please help again

[dbrberry]

ok i've ran into another problem. my egg temp is just to high. it will reach a really high temp but it doesn't stay up high it's kinda like a yo-yo now. if i put in water to stable my temps then my humidity is way to high. could my light bulb be to high. i have a 25 watt soft white bulb.my egg temps got up to 106 but wasn't there very long. just a few minutes. should i just scrap this one and go buy a little giant? what about my eggs are they just totally done for at this point? please someone help

 

[rooster-red]

Don't try to regulate the temp with water, adding water will only raise the humidity.

I found that the 25 watt bulb I started out with had wild temp swings, and when I increased it to 40 watts the temp swings were smaller. Ended up with a 60 watt and temp doesn't swing but a degree.

Try changing to a higher watt bulb and readjust your thermostat.

 

[MandyH]

Trying to regulate temps in a homemade bator with a light bulb is really hard. Any surge or anything effects the temps. You will have better luck with a thermostat controlled bator like a little giant. Maybe you didn't fry the eggs, never toss them until you KNOW it's too late.

 

[dbrberry]

ok trying a 60 watt but what should i do with my eggs i just put them in yestarday at 5pm i hope i haven't lost them

if i end up buying a little giant it's still air could i add a fan?

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I HIGHLY doubt that you've lost them. I've had 2 huge temp swings all within the first 10 days and so far I have kicking embryo's in all of them.

I agree with the 60 watt bulb...that's what I had to do too. Are you using a thermostat or a dimmer to control the light bulb?

 

[dbrberry]

thermostat

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I'd try the higher watt bulb. I traded my thermostat for a dimmer but that has it's problems as well.

I'm putting a thermostat in the bator I'm putting together this evening with a higher wattage bulb. That way it won't stay on for long before switching off. I've been looking at the ceramic bulbs at PetsMart. They don't have any light, just a heating coil inside them. I don't know if they're any better...just a thought.

 

[dbrberry]

i'm trying the higher watt bulb now and have for most of the day. so far no different results. i'm having such a hard time with this. either it's to cold with light off or to high with light on. i jusy can't seem to find the middle. at this point the only thing that is right is the humidity could it be to many holes or not enough holes? should i just scrap this one and start again? my eggs have really been on a rollercoaster i'll be surprised if one hatches.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

That's why I discarded the thermostat from my bator and use the dimmer. After this go round I think I'm going to save my $$ for a nice commercial bator.

 

[klf73]

What kind of thermostat are you using? I went to the hardware store yesterday to get a thermostat (have a dimmer in mine) because I can't go anywhere for any period of time cuz I have to watch the temps. They sent me to a guy that really knew his stuff. The household thermostats they had only went to 90 so I asked about the water heater thermostat since that was the only thing I could find that went that hot. He said it wouldn't work for what I needed because the temps would fluctuate terribly, it just wasn't made for that. So here I am with my dimmer just because I don't want to take a chance switching mid hatch and cook my babies

Good luck!
Krista