Temp variation limits

[MightyMama]

Only one day left to figure this out for my first time. Circulated air, egg turner, LG.

When temp is set to 99.7, variation is from 98.45 to 100.6, but over the course of 5-6 hours averages about 99.6

When set to 99.8, variations from 98.89 to 100.8, again averaging about 99.6.

When set to 99.9, it no longer dips to 98 but the high is hitting 101.3.

Where would you set it? My guess would be 99.8, but I'm concerned about the lows being that low...

 

[Deryk]

I asked this question earlier with limited results so I am watching yours. I racked my brain the same way you are now with both temperature variations as well as thermometer sensor delay. I tend to overthink everything as you will see if you read below.

I currently have 4 different thermometers in an incubator. 2 are digital and have been calibrated, anther is mercury, and the last is an analog meat thermometer. Here are my observations:

The meat thermometer and mercury thermometer react very slowly and basically don't move at all while the heat cycles from on and off constantly showing a temp of 99 or 100 degrees all the time.

The first digital thermometer is an Omron oral thermometer designed to check for fevers. It reacts virtually with no sensor delay. When I watch it my temperature variation is about 2.5 degrees. I try to keep mine from 98.8-101.5. I have verified the internal egg temperature is 99.5 throughout incubation with this thermometer.

The second digital thermometer is an inkbird temperature control. The sensor delay on this thermometer is around 1 minute. Due to the increased delay in the reporting to the unit from the sensor the temperature range "appears" much smaller. The range I get on this thermometer is 99.2-100.

When I first asked the question about temperature variation I got the feeling that most everyone uses thermometers with a high sensor delay and they think they have less variation than they do in reality. There is no way to keep exactly a 99.5 constant temperature; I think the ultimate quest is to do everything you can to have that your average while minimizing the variation through heat sinks and thermostat efficiency.

I wish I had a better answer for you.

 

[MightyMama]

It does help, but it is weird that everything you read says how important the temp is, and yet I can't find an answer for this either in google or on any forum/group that I'm in. I'm so nervous, I don't want to have to do this more than once.

 

[cavemanrich]

Consider the real world where a broody hen is sitting on eggs. I don't think she has electronics inside. I think it is better to error on the lower temp, because the higher may cook your eggs. JMO.
WISHING YOU A GOOD HATCH......

 

[JaeG]

As long as it's not getting too warm (which it isn't) any of those temperatures (and their variations) sound fine. The internal temperature of the eggs is much more constant than the air temperature so small variations aren't going to worry your little chickies. Humidity is probably more important so keep an eye on your air cells to ensure they are tracking as they should. It's important the eggs lose enough moisture so that there is a good pocket of air for the chicks to internally pip into to sustain them until they can externally pip. Otherwise they will suffocate.

Happy hatching! It's so much fun (but not without its fair share of anxiety - be prepared to hover by your incubator as you near hatch time - you'll be squinting at those eggs searching for a pip)!

 

[Pork Pie]

If I remember correctly (dangerous ground, for me) Brinsea suggest that the upper harmful temp for incubation is 104, so you should be ok. Incubation becomes as much an art form, than a skill, so be prepared for failures (partial ones) and keep a record of settings so you can change them in the future to improve hatch rates.

 

[Deryk]

Like I said, I wracked my brain but in the end just had to go with something that felt right. I have my incubator set up to average the 99.5 in the egg and I ignore the variation. As a safety net I have the incubator plugged into the inkbird and it is set to shutoff if the temperature reaches 102 and then kick back on if it drops to 100.

For my peace of mind I took an egg that was not being set and drilled a hole in it, then covered the hole with a small piece of electrical tape. Then I set that and used the Omron to check the temp inside the egg several times (I made sure it was accurate by checking my own temp first...lol). It's a redneck way of doing it but for me it worked and made me feel more confident about my eggs going in there.

Had one hatch over night and 4 are pipped this morning out of 14 so far. Gotta run and get a brooder set up.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Only one day left to figure this out for my first time. Circulated air, egg turner, LG.

When temp is set to 99.7, variation is from 98.45 to 100.6, but over the course of 5-6 hours averages about 99.6

When set to 99.8, variations from 98.89 to 100.8, again averaging about 99.6.

When set to 99.9, it no longer dips to 98 but the high is hitting 101.3.

Where would you set it? My guess would be 99.8, but I'm concerned about the lows being that low...

The advertised circulated air doesn't have a fan in it right? If no fan then it's a still air. Still air work best if you set the temp to 101.5 F measured at top level of eggs. As they are standing up in auto turner that's the temp you want at top level of eggs. Reason for this is without Forced Air provided by fan the air is layered and varies in temp quite a lot from bottom of incubator to top. With the egg upright the temp you incubate at is 101.5 measured at the top level of egg. Or place a thermometer in egg turner so it's mid level of egg and set temp to average 99.5 F. Once the turner is taken out you'll have to adjust temp again as eggs will be bottom of incubator.

Temperature swings will occur but can be reduced by adding mass to the incubator. The mass of eggs themselves once placed in will narrow the range of temp swing significantly. If that's not enough then you can add a few rocks. These will bring up the low end of swing as they retain heat, an empty incubator doesn't. When the heat element turns off it won't turn back on until a temp point, once on again it takes time for the element to warm up and it's in this time the incubator temp continues to drop. With many eggs in or added thermal mass the incubator will not drop temp as fast narrowing the swing range.

Regardless, it's an average of temp inside the egg your shooting for. Know that the inside of egg is keeping an average temp, the air your measuring outside of egg is what is swinging back and forth and will vary from bottom level of egg to top.

 

[MightyMama]

I've been working so hard at figuring out the temp with the turner...I have another 24 hours to practice. Should I take the turner out and figure it out for the hatch? I'm assuming we would still be looking for 99.5, right?

 

[MightyMama]

Or...do I leave it so its still nice and even when I put the eggs...