What does it mean?

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Hi!
If your eggs aren't developing at those temps, I'd say your thermometer is reading wrong.
Do you have more than one thermometer giving you the same readings?

Happy Holidays!
Lisa

 

[speckledhen]

I think that Bobbie has had a broody hatch eggs from her flock recently, didnt you, Bobbie? Can't say what happened with those shipped Delawares. If my Caroline's, Charlotte's or Silver's don't develop, I know something is really wrong because myself and others have had great fertility with them, even shipped ones.
My own hen Miranda's eggs are fertile and I know Suede is getting it done with her and others just fine, but something seems to be wrong with Miranda genetically that her chicks won't ever develop. That, however, I would think is rare.
Bobbie, if there's any way to really check the thermometer's accuracy again, that may be what you need to do. Other than that, I'm at a loss right now.

 

[chicks rule]

Ok I put the plug back in and added a second thermometer, will see what it does in a few hours. I had two hens go broody, sitting on all the ones that were laying at the time. They hatched 11 out of 15 eggs, so I don't think fertility is a problem. I believe it is the bator and the temps. What kind of leeway do I have to get things adjusted to the right temps before I have ruined the eggs? All but two of my chickens are first time layers too if that matters. I was impressed with that. Oh and just to throw this in, one of my americana/ee's layed their first egg yesterday.

 

[chicks rule]

Ok, checked again and my Accurite with probe in wiggler is reading: 101.1/43% the other I put in there without probe is reading: 108/37%

 

[speckledhen]

The other one, what type is it? If that air temp is anywhere near correct, you'd need to adjust downward bigtime. I'm not sure if the water wiggler is already at temp or is still rising at this point, though. If it stays where it is, then your second thermometer has to be wrong, I'd think.

 

[chicks rule]

The wiggler is at temp, it went from one set of eggs to the next, dropped to 96 or so while I was setting the next batch of eggs. The other thermometer is an accurite also without a probe.

 

[speckledhen]

Hmm, I have two AcuRites exactly alike with the probe. The probes are accurate, but the top temp on one reads a degree off and its humidity reads about 5% too low. I can't picture the one that doesn't have a probe. Is that the Indoor Humidity Monitor or another one? I'm trying to figure out which one is right and if the 108 is correct, then we have a problem. Hmm, what to do?

 

[Poison Ivy]

I would try a 3rd themometer or if you have a medical/baby thermometer you could use to test the other 2 that you have. I would guess your temps are off. I lost 2 batches of eggs when I first started out from faulty thermometers. I finally bought the ones they use for cigar cabinets and it's right on the money. Plus the hygrometer is adjustable. I use the salt water test to calibrate them. But my acurite one from walmart is right on with the temps. But humidity reads different from my new ones so I will stick with the ones from cheaphumidor.com Had them for two weeks now and have tested them 3 times and they have held temps and humidity reading great.

 

[chicks rule]

Poison Ivy, Which one did you get from that place? I had the second therm. sitting on the turner and it has a magnet on the back of it, would that affect the temp, thought it might explain it being so high, and I think tomorrow I will get another thermo and maybe a meat thermo, I think I read where someone tried that. I am going to get this right sooner or later, lol

I am pretty happy right now with what the accurite with the probe is reading. Hmmmm, think it could be my water wiggler

Thanks everyone for the help and ideas, they are greatly appreciated.

 

[d_rooster]

I started out with the LG still air and became frustrated very quickly at the seemingly constant variation in temperature within the first day. Also, there was a marked difference between the water wiggler temp and the air temp in the incubator. So I just wired up an old personal computer fan to turn my still air into forced air incubator. That made things so much easier in keeping the temperature and humidity steady.

With the fan inside the incubator, the air circulates constantly and the temperature and humidity stay in a narrower range no mater where the thermometer and hygrometer are located in the incubator.

I recommed that you get a glass-type, non-digital thermometer and give that a try for temperature comparisons. During my last few days of incubation, my digital thermometer just dropped about a degree in it's measurement with no change in the incubator temp adjustment. A check on the glass mercury thermometer that I'd been using inside the incubator all through the incubation period told me that the temps had not changed. So I can't say that I completely trust digital thermometers not to flake out. I researched some thermometers online and it seems like the most reasonably priced, yet accurate, non-digital thermometers are the glass basal thermometers like this one:
http://www.ovulation-calculator.com/mercury-free-basal.htm
It indicates that it is accurate to within 0.1 degree Farenheit in a range that is consistent with the temps needed to hatch chicks.

For improving temp adjustment control on the LG incubator, I used an alligator clip to grip the control knob. I can easily see how much I am moving the alligator clip when I turn it to make temp adjustments. It is difficult to see or feel the adjustment on the small knob that came installed on my LG incubator.