Temperature constancy of broody vs incubator

[silkienewbiegurl]

My question: If a broody leaves her incubating eggs for 5-20 min at a time each day and the temperature of eggs decreases until she returns, why is it that temperatures are kept constant in an incubator?

Anyone have some insight? Thanks!

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Because it takes an incubator a lot longer to get eggs back up to proper temp than it does for a hen to get the eggs back up to proper temp after a short drop.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Quote:
Because you don't have to open the lid in order to eat and poop. You could if you wanted to.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Quote:
Because you don't have to open the lid in order to eat and poop. You could if you wanted to.

Well there's another perspective...

 

[Tala]

Quote:
Besides, I don't think the INTERNAL temp of the eggs drops all that quick.
When I take the lid off the bator to rotate the eggs, the thermometer drops like a rock, but I highly doubt that the internal temp of the eggs drops more than a degree or two.

 

[silkienewbiegurl]

Thanks everyone for your feedback. I suppose that whenever an incubator is opened, heat is dissipated from the egg slowly and it may take up to 20 min to reach an appropriate temp ... resembling the natural cooling process that takes place once a day with broodies. I guess that is one reason not to open the incubator too often ... not more than once a day, I'm guessing.