Thermometer/temp CRAZINESS!!

[flyweed]

Ok, I am new to incubating and hatching, but want to do it right. I am one of those guys that is a "stickler" for accuracy.

Anyway, I bought the LG Hovabator with fan to try my hand at hatching button quails. After much reading, I heard it was a decent incubator, except for the included thermometer, and that you should just throw away..which I did!

Anyway, I am also a beer brewer and so I have many thermometers around the house of which, I always thought to be accurate..but this "temp" thing is driving me nuts.

First..I bought the Flukers temp/hydro unit that tells both temp and humidity. It is laying on the wire mesh right now of the bator reading 99.9F and a humidity of 52%.

Now, I wanted to be "safe" and double check my readings..so I put into one of the vent holes my ACCURITE digital thermometer that I use to check everything from steak, to the temps on my brew pots...this gave me a reading of 106.0F

So, I figured I'll put in one more thermometer, so I put in a digital oral thermometer made by Medchoice. I set this unit on the wire mesh floor as well and set it to take a reading..103.2 is what it gave me

WHAT GIVES??? I now have 3 readings: 99.9, 106, and 103.2

I figured they'd all be just a LITTLE closer than that. What do you guys think? Any suggestions or helpful hints? My button quail eggs will arrive on Monday and I certainly do not want to cook them on my first attempt.

Dan

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I'm having the same problem right now. The LG (Little Giant) and the Hovabator are two different things; I have both.

I usually use my LG which seems to be a little more stable than the Hovabator, but I thought I'd give the Hovabator another shot. With a still air incubator, the temps on the sides are cooler than in the middle. My problem is it's 104 in the middle and 100 on the sides.

Are you planning on using a turning rack or just laying the eggs on their sides on the mesh? If you have alot of eggs coming, turning them by hand is a pain so I'd highly recommend the racks. You need to measure the temp at the center of the egg, so your other thermometers might be too high. Since button eggs are so small, I'd trust the Fluker's and say you're pretty close to perfect. Button quail hatch best at lower temps, 99 still air and I'm not sure what the ideal is for forced air/fan. You also want to make sure your humidity is higher - 60-65% is decent for the first 14 days, then increase to 70% if you can.

 

[chubbydog811]

I wasn't too happy with the Fluker's thermometer. I had the same problem - I had 4 different thermometers and all said something different.
I tested my indoor/outdoor one, and it was just about on, so I compared to my others. My Fluker's was 5* lower, the one that came with the turner was 10* higher, and my digital fish tank one was 10* lower. I bet you can see why I tested it in the first place! (glad I did too! 28 eggs is a lot to lose because of a temp default!)
The hygrometer works great though from Fluker's!

I would test one of them, then compare to the rest to see which is accurate, and make note of how much the others are off (or calibrate them if possible)

Hope what seems like rambling to me, helps you out a bit!

 

[flyweed]

So, how do you test? I mean, I have tested my Accurite digital "brewing" thermometer before with the ice water and boiling water method.

For Ice water it read: 32.9F

For boiling it read: 211.6F

So I'd say that's pretty spot on. But like I said, in the Hovabator it read 106.0F when I put it down through the vent hole.

I don't know of a way to "test" the flukers thermometer? Do you?

I'd love to know.

Dan

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I would too because that's the brand I was going to buy. I'm in the process of switching incubators. I think the Hovabator varies so much because it is so much higher than the LG and without a fan, I'm in trouble. My LG is now holding at 102 with two thermometers reading the same. One is the accurite digital thermometer/hygrometer combo, and the other is the accurite indoor/outdoor with the probe. Giving it another hour or so and then the eggs go in.

With button eggs you can have some fluctuation without too much worry. In my still air, I've hatched them at 99 and at 102. Chicken eggs are a little more tempermental.

 

[flyweed]

My bad..I keep calling mine a "hova bator" but it is indeed the Little Giant 9200, which is the still air incubator..but I bought and added the fan..so it's now the circulating air incubator.

I hope I get these temps figured out, because I don't want to start incubating until I am SURE my temp is accurate.

Dan

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Well, alot of people might disagree with me, but I just love the Little Giants. I find it much easier to adjust the temps and think it's more stable. The temps I was reading before - 104 in the middle and 100-101 around the edges was the Hovabator. The LG seems to be much more consistent even around the edges and I've had much better hatches in those.

I had 5 thermometers in the bator with my last hatch and I based it on a range. It was very cold here and they hatched 2 days later than usual. The best advice I can give you is to go with the thermometer that you trust the most and is most centered in the middle of the eggs.

 

[flyweed]

Well, after doing some research and reading...I think I am just going to use the flukers for it's humidity readout and forget about the temp. I am going to order the Spot Check digital temp with probe tomorrow for $20.00..it is accurate within .01 of a degree, and is recommended by alot of incubator/hatchery websites. I found one other digital that was highly recommended, and is made by big apple herp. From what I read all the serious lizard folks swear by it It's a bit pricey at around $40.00 however, but it does have two probes and reads both temp and humidity. So I think I'll sleep on it, and tomorrow order one or the other.

At least I'll have peace of mind.

Dan

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Peace of mind is worth much more than $40. Can't tell you how much I panic every time I put eggs in. Good luck and hope you have a good hatch!

 

[chubbydog811]

If the thermometer you tested reads pretty close to accurate, I would trust it. Just make note on the others of how off they are.

I dont think you can test the Fluker's?...

Prior to testing mine, I didnt realize I was running it 8* too cold! No wonder why they were hatching late, and with trouble!

Good luck