Newbie Incubating Testing Temps and fluctuating

[kyboersarah]

Hey there..I am from KY and just starting to give the incubator a try..I am using the Little Giant with fan and turner .. Borrowed from a neighbor to see which direction I want to go with incubating or just buying my chicks...Anyway...I am on day 2 and I have not put anything in this yet...I have used the thermom that came with it laid on top of the turner and I have been checking the temp with a digital thermometer that you use for kids to check for fevers

I put this in real quick and close the lid and wait for the beep...I seem to get different temps sometimes...My question is and I am sure I need more advice here

but what is an acceptable fluctuating temp for the Little Giant..I can see there are several opinions on what brand they like and like I said this is a trial run...I have one picked out that I want but dont want to spend the money until I am sure I want to do the incubating part.

I have put the milk top on to help adjusting temp settings and the entire time I have been checking this I am not changing settings every few minutes..I adjust maybe a couple times a day max...

Thank you everyone for your help...I did have a hen up in my loft of barn hatching eggs out yesterday and today...I have considered putting these eggs under her to see what will happen instead LOL Thoughts?

Sarah from KY

 

[hdowden]

it took me 2-3 days to stabilize my temp and it stays at 99-100, until my kids messed with it last night now i'm trying to fix it grrr i hope my eggs make it through this

 

[bar-ns cks]

I have had a real problem with humitady, my tempature stay real close to 100 Degrees, it seems the low humitay out side is causing this problem, any suggestions. Thanks bar-ns cks

 

[hdowden]

i was going to try the dry incubation but my humidity would stay around 26-30 and their air cells look to big so i had to add water to the first small reserve but that barly made a dent and had to use the other one to now its around 35-45. humidity is hard to stableize as there are many factors to humidity. i use a still air though

 

[kyboersarah]

I just love this chicken community

So this is normal for the temps to be jumping around at the beginning...Will the eggs still hatch out okay if it jumps from 103 back down to 99?? If so I am good where I am at...I hate to touch that dial lol

Sarah

 

[hdowden]

i would do the best you can to get it to a stable 99-100.

it is normal when you first open a new incubator and get it ready to incubate as it isnt set ideal is the 99-100 range for incubation any higher could potiantly kill the chick make it grow faster and hatch early and im sure other problems, lower can cause slow development, death, early hatch date, ect anyone can correct me if im wrong though

most people keep theirs at 99-100.5 and any flutions from that causes concerens

 

[kyboersarah]

Gotcha..okay now call me crazy but I did notice something a bit ago...I had the thermo setting on one side and I put my digital thermometer in the other side..It was almost as if one side was hotter than the other?? Is this possible..

Also what other type of thermom should I put inside here..maybe its my thermom that came with it??!!

 

[hdowden]

one side of mine seems to be a bit warmer as one side is the 99 and the other is a 100. i use a regular therm (glass) and a digatial one that can also read the humidity (after calabration it was 6 off so when it says 20 it is actually 26).

 

[cmom]

I bought an LG with a fan for my first incubator with an egg turner as I wasn't sure if I was going to incubate more than once. (I know there are a lot of LG haters on BYC) but I have had many successful hatches. The price was right since I wasn't sure what I was getting into and I was pretty sure I could sell it and recoup most of my expense. I turn on the incubator the day before I set my eggs to let the incubators stabilize. I found when adjusting the temperature on the LG you have to be very careful and barely turn the temp control just a slight whisker then walk away for awhile and let it stabilize. I think most people adjust and adjust some more, but you have to walk away. The thermostat is super sensitive.The temp will fluctuate while the eggs are adjusting to the incubator temperature. Resist temptation to adjust the temp. After a few hours if you need to adjust it then do it but BARELY increase or decrease. The slightest movement of the thermostat can make a BIG difference in the temp. The milk bottle cap on the temp adjustment is a very good idea. You can also adjust your temp and humidity to some extent by removing one or both of the red plugs on top of the incubator. I fill the reservoirs in the bottom of the incubator when I turn it on to let it stabilize. It takes hours for the eggs internal temp to come up. If I need added humidity when it is time to put the eggs in lockdown I use a mason jar with a sponge which acts like a wick and helps to bring the humidity up. I incubate in a cabinet incubator and I still use my LG and Hova-Bator styrofoam incubators as hatchers. My incubators are in a room that can be closed off from the other rooms. Just my opinion.

 

[kyboersarah]

I just ordered an eggometer LOL Thank u for that link!!

Egg time may be tomorrow night or Friday..Not sure yet...I hope my eggometer comes soon LOL