Something I learned today after many years of incubating and enough under belt with auto turners. They capture heat/cold and release when turning. As I typically incubate only from certain hens the low number of eggs allows me to make a pattern in incubator for best air flow. This go round my boy wouldn't let me NOT hatch the smallest eggs so turner was near full. What a difference it makes without air flow.
Normal for me is to leave the center of turner open and make a doughnut pattern around that so the central fan pushes down and under eggs then up outer sides. That for sure gives perfect temp readings. Well, nearly filling the turner as the boy would not let an egg just be an egg rather they MUST be chicks left little air flow. This results in quite a range of temp as the turner tilts.
Not alarming nor hindering of a hatch just a huge variance of temp swing range. When turner is near flat the range is shallow and high temp average but when the turners are full angle the temp range is larger with average being low. Just something I'd never noticed before as it's been many a year since so many eggs were in the bator at one time. I mention it as something for others to look for. As in if your medicals are reading all over the place (instant read thermometers) this might be the reason. Slow to read thermometers wont notice it.
Oh well, as to humidity ran for a day and calibrated the cigar hygrometer last night. Found the incubator is 12% RH totally dry (24 hours mind you with eggs in). Found an old cobalt salt shaker base to put water in today and in. RH went to 22%. When looking for similar size to add of water holder found the old sherry stem glass I'd used years past, together they made 40% RH and leaving only the sherry is 32% RH. Yup, this was the little double shot glass I was looking for and know it's the same as it has water stains from use.
So nice when it all falls together.
Normal for me is to leave the center of turner open and make a doughnut pattern around that so the central fan pushes down and under eggs then up outer sides. That for sure gives perfect temp readings. Well, nearly filling the turner as the boy would not let an egg just be an egg rather they MUST be chicks left little air flow. This results in quite a range of temp as the turner tilts.
Not alarming nor hindering of a hatch just a huge variance of temp swing range. When turner is near flat the range is shallow and high temp average but when the turners are full angle the temp range is larger with average being low. Just something I'd never noticed before as it's been many a year since so many eggs were in the bator at one time. I mention it as something for others to look for. As in if your medicals are reading all over the place (instant read thermometers) this might be the reason. Slow to read thermometers wont notice it.
Oh well, as to humidity ran for a day and calibrated the cigar hygrometer last night. Found the incubator is 12% RH totally dry (24 hours mind you with eggs in). Found an old cobalt salt shaker base to put water in today and in. RH went to 22%. When looking for similar size to add of water holder found the old sherry stem glass I'd used years past, together they made 40% RH and leaving only the sherry is 32% RH. Yup, this was the little double shot glass I was looking for and know it's the same as it has water stains from use.
So nice when it all falls together.
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Guess it doesnt matter the hen, some just lay smaller eggs. Here is a photo of my cute SS. 
