Temperatures!! @#$%!

[cqranch]

Ok, getting my bator ready for next hatch. I have four therms in there and they all show different temps. I've tried resetting them and starting over.. same thing. How am I supposed to know which to go by? One is an Accurite, one is a Fluker (with humidity), one is a dial Petco, the other is a regular thermometer like you take your temp with.

 

[horsejody]

I would go by the accurite and the fluker.

ETA: if the incubator is a still air, you might have different temps in different areas of the bator.

 

[cqranch]

I do have one in each corning.. the Fluker is showing 99, Accurite is showing 101, the dial from Petco is showing about 102... so think I'lll stop adjusting and just leave as is for now.

 

[Heather J]

Try switching them to different corners and see if the temps change on them or not. Also, if your incubator temps stay steady, those are all safe temps. Some may hatch earlier than others, but at least the eggs stay viable at all three of those temps.

 

[ddeans]

OKay, bringing this topic back up, because I am having the same problem. I just got a brower top hatch, and I have 4 thermometers going. 2 of them are accurites 1 at 99.7 1 at 98 a VWR at 95.6 and a Springfield precise temp at 98.1..... I am going out of my mind with this thing. I am afraid to put eggs in it because I don't want to damage them.

One of the features is that it has a fan (although I don't see it) so I wouldn't expect these differences as it shouldn't be still air.

Any ideas?

 

[onthespot]

I wish I could help you. I bought a single Accurite and set my temps to it, and watched my humidity (when I was paying attention) and am having excellent hatches in a hovabator in a drafty old house that has temp fluctuations and everything that is NOT supposed to work. I do have a turner, but I open it all the time and candle eggs, run split hatches etc... About a week ago I pulled all the eggs out and washed it between hatches, and just set the eggs on a clean towel and brought it back, plugged it in, put the eggs back in.

I just had some chicks hatch last night and so I just looked at the Accurite and it said the temp had varied between 95 and 104, and I know I have seen the humidity between 21% and 67% during the hatch. For a couple days I let the water run completely dry at about fourteen days because I thought the humidity had been too high earlier in the cycle. I was trying to "dry out" the eggs a bit, as the air cells didn't look right. So far, so good. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. If you have your own free eggs to fiddle with, just set a batch and cross your fingers. If they hatch early, it is too hot, if they hatch too late, it is too cold and go from there... Wish I could be more help.

 

[ddeans]

So would it be safe to assume that Accurite is one of the more trusted thermometers?

 

[CindyS]

I use the accurites in all my incubators and sometimes there is one that is off but usually they are pretty good. try putting all your thermometers in the same spot for a while to see if they are all within the same temp range. In a still air incubator it is very common to get a wide range of temps in different areas, also higher and lower, say 101 at egg level, may be 97 or 98 on the wire, on the wire right in the corner can be even lower, around 95. When keeping track on a day to day basis without driving yourself nuts, keep a trusted thermometer in the same spot every day and go from there.

 

[Fudgie]

Quote:
OH now that makes a ton of sense....I guess I am too trusting! LOL....I have a Springfield precise temp with a hygrometer on it. Mine runs from 99.7 - 101.6 depending on when I check it and what time etc...also the humidity does affect the temp somewhat. Anyway I hatched out geese on day 26 instead of 28-32 so that is why evidently it runs a little higher than I am thinking! HMMMMMM

 

[cozycritters]

I'm having the same problems-- the thermometer I have that came with my hovabator says its 102, while my other two (one a meat therm. in a water wiggler, and the other a thermo/hydro) both say its 95. I've been sticking with the one that came with the incubator, but its making me very nervous!