Need Incubating Advice please....

[Peeper7]

I'm sure all of my answers are in here somewhere but there is just sooo much to go through.
I am hoping someone will answer a few question and/or direct me.
thanks!

I have Hova-Bator still air unit.
Attempting first hatch, chicken eggs.
Hand turning.

Before I set the eggs the temp was perfectly stable for 3 days. Since then (2 days) everything is fluctuating, both heat and humidity. The temp dropped to 98-99 and stayed there, so I adjusted the thermostat and it went up to 103 during the night for unknown length of time.

Since then it has been between 98-101. Took a bit to get the humidity into the 30's %. I had a lot of too much humidity using the designated area of the bator, so I put 3 open, full baby food jars in there thinking it will help keep up the temp and the humidity is regulated much better.
I may have identified one problem that when I opened it to turn the eggs I stood the lid up on its side and I think that was changing the settings. All is more stable now. Temp running 100-101.

My questions
Do you think the changes did much damage?
Any ideas on how to improve the incubator if necessary. I can put in a fan but how important is it? I'm not ready to get a turner and there are many of you that do fine without one.
Can you offer information / success / failures with temp and humidity fluctuations?

Thanks All

 

[Snakeoil]

A still air incubator should run at 102 degrees not 99.5.....

 

[farmerlor]

The problem with those hova bators and no auto turner is that everytime you open it to hand turn you lower the temp and lose your humidity. People have been doing it for a long time though and it works out, I don't think chicken eggs are as fragile as we think. I usually run my humidity in the 50% range and the still air should be about 102. Now I use my still air bator for hatching. Works quite nicely for that.