quick ? about my incubator temps

[JenEric Farms]

Quote:
If I were you I would raise the temp to 102, I set at almost the same time as you and mine are developing right on time, not too early, not too late.

I agree, still air incubators should be set to about 101.5 at the top of the eggs. This means that the center of the egg will be at the right temp.

 

[gvntofly05]

It is a sitting at 101.5 at the top of the eggs now and 99.5 on the mesh. It has been holding perfect since yesterday afternoon. It drops to 85 to 90 when I open to turn the eggs but is back to temp in 5 to 10 min time. So far so good! 1 day down 20 to go!

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
I completely overlooked/forgot (

) that you were using a still-air...I guess I've just got a "forced-air" mentality. As the above posters stated the temperature should be higher than the previously stated 90/mesh, 100/top-of-egg.

Temperature measurement should be made at the top of the eggs and 102F is the target. Your 101.5 is looking good, just watch it and make sure it doesn't spike up. Janet Stromberg states in her book "A Guide to Better Hatching" that a range of from 100F-103F is desired with no temps above 103F. Embryo temperature is understood to need a temperature of 99.5F. Similarly, Gail Damerow, in her book "A Guide to Raising Chickens", states a temperature of 102F and although she doesn't precisely state it it seems that she infers the thermometer should be at "top of egg".

BTW, what type of environment do you have the incubator in? Styrofoam incubators really require a stable environment where the temperature varies very little. Away from drafts, heating/cooling vents, windows, sunshine coming in through a window, etc.,. Wide temperature swings in the area where the incubator is located can result in wide temperature swings inside the incubator.

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[gvntofly05]

Quote:
It is on top of my dresser in my bedroom. The temp stays pretty constant in there. It's not near a window and it's the only room in the house I don't have trouble keeping my kids out of!

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
It is on top of my dresser in my bedroom. The temp stays pretty constant in there. It's not near a window and it's the only room in the house I don't have trouble keeping my kids out of!

Sounds like a good location to me.

Ed