Which is better: too hot or too cold?

[le_bwah]

Even with three thermometers I can't quite figure out the temperature in my incubator. One reads around 97F, another at 100F (correct for quail), and the last at 102F (incubator's display). Being that I don't have another thermometer on hand, and would like to avoid buying one just now, which temperature should I go by? I figure a few degrees isn't too much, but I'd appreciate advice from someone more experienced (this is my first hatch, hopefully).

 

[lazy gardener]

You need to calibrate one of your thermometers. Do you have a digital fever thermometer? Those are guaranteed accurate to +/- .2*F. I use either a digital or my old stand by: an old fashioned mercury bulb rectal thermometer. Place the gold standard in a cup or bowl of water that is approximately 100*F, along with the submersible thermometer you want to calibrate. Don't let either thermometer touch bottom or sides of the container. Wait for them to equalize, then make note of the difference. Say your medical grade thermometer reads 101.2* and your other one reads 99.7. You then know that your other one reads 1.5* LOW. So, add 1.5 to what ever reading that gives you to know what the temp is in your bator.

If your bator has a fan, your goal should be 99.5*. If no fan, the reading at the top of the eggs should be 102*. Before putting eggs in the bator, run it for a few days, checking all areas of bator for warm/cool spots.

 

[le_bwah]

You need to calibrate one of your thermometers. Do you have a digital fever thermometer? Those are guaranteed accurate to +/- .2*F. I use either a digital or my old stand by: an old fashioned mercury bulb rectal thermometer. Place the gold standard in a cup or bowl of water that is approximately 100*F, along with the submersible thermometer you want to calibrate. Don't let either thermometer touch bottom or sides of the container. Wait for them to equalize, then make note of the difference. Say your medical grade thermometer reads 101.2* and your other one reads 99.7. You then know that your other one reads 1.5* LOW. So, add 1.5 to what ever reading that gives you to know what the temp is in your bator.

If your bator has a fan, your goal should be 99.5*. If no fan, the reading at the top of the eggs should be 102*. Before putting eggs in the bator, run it for a few days, checking all areas of bator for warm/cool spots.

Thanks for the advice. I have a mercury thermometer but wasn't sure it would work the same as the metal probe. This method makes sense. Glad to be working the kinks out before I set any eggs.

 

[lazy gardener]

Is your mercury thermometer a medical one? When I run my bators to tweak them before setting eggs, I put water bottles in to approximate the volume of eggs I will be setting. A dozen large eggs weighs 24 oz. If I have room in my bator after putting eggs in, I leave the water bottles as heat sinks.

 

[le_bwah]

It is a medical thermometer. Will that not work?

 

[lazy gardener]

That will work just fine.