Temp question for you master INCUbators!

[vegaschick]

I need to know whether the ideal 99.5 temp for forced air (homemade) bator should be the temp of air outside the eggs or the temp inside the water wiggler? Which is more important. Obviously the two temps are not the same in my bator on either of my wigglers. I have four thermometers/hygrometers and all read under (65-67 instead of 75%) when calibrated and so, of course, I wonder about their accuracy with the temps. *sigh* Don't know what to do with this. Please help!

 

[JordanFamily]

On a forced air the temp should be within a degree all over the bator so the best temp is 100 degrees or close to it so it will swing between 99-101 through out incubation. Remember it's not crucial if you are .5 off... In fact I've seen many people have good hatches with the temp swinging from 98 on up to 102 during incubation... The ideal is 99.5-99.7 in the middle of the egg but even my Brinsea is not that perfect so just close is fine... I'm happy with mine adjusted to 100 or just below 100. In a home made bator you may need to insulate better if the temp is more than a degree off anywhere inside the bator... I also move my eggs around so all get to change spots in the bator and all have the same temp changes... I move mine when I candle at 7, 10, 14, and then 18 days... Remember to calibrate your hygrometers to before every hatch.

 

[ParadisePoultry]

99.5 should be the temp inside the water wiggler. With the humidity, you just have to do the best you can. Try judging by the air cells. Especially with shipped eggs, they tend to be very large and irregularly shaped towards the end of incubation ( right before lock down) Then just get your humidity up as high as you can for lockdown and hatching. Don't worry about drowning them at this point, that has already been decided. If your air cells are too small at lock down, then they might drown. If this is the case, then humidity is much trickier. Try to evaluate air cells around Day 13 or 14 and adjust your humidity accordingly.

 

[vetgirl00us]

Wow! That's good info. I candled the night before lockdown and wondered why some the aircells in my eggs were shaped weird- and large too. I guess that's why.

 

[vegaschick]

thanks so much for the good info. so far my temps have been within the specified parameters. i really like the idea of switching up egg placement when candling. i also noticed some big wonky looking aircells right before my last hatch (my first hatch) on some of the shipped eggs. good to know.

 

[SarahIrl]

Mine were shipped and some have wonky air cells too. Is this going to be a problem at hatching?