The most authentic egg-o-meter ever?

[julskinka]

I had built myself a water wiggler from ziplocs, water, and packing tape. But I was unsure how accurate the temperature fluctuations would be with plastic/water/large volume/oblong shape as compared to calcium/egg goo/small volume/ovoid shape. I was also displeased that it took up almost two egg spots. So I was looking for an alternative to make, perhaps from a plastic Easter egg and gelatin filling, but that didn’t seem satisfying either.

Then it dawned on me that I have the perfect replicant of a hatching egg right downstairs - my own hen’s infertile eggs!

Using a sharp thin blade I scored a small x, and poked a tiny hole. I thread my lab probe’s thermocouple into it, sealed the hole with NewSkin, and taped the probe down. Voila! A real egg-o-meter.

I tried to see if anyone else has done this and couldn’t find anything. Hopefully that’s not because it’s obviously a terrible idea for some reason I’m overlooking!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Well...I do like the concept. I'm sure more experienced hatchers will have other ideas. The only thing I would worry about is the contents of that egg spoiling, leaking and/or exploding in the incubator, then you have bacteria growing in there.

I don't know if that would happen, but it's something to consider.

 

[julskinka]

Well...I do like the concept. I'm sure more experienced hatchers will have other ideas. The only thing I would worry about is the contents of that egg spoiling, leaking and/or exploding in the incubator, then you have bacteria growing in there.

I don't know if that would happen, but it's something to consider.

That's the only thing that came to mind for me, so I plan to check it regularly for odor.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

That's the only thing that came to mind for me, so I plan to check it regularly for odor.

I do wonder how long it would take for it to "spoil" at that temperature...you could always swap it out for a "fresh" one every few days(?)

 

[julskinka]

It lasted for a solid two weeks before I decided I was comfortable with just the incuview's probe and the one I had in this egg and an aquarium thermometer testing air temp, and would rather have the spot for an egg. It showed no signs of going bad, so I bet it could make it through a full incubation.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It lasted for a solid two weeks before I decided I was comfortable with just the incuview's probe and the one I had in this egg and an aquarium thermometer testing air temp, and would rather have the spot for an egg. It showed no signs of going bad, so I bet it could make it through a full incubation.

Very Cool! This is something I will keep in mind.
Let us know how your hatch goes!