where to put thermometers???

[bald k9]

where are you supposed to put the thermometers in a still air incubator, I just read 3 different articles and they all say something different, 1 .put thermometer on floor and set to 102
2. put on top of eggs and set to 101.5
3. put on side of eggs and set to 99.5 to 101

whaich of these is correct, and where do you put yours?

 

[Edwards' East of Eden]

This is all because in a still air incubator, the air stratifies and layers out. Heat rises. If you don't have a fan circulating the air, then you're going to have different temperatures everywhere.

So, people have figured out that to get the inside of the egg 99.5, that takes an air temperature of about 102 at floor level. And, they've figured out that if the air is 101.5 at the level of the top of the eggs, then at the level of the center of the egg it's about 99.5-100.

That's a bunch of trouble, isn't it?

So make a water wiggler and slip the thermometer in there, and put it on level with the eggs.

You can get a thermometer with a probe in the cooking aisle at Walmart, if you don't have one. Calibrate it by packing a glass as full of ice as you can, then putting cold water over it. Put your probe (no, not that one, the one attached to the thermometer, silly!) in the glass and stir it up. Watch the readout until it quits dropping. It should go down to 32*. If it's one side or the other, then remember that you have to always make that adjustment when you look at the readout from now on - so if it reads 28*, you're going to have to always add 4* to the readout, and you'll want to be shooting for that readout to say 95-96* instead of 99-100*. Make sense?

Then double-bag a cup or so of water in ziplocs, roll them in a tube and run masking tape around them to hold them there, and slip the probe through one of your ventilation holes and into the center tunnel of the bag. Voila! Water wiggler, and a good solid estimate of the actual temperature inside your eggs, where it matters, instead of the temperature of the air around your eggs.

That water's going to help as a heat-sink, too, to steady your temperatures some. Good luck!

 

[bald k9]

LOL [you said probe]LOL So if a thermometer is on the grate in the incubator it should read 102? so what should it read if the thermo is on top of the egg? 105? to make it easy ,i have two thermo's where shouls i put them and what should they read?? thanks for all the help

 

[Edwards' East of Eden]

On the grate, next to the eggs, in a still air? I'd go, based on my research here, about 100-101 air temperature. I wouldn't freak out over the occasional short spike to 102.

You need to make sure that thermometer's calibrated, though. And a wiggler would still be the better way to go.

 

[pete55]

Hi

Here's a thread I did earlier this year which should help you though it's quite long.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=491013

Hope that helps.

Pete

 

[Dipsy Doodle Doo]

Quote:
Hi! You should be measuring the air temperature at egg height (top of the egg) --- 101.5 for still air incubator and 99.5 for circulated air (fan).
Good luck!

Lisa

 

[bald k9]

thank you!