Temperature Question

[Petermariah]

I’m using a Farm Innovators incubator. I have a incutherm plus thermometer/hygrometer on the inside. I know the incutherm is calibrated correctly (I take it out and it changes to 72 the exact temp of my living room). I set 44 eggs and everything had been going along just fine. My incubator was off by one degree which is typical, so I’m going by my incutherm temperature and set my incubator one degree higher. I occasionally move the probe around to different areas and the temp has fluctuated 99.5 to 100 degrees and 40ish humidity.

Fast forward to day 13 and I removed 30 eggs that did not develop (shipped eggs with broken air cells). Now I only have 14 eggs left and I did not change any temperature at all I left my incubator set at 101 as it had been. Well now with less eggs the temp dropped to 96. I double checked the incutherm took it out of the incubator and within a few minutes it changed to 72 just like before. I moved the probe around, still 96. Now I have had to turn my incubator up to 105 which makes me really nervous. I have never had to set it so high before. I have only ever hatched quail eggs and never had this issue. This is my first time with chicken eggs. Is it possible that removing 2/3 of the eggs would throw the temperature off? We’re the eggs retaining heat or something? I’m perplexed by this.

Before anyone says anything, I’m aware this is not the best incubator but it’s what I have for now. I’ve had great hatch rates on quail. These eggs were packaged very well but treated very rough by USPS as a result I did not use my turner. I kept them fat side up in paper cartons and then were only moved when candled.

 

[Dinoroar]

I’m using a Farm Innovators incubator. I have a incutherm plus thermometer/hygrometer on the inside. I know the incutherm is calibrated correctly (I take it out and it changes to 72 the exact temp of my living room). I set 44 eggs and everything had been going along just fine. My incubator was off by one degree which is typical, so I’m going by my incutherm temperature and set my incubator one degree higher. I occasionally move the probe around to different areas and the temp has fluctuated 99.5 to 100 degrees and 40ish humidity.

Fast forward to day 13 and I removed 30 eggs that did not develop (shipped eggs with broken air cells). Now I only have 14 eggs left and I did not change any temperature at all I left my incubator set at 101 as it had been. Well now with less eggs the temp dropped to 96. I double checked the incutherm took it out of the incubator and within a few minutes it changed to 72 just like before. I moved the probe around, still 96. Now I have had to turn my incubator up to 105 which makes me really nervous. I have never had to set it so high before. I have only ever hatched quail eggs and never had this issue. This is my first time with chicken eggs. Is it possible that removing 2/3 of the eggs would throw the temperature off? We’re the eggs retaining heat or something? I’m perplexed by this.

Before anyone says anything, I’m aware this is not the best incubator but it’s what I have for now. I’ve had great hatch rates on quail. These eggs were packaged very well but treated very rough by USPS as a result I did not use my turner. I kept them fat side up in paper cartons and then were only moved when candled.

How long after you took out the extra eggs was it still reading low? Some incubators take a really long time to get back up to temp. If you have it set up that high keep a really close eye on it. I’m sure you know a temperature spike is a lot more dangerous to your eggs than running low.

 

[Petermariah]

I made sure the lid was secure waited 18 hrs kept watching it. During this time I also moved the probe around a few times and then even removed the incutherm for quite a while to make sure it stayed on 72 in my living room temp and then put it back in. Did this 2x wanted to make sure it was not my incutherm. Slowly brought up the temp 1 degree at a time waited an hour checked again etc. The thing is this incubator I have used about a dozen times on quail eggs and it never takes that long to heat back up unless the lid is ajar which it’s not.

 

[Dinoroar]

I made sure the lid was secure waited 18 hrs kept watching it. During this time I also moved the probe around a few times and then even removed the incutherm for quite a while to make sure it stayed on 72 in my living room temp and then put it back in. Did this 2x wanted to make sure it was not my incutherm. Slowly brought up the temp 1 degree at a time waited an hour checked again etc. The thing is this incubator I have used about a dozen times on quail eggs and it never takes that long to heat back up unless the lid is ajar which it’s not.

Have you tried unplugging it and then plugging it back in back in. I haven’t used the same incubator as you but I have one that seems to sometimes get ‘confused’ and arbitrarily change it’s calibration.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

My Little Giant Incubators are like this. That's why I always ignore the machines temperature controls and go by the extra calibrated ones.