Which one to trust!?

[Ebaumgardner]

I’ve got three different thermometers going, the one that is built in, and two additional digital ones. Humidity is close on all. I’m concerned about the temp. The readings were very low on the digitals earlier so I bumped up the built in thermometer to 103, and finally the two digital read 99-99.5.
I usually incubate at 100. This is the first time I’ve checked with additional thermometers for accuracy, which ones do I go by?? I need to set my eggs tomorrow morning.

 

[nuthatched]

Have you calibrated with ice water and boiling water?

 

[raingarden]

I feel your pain. It's difficult to find two thermometers that will give the same reading. The ones that are the closest for me are fever thermometers. But with their narrow range you cannot calibrate against ice or boiling water. On my list of things to do is trying to calibrate a thermometer against a hen's armpit (under-wing) or maybe the cloaca.

 

[Ebaumgardner]

Have you calibrated with ice water and boiling water?

I didn’t know you could do that with a battery operated thermometer. What do you do

 

[nuthatched]

I didn’t know you could do that with a battery operated thermometer. What do you do

You put some ice in in a glass, let it melt for a few minutes and take a reading. It should read as freezing. Boil some water in a pot, take a reading, it should be a boiling temperature.

 

[NatJ]

I usually incubate at 100. This is the first time I’ve checked with additional thermometers for accuracy, which ones do I go by?? I need to set my eggs tomorrow morning.

If you have used that exact incubator before, and it worked well, you might try using the same settings you used the last time.

Otherwise, I would try to calibrate/check accuracy on at least some of the thermometers before deciding which to trust.

Going with the majority (of the thermometers) would be my third choice. Especially if the incubator has worked well before, using the built-in thermometer, I would be hesitant to trust other thermometers UNTIL they have been checked for accuracy.

I’ve got three different thermometers going, the one that is built in, and two additional digital ones. Humidity is close on all. I’m concerned about the temp. The readings were very low on the digitals earlier so I bumped up the built in thermometer to 103, and finally the two digital read 99-99.5.

 

[Ebaumgardner]

You put some ice in in a glass, let it melt for a few minutes and take a reading. It should read as freezing. Boil some water in a pot, take a reading, it should be a boiling temperature.

Do you physically put the thermometer INTO the water ? Or Hold it on the glass?

 

[nuthatched]

Do you physically put the thermometer INTO the water ? Or Hold it on the glass?

The tip of the thermometer goes into the water unless it says do not immerse.

 

[Ebaumgardner]

If you have used that exact incubator before, and it worked well, you might try using the same settings you used the last time.

Otherwise, I would try to calibrate/check accuracy on at least some of the thermometers before deciding which to trust.

Going with the majority (of the thermometers) would be my third choice. Especially if the incubator has worked well before, using the built-in thermometer, I would be hesitant to trust other thermometers UNTIL they have been checked for accuracy.

The incubator has worked well (keeping consistent temp and humidity) . My hatch rates, which I’ve only hatched twice we’re not good. Most recent hatch last month- I had full grown chicks at 75% at lockdown- moving and active (there were 10 total) then only 3 hatched. I don’t know if it’s just chicks being weak and not being able to hatch or what. My very first hatch was 7/20. I’ve done so Much research, my brain hurts so I just need some guidance, trust the process and know that nature sometimes just has a course, or change my incubation levels and try for difference.

 

[NatJ]

The incubator has worked well (keeping consistent temp and humidity) . My hatch rates, which I’ve only hatched twice we’re not good. Most recent hatch last month- I had full grown chicks at 75% at lockdown- moving and active (there were 10 total) then only 3 hatched. I don’t know if it’s just chicks being weak and not being able to hatch or what. My very first hatch was 7/20. I’ve done so Much research, my brain hurts so I just need some guidance, trust the process and know that nature sometimes just has a course, or change my incubation levels and try for difference.

In that case, yes, calibrate thermometers, then set the incubator to be right according to the calibrated thermometers, and see if that helps hatch rates.

That is a very sensible thing to check at this stage.

How were you turning the eggs?