temp discrepancy in magicfly incubator

[FolkSonginC]

So I just got the mini magicfly automatic incubator and set it up, let it run for about 24 hours. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the temperature setting (I set to 37.5 c) matched the reading on my new brinsea spot check thermometer perfectly. I let it run for a while to monitor and then put a little bit of warm water in the bottom, and after that I couldn't get the built in temp reading and my spot check thermometer (supposedly extremely accurate) to match. The incubator said it was 37.5 but the thermometer said something like 34. I left it overnight to see if it would stabilize but it didn't, and in the morning I realized that in my research I had read it might help to put a blanket around it to maintain temp. This fixed it immediately, which I was again very happy about.

I then transferred the incubator to the more temp-controlled room where I was planning to incubate and let it sit for a few hours, again temp remained steady so I decided to put the eggs in. I just had eggs shipped so I'm planning to keep them upright without turning for a few days to stabilize air cells, which I'm doing by placing them in a cut down egg carton. The automatic egg turner doesn't work for a number of reasons so I'm planning to hand turn once the air cells are stable, and in order to fit the eggs upright in the carton I had to take out one of the floor layers (there are two). In order to make this work I also had to move what I'm guessing is the incubator temperature probe around a bit so it wouldn't touch the eggs. After I did this the temperature was reading completely differently, before it could even get back anywhere close to a reading of 37.5 on the incubator my thermometer started reading close to 39 c. I tried moving things around a bit and realized that when I measured the temp with the spot check higher up it read much higher, and lower when it was closer to the bottom. From my understanding this should not be the case as it's a forced air incubator. After playing with the settings a bit I got the spot check to read between 37-38 with the incubator set to 35.5.

Does anyone know why the readings would have changed or which one I should trust? For now I'm going with the spot check just to be safe, as I don't want to cook them. I ordered an incubator warehouse thermometer so I can add that too when it comes and maybe that will clarify things. I'm mostly just wondering what caused the sudden discrepancy.

 

[SueT]

I have the Janoel 12 incubator which I think is the same thing. The built in thermometer wasn’t accurate. I got an Incutherm thermometer hygrometer from Incubator Warehouse and trusted that. I kept it inside the incubator where I could see it thru the side.
https://incubatorwarehouse.com/incubator-thermometer-hygrometer.html
And yes the ambient room temp definitely affects the incubator temp. If it’s cold in your room, put foil around it.

I had a successful hatch. Good luck!

 

[FolkSonginC]

I have the Janoel 12 incubator which I think is the same thing. The built in thermometer wasn’t accurate. I got an Incutherm thermometer hygrometer from Incubator Warehouse and trusted that. I kept it inside the incubator where I could see it thru the side.
https://incubatorwarehouse.com/incubator-thermometer-hygrometer.html
And yes the ambient room temp definitely affects the incubator temp. If it’s cold in your room, put foil around it.

I had a successful hatch. Good luck!

I believe that is the exact one I ordered! How have your hatches been with the incutherm and the janoel 12? This is my first hatch with this incubator (and with pretty expensive eggs!) so hoping all goes well.

 

[Kiki]

Never trust the built-in thermometers or humidity gauges on any incubator.

Always purchase separate thermometers to calibrate and a humidity gauge that you can salt test.

 

[SueT]

I believe that is the exact one I ordered! How have your hatches been with the incutherm and the janoel 12? This is my first hatch with this incubator (and with pretty expensive eggs!) so hoping all goes well.

I only did one hatch, last year. They were my own chickens’ eggs, and all of them hatched. Shipping eggs can make them less reliable, but I’ve never tried that.
I like the incubator. I don’t need more chickens, so it is packed away right now.

 

[AngeJD]

I have the magicfly as well which I used for my first hatch, have since gotten an incuview which I love way more.

I ran the magicfly for a day and it held at 37.5C which was confirmed by my 2 other digital thermometers, but as soon as I put the eggs in, the temp started dipping even though the bator was set at 37.5C...I found that it was about 1 degree off after I put in the eggs.

I got it to stabilize by calibrating the magicfly. Hold down the set button, and cycle through until you get to the "CA" setting, then press the up/down buttons until you get the differential in your readings (i.e. if your thermometer is reading 39C and the bator is set at 37.5C, you'd want to enter +1.5C).

What also really helped was I put the bator inside a styrofoam cooler with the lid half on - it really helped stabilize it as well - but in my case, my thermometers were reading lower not higher!

Good luck with your hatch!

 

[FolkSonginC]

I have the magicfly as well which I used for my first hatch, have since gotten an incuview which I love way more.

I ran the magicfly for a day and it held at 37.5C which was confirmed by my 2 other digital thermometers, but as soon as I put the eggs in, the temp started dipping even though the bator was set at 37.5C...I found that it was about 1 degree off after I put in the eggs.

I got it to stabilize by calibrating the magicfly. Hold down the set button, and cycle through until you get to the "CA" setting, then press the up/down buttons until you get the differential in your readings (i.e. if your thermometer is reading 39C and the bator is set at 37.5C, you'd want to enter +1.5C).

What also really helped was I put the bator inside a styrofoam cooler with the lid half on - it really helped stabilize it as well - but in my case, my thermometers were reading lower not higher!

Good luck with your hatch!

Thanks for the reply! I chose to just adjust the temperature it was set to, which I think does essentially the same thing. For a while I had to keep it set a few degrees lower but for some reason it eventually seemed to stabilize and heat the incubator to what it was set to, so when I had it set to a few degrees lower it finally started to read low on my thermometers, so I set it back up to 37.5 and now my thermometers are reading the same. Weird but I changed the batteries just in case and my thermometers seem to be working. I have been hand turning and out of 12 eggs I'm now down to 7 that are developing, I wish there were more but I guess that's just how it goes for shipped eggs. Lockdown is in two days so reaching the end, I'm hopeful that I'll get at least a few chicks! These eggs were not cheap, lol. Did you have a good hatch rate with the magicfly?

 

[Swbertrand1]

Never trust the built-in thermometers or humidity gauges on any incubator.

Always purchase separate thermometers to calibrate and a humidity gauge that you can salt test.

What thermometers and humidity gauges do you use for your calibrations?

 

[Mick Boon]

Humidity gauages are a complete waste of time as humidity within the incubator is meaningless.... What matters is the weight loss of the eggs.

The best incubators available are the ones that laid the eggs.

I think there are some very confused poultry keepers around here.

 

[casportpony]

Humidity gauages are a complete waste of time as humidity within the incubator is meaningless....

I disagree, accurate humidity gauges can be very helpful in getting the target weight loss.

The best incubators available are the ones that laid the eggs.

Agree, but that's not an option for some people.