Temperature Fluctuation?

[blessedchickenmama7]

Hi all. I posted a week or so ago about my hubby making an incubator for me. I am so proud of him. We used Miss Prissy's instructions and used a travel cooler with a double paned glass door. It took us a few days to get the fan in and the last ventilation holes drilled. Before we did that, it was holding temps almost perfectly! Even after the door was open, it would drop a few tenths but then go right back up in 5 or 10 minutes. Now, temps in my water homemade water wiggler (plastic bags with water tied together and put in a sour cream cup, thanks to whoever posted about doing it) are maintaining 99-100 until I open the door, which I will have to do to turn. Then my temps drop as low as 97-98, depending upon how long the door is open. Also, my humidity was great before, but now it's down to like 28-29% no matter how much water I put in the tray we have in the bottom. I thought maybe it was too many vent holes. There are two a little smaller than a pencil on top and four ice pick size holes on the bottom. I even closed off one of the top holes and still can't dial it in. We used an old PC fan and I really don't think it's putting out too much air as it just feels like a really soft flow.

Does anyone have any suggestions for me? For the humidity I am going to try adding a sponge. I am going to try the low humidity hatch method for my first time, so I dont want it to go up much, just a bit.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jaguar6]

Hello,

I am new at incubating and built an incubator out of a cooler as well. An experienced chicken breeder told me to increase the humidity, you must increase the surface area of the water container. Meaning increase the length of the container not the depth and include a sponge. Hope this helps.

 

[blessedchickenmama7]

Thank you. I will put a bigger container in the bottom and see what happens.

 

[rosaline]

I have also made my own bator. I too had this problem and to solve it I placed the light near the bottom of the bator with a metal dish under the light. When I add water it avaporates so much better. And I only add a tablespoon of water at a time.

I hope this is helpful x