Water Weasel versus Air Temp

[tiffanyh]

I am on Day 5 of a new hatch. I had all hatching very late on my last hatch so I had my husband bring home a therm from his lab so I could get a very accurate reading. I have it set at a height near the middle of the egg at 100F. (still air incubator)

I was at Walmart and in the toy section yesterday and I came across a water weasel. So, I bought it and set it in my incubator next to the eggs for 12+ hours. I tested the temp inside it...and it is reading around 94-95.

I have had late hatches, quite late so I did move the temp up a bit this time. I am very worried about overheating them. Do I trust the water weasel and risk moving up the temp or do I go with the medical lab accurate air temp?

Thanks everyone.

 

[aran]

I am using a medical thermometer from my practice in the middle of the water weasel...the temps in the weasel will theoretically closely mimic the temp inside the egg.

 

[BeckyLa]

Ok, I've been very confused on this point myself. From what I read, all the recommendations for a still air bator is to incubate at 101*f. Correct? That means the air temp should be 101*. Nothing is said about the inside of the eggs, maybe they don't need to be 101 on the inside. Maybe the air needs to be that temp to keep the eggs at the temp they need to be,

 

[AccidentalFarm]

tiffanyh-
I would go with the water weasel temps. As Aran said, it will closely mimic the inside egg temps and that is what you really need to know. 94-95 degrees is not warm enough for the egg temp. My temps stayed consistant between the weasel and ambient air inside the bator, but I use a hova with a fan. My hatcher is a LG still air and the temps stayed very close, but not exactly the same.

Additionally, a still air bator can have hot spots in it. Try the thermometer at a couple of different locations in the bator and see if the temps agree.

 

[tiffanyh]

Thanks, I know there is a gradient of temperature in a still air. I have adjusted it so that the weasel says 99.5 and the top of teh eggs is 102. I guess that is the recc. for still air, but I AM SO WORRIED ABOUT COOKING THEM. Seeing 102 on the therm makes my heart beat a bit faster! But if you had all had success with the weasel at 99.5 thats what I am going with. The temps are staying consistent as I set them, its just that temp grqadient that is throwing me.

Good thing I asked..and bought the weasel. Otherwise, my whole hatch would have gone at 95 inside the egg........

Becky La...your right, them temp in the air needs to be higher to get the egg to 99.5 inside, but with still air, as you move down to the bottom with the tray, the temp changes. It gets lower as you go down. So depending on where you set your therm, it will give you a different temp reading.....Good luck everyone and thanks for the feedback.