Which thermometer to trust?

[MagpieDucks]

Hello everybody! !


I am currently starting up my incubator for a batch of shipped duck eggs that will be coming in a day or 2. I have 2 thermometers in there. This one:https://www.amazon.com/IncuThermTM-Digital-Thermometer-Hygrometer-Memory/dp/B004XNMG4S
And a simple 7$ meat thermometer from Fleet. I've used the Incutherm one once before and it worked well. I calibrated it for humidity and it was pretty much spot on. I attempted to calibrate the meat thermometer for temperature but it would not hold a steady temperature when submerged in the water. When they are in the incubator they generally read within a degree of eachother but can be as far as 5° apart. O_0 The incutherm one being the more stable. I'm kind of at a loss right and not sure which one to trust. I'd prefer to go with the Incutherm but since it's older and hasn't been calibrated it could be off. So should I go with the old expensive one or the new cheap one? ETA: right now they are reading 7° apart!
Thanks!

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

I just use an oral thermometer.

 

[Laodicia]

I would be more inclined to trust the incutherm, but I use a medical thermometer in the incubator to test my thermometers.

 

[jvls1942]

I strongly using just ONE thermometer.
If you had good success with one of them, then that is the one I would use. Ignore the other one.
NEVER use two thermometers and take the average temperature..
I could go into a long explanation of why, but just trust me on this ..
If your thermometer fluctuates, it is probably because your incubator leaks air..
......jiminwisc........

 

[Joeschooks]

Could you get a third thermometer? I’d also be more inclined to go with the incutherm too if I had to choose.

 

[MagpieDucks]

I strongly using just ONE thermometer.
If you had good success with one of them, then that is the one I would use. Ignore the other one.
NEVER use two thermometers and take the average temperature..
I could go into a long explanation of why, but just trust me on this ..
If your thermometer fluctuates, it is probably because your incubator leaks air..
......jiminwisc........

That's what I figured. The meat thermometer is the only one that's fluctuating. The Incutherm holds a steady temp. That's why I came here. To figure out which one to ditch. . Which right now is most likely the meat.

 

[MagpieDucks]

I started the incubator less than an hour ago. The Incutherm reads 98.4 and the meat reads 102.

 

[BobDBirdDog]

IMHO no matter what thermometer you buy all should be checked for accuracy and calibrated if possible. If they cant be calibrated....do the math (note the differances) and make adjustments. I wrote a very lame article on this topic (testing and calibrations) and its burried on BYC somewhere.
Aha! the bobs lame link..... page 1
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-hygrometer-review-and-recomendation.965347/

 

[BobDBirdDog]

Just look for the tempreture and humidity test on the first page and post.

 

[MagpieDucks]

Now they are .2 degrees away from eachother.