Two thermometers and two temps?!

[cowgirlup11]

Ok so I had my temp bang on 100-101 degrees before I set my eggs. (Digital thermometer) and of course as soon as I set them it started reading 103-104!!!! And I could not get it down. So I went and bought a non digital one and put it in too. Now the digital is reading 100-101 again and the other one is reading 104?! I really hope that it isn't really 104 degrees in there! I'm not sure what to do. its a still air incubator and old as the hills! (My grandma used it for years up till now when she gave it me) any advice would be GREAYLY appreciated.

I am only on day two and I did a quick canlde (not expecting to see anything) and some do seem to look different than other but who knows at this early in the game. I will candle again on day 4 as I last time I could see veining in all my eggs by that time.

 

[cowgirlup11]

Oh and also in the manule it says to set the temp at 102-103? And I guess that's what my grandma did... That seem high to me. She also said she imcubated at 103-104 before and her chicks just hatched early?! That definetly seems very high to me???

 

[JetCat]

still air incubators should be kept at 102° at the top of the eggs, forced air 100°

 

[cowgirlup11]

But what about such a variation in temp? The one that reads 104 is laying on the floor of the incubator and the one that reads lower is just above egg height.....

 

[JetCat]

You'll need to calibrate one or the other (or both) and see which is accurate.

 

[Pork Pie]

But what about such a variation in temp? The one that reads 104 is laying on the floor of the incubator and the one that reads lower is just above egg height.....

I'd get a third thermometer and then either triangulate between the 3 or if two are reading the same, go with that (they would have to be in the same spot for triangulation purposes).

CT

 

[chicapee]

Agree thermometers need calibrating. The easiest way is to use the Ice water method.

 

[cowgirlup11]

I stuck a candy thermometer in there (it's more along the lines of a murcury type) and it read the same as my digital one! So I am going to go with that and just take the other one out all together cause it's just gonna make me crazy. Now when I just checked the two said 98 and that one said 110!!!! (I did turn the heat down just a though prior to this because I was nervous and would have rathered it be too low for a couple hours than too high) so I'm gonna bump it back up to where these two say 101-102 and call er good!

 

[Pork Pie]

I'm glad i've only ever used hens to hatch eggs - this incubator malarky sounds like a real pain! Good luck though!!


CT

 

[cowgirlup11]

Today is day three (actually not till 6:30 this evening) and I just candled them to see if I could see any change and I can definitely see tiny little bits of veining is some of the eggs! So the HOT thermometer must have been wrong since it had got up to 110 for a couple hours at one one point and I would imaging after that I would have had fried eggs! Thank goodness it was wrong and I have everything figured out now! Thanks everyone for you help