to slow the heat loss there. Monitor the changes of temp hour by hour. If it starts getting too warm (without your thermostat correcting for it) take a layer of towels off. In the early stages 96˚ will not harm your eggs. It may slow those in the cold spot down a little but it won't kill them.

Later you may want to use heavy duty foil and/or foil tape to line your box to keep the heat reflecting around the interior and even out. I have a larger rectangular box than yours and that was what helped even out my box. The wide foil tape (in sheets) is found in the roofing supplies at the hardware store. It is pricy so I got some that was like a roll of duct tape and used heavy duty aluminum foil for the walls and used the tape to secure the edges and cover areas of high friction. I also have one inch thick Styrofoam sheets on the walls under the foil.

 

[SarasNest]

OK if you already have eggs in, now is not the time for a major refit. I am guessing that your 96˚ is on the far side of the box away from your heat source. Drape that end of the box in some thick towels to slow the heat loss there. Monitor the changes of temp hour by hour. If it starts getting too warm (without your thermostat correcting for it) take a layer of towels off. In the early stages 96˚ will not harm your eggs. It may slow those in the cold spot down a little but it won't kill them.

Later you may want to use heavy duty foil and/or foil tape to line your box to keep the heat reflecting around the interior and even out. I have a larger rectangular box than yours and that was what helped even out my box. The wide foil tape (in sheets) is found in the roofing supplies at the hardware store. It is pricy so I got some that was like a roll of duct tape and used heavy duty aluminum foil for the walls and used the tape to secure the edges and cover areas of high friction. I also have one inch thick Styrofoam sheets on the walls under the foil.

I have the foil in there. I am gong to have to mess with the fans a little I think.Took eggs out!

 

[Ridgeline Hens]

here is my first bator, It works very well..
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/homemade-incubator-4
in the pic it showed the Hot water stat. but it would spike the temp out of the blue.

but I recently changed out the stat. because the vent fan stat I had been using for the last 5 batches, decided to only hold 97 degrees, the new one works perfect, and was only $15, from amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004XNMIN2/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

FYI:
incubating chicks is addictive............

 

[SarasNest]

I have been looking at that one for a week lol...So It is worth getting then?

 

[aart]

Did you test all your thermometers against a known temp?

Here's how I tested my thermometers and hygrometers:

The thing you want to do is check that any of thermometers and hygrometers are correct by testing them against a known criteria.
Comparing devices is useless unless you know how accurate any of them are.

I used a candy thermometer tested in boiling water and noted how far off 212 degrees it was...or whatever temp water boils at your altitude.
You can check your boiling temp at altitude here.
Then put the candy thermometer and 3 others in the incubator during the test run and compared them all, noting any differences.
I made a chart noting all temps and made notes about if this one reads this temp it is actually that temp.

Hygrometers can be tested by putting 1/2 cup salt and 1/4 cup water in a dish or jar and mixing it to a slurry.
Put the salt slurry jar and the hygrometer next to each other in a sealed plastic bag.
After 8-12 hours the hygrometer should read 75%...again note and differences and you're set.

 

[SarasNest]

Will I guess I should update this one

So I gave up on it while I bult the Freez-a-bator and came back to fixing this one today. I gutted her and put more insulation and more foil tape, I got a larger fan and put it blowing up to the WHT and bulb. I added a "false wall" in front of the 3. I hope It will do the trick I really want this one to work!! I may have to add a 2nd small fan but don't know yet.