What to do! - one thermometer 99.5 F, new thermometer inserted through vent 107 F

[Lizz9311]

OK, so here is the basic story. Before I began incubating my chicken eggs, I asked hubby to find me a good thermometer/hygrometer to maintain temp and humidity. He purchased one that appeared to be for aquariums housing reptiles and such. So I set up my 'bator, threw that in, and waited to see if after about 2 days it maintained temp and humidity before adding my eggs. I did not calibrate it as I didn't know I might need to.

Fast forward to today, day 20 of incubation. I have been in lock down for 2 days now. I've been obsessively reading the forums here and noticed many people with the Little Giant still air incubator talking about having two or more thermometers to keep track of various areas around the 'bator. So, I picked up a second thermometer... a digital meat thermometer that I could stick in a vent hole to reach the level of the eggs and get a second temperature reading. The aquarium thermometer was at 99.5 F when I stuck the meat one in. After a few minutes... the digital read 107 F!

So, do you think I killed my chicks by having an inaccurate/single thermometer in my LG still air? Is there still a chance that I will hatch the 6 eggs I have in there if I adjust the temperature a little?

I also purchased a better, digital temperature/humidity gauge to replace the aquarium one currently in the incubator for my next attempt at hatching. (Well, I bought two: one for the room and one for the 'bator. I still might keep the aquarium one in there for additional security... after it's calibrated of course!)

 

[Sylviaanne]

Are you sure the digital meat thermometer was correct? I was using a still air Little Giant with only the thermometer that came with it. I don't think they are as accurate as the temp/humidity meter that my husband bought from Walmart. It definitely gives me something to stare at when I look in the window of my incubator and the eggs are just sitting there. LOL

Unfortunately, you don't know how long your incubator was running at 107 if the meat thermometer was correct. I groggily turned my incubator up instead of down and a few hours later found that it was reading 106. The eggs are on day 12 of incubation and I haven't done this enough to know if the eggs are good, bad or still developing.

Were it me, like I did with my eggs, I'd turn the incubator down and let mother nature take her course. Maybe some of them will hatch, that is what I am praying for. Sylvia

 

[Lizz9311]

Yeah, at this point it is a waiting game. I'm coming to the end of day 21 today and plan to keep my eggs in there until at least day 25, if not longer. I'm 97% sure the meat thermometer is accurate whereas the other may be off and difficult to read being that it is so small. I guess we will see in a few days whether or not this is a successful hatch.

 

[Sylviaanne]

Well, I do wish you luck. Sylvia