temperature drop during hatching: how bad is it?

[peaceful]

Oh dear, this morning got up to check the incubator and the temperature was down to around 96!

It was/is day 20, this afternoon will start day 21. Yesterday had three pips out of 42 eggs, and this morning had one hatched chick, the two pips are still alive, no new pips. How bad is it do you think?
I brought the temperature up again, but ...
It is a still air incubator. Also I mistakenly followed the instructions that came with it and ran it at around 100 for the incubation (it wasn't great at holding a steady temperature) which I too late realized was too low for still air (why they couldn't manage to put appropriate instructions with the unit is beyond me).
At this point suggestions as to where to try have the temperature... 100, 101, 102? Also my thermometer is the one that came with it, it is not a digital and I'm unsure of the accuracy. And just to complicate things I have to leave the house for the day!

Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

 

[baldie]

It is hard to say. I also have a still air. I have my temp fluctuate before, but not right at the end. I would leave the bator shut. Humidity is important at this stage. You will just have to wait it out and see. Good luck!!

 

[chicken_bob]

A guy that hatches alot told me that temps were not as crucial in the last couple of days [ a few degree's lower ] he also said if hatch is not uniform he lowers temp to around 95 if he has lots of chicks already hatched. I did this with my last hatch and did pretty good. But thats just the advise he gave me. This is my 3rd hatch and I just try to keep notes on each hatch and go from there.

 

[pascopol]

Quote:
Lower temperatures at end of incubation period are no problem, they should hatch fine.

 

[peaceful]

Oh thank you for answering!
I have two hatched chicks now, one still pipped in the shell and nothing happening so far with the rest of the eggs.
The chicks knocked around my thermometer (knocked it more central and flat) and it went up from around a hundred last time I looked to reading 103?/102? (It's a red line and hard to see because of the angle)! (Humidity up too to 75% from around 70%). Sigh. Boy it's a challenge trying to keep things optimal in there.
Still looking for suggestions as to what temperature to aim for at this point. Am thinking best to have the thermometer read about 101 on top of the eggs (?). Currently it reads 102, and the two chicks have migrated to a far corner (coincidence? are they too hot and trying to cool down?)
How does the temperature vary in the still air incubator, is it true that it's hottest in the middle?