Incubator temp vs independent thermometer temp

[sjhart18]

Hi All!
I'm hatching Coturnix quail for the first time and the built-in thermometer and the separate thermometer/hygrometer are saying two different things. I'm not sure which one to trust so I've kinda compromised...

The incubator thermometer is set to 38.8C (101.8F), and the separate thermometer/hygrometer reads 97.8-98F. I figure the incubator thermometer is probably more accurate than my little one, but I'm still erring on the side of caution by setting it higher than the suggested 38C. Given the healthy range seems to be 98-102F from the sources I've read, do you think this is probably fine? I'm so nervous!

Ps. My eggs went in today so there is definitely still time to adjust settings

 

[MarkJr]

What does your thermometer read when measuring temp of cup of ice with just enough water to make ice float?

 

[mcdze]

i'd source another thermometer and try them at different spots around the incubator at egg level, try to get the average within limits .. what i wouldnt do is trust the built-in one .. also check thoughout the day and night as ambient temps change to see how that affecting it ... you'll start coming up with a better picture of whats going on ... if you set it and forget it without alittle observation its likely to be off enough to affect the hatch ...

 

[Mellowmalt]

What does your thermometer read when measuring temp of cup of ice with just enough water to make ice float?

no offence mark, but sj please ignore any advice to calibrate a thermometer with ice.
You'd be better off shoving it up your bum and using your body heat to calibrate it but I would not recommend either method as being scientifically accurate.


Incubator thermometers are not accurate. They are not designed to be, their main job is to keep the temp at the temperature you set it at so be skeptical of the incubator thermometer but be skeptical of any small budget thermometer too. They are all off by a degree or so, the more you have the more you can judge how accurate or how much off it might be.

Furthermore in a still air incubator you want the there to be a big temperature gradient in the incubator. You want temps to be 104 at the top, 102 at the tip of the egg, 100 in the middle and 98 F at the bottom with the thermometer placed just below the egg.

Place your thermometer in several different places, let it adjust for an hour minimum to get an accurate read and compare the temperature throughout.

Do not be afraid to set the incubator temp too high if you feel it is not accurate.

Like my speedometer on my car is not accurate either, I could follow the speed shown and annoy the rest of the road or I can drive a bit faster to make up for my speedometer being off. Am I speeding if my speedometer is showing I am above the speed limit? The answer is actually no... So treat your incubator like I treat my car!

 

[als77]

If you want to be on the cautious side then you should LOWER the temperature and not increase it; eggs are more prone to high temperature (more likely to kill them) than low (which, unless you go very low, will just delay hatching)

I don't think you mentioned whether you have a forced or still air, but 102F (38.9C) sounds very high to me.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Use an oral thermometer. Put it down the vent hole of incubator. Usually the styro table tops have a light indicating when heating unit is turned on. Temp swings from 30 seconds after light turns on to the high temp 30 seconds after the light turns off. With the oral thermometer get both readings and average them. That's the true temp.

If a unit with fan then temp assumed same throughout. Still air incubators you read temp at top level of eggs as the heat stacks in them. It will be colder bottom level of eggs. This could also be a contributing factor to your different readings. If eggs are upright in turner then the temp you are shooting for is 101 F (38.3 C).

Never trust the incubator gadgets. Some even have hygrometers and those are not accurate either.

 

[sjhart18]

This is all great advice! I'd been wondering if it was better to be too low or too high. As it turns out, my mini thermometer/hygrometer was Not waterproof so it maintained some water damage when I did the ice test and briefly read 99% humidity.

Upside: it seems to have reset itself and now the temperatures are matching much better.
Downside: I'm worried I've been cooking my eggs. Thoughts?

 

[MarkJr]

no offence mark, but sj please ignore any advice to calibrate a thermometer with ice.
You'd be better off shoving it up your bum and using your body heat to calibrate it but I would not recommend either method as being scientifically accurate.


Incubator thermometers are not accurate. They are not designed to be, their main job is to keep the temp at the temperature you set it at so be skeptical of the incubator thermometer but be skeptical of any small budget thermometer too. They are all off by a degree or so, the more you have the more you can judge how accurate or how much off it might be.

Furthermore in a still air incubator you want the there to be a big temperature gradient in the incubator. You want temps to be 104 at the top, 102 at the tip of the egg, 100 in the middle and 98 F at the bottom with the thermometer placed just below the egg.

Place your thermometer in several different places, let it adjust for an hour minimum to get an accurate read and compare the temperature throughout.

Do not be afraid to set the incubator temp too high if you feel it is not accurate.

Like my speedometer on my car is not accurate either, I could follow the speed shown and annoy the rest of the road or I can drive a bit faster to make up for my speedometer being off. Am I speeding if my speedometer is showing I am above the speed limit? The answer is actually no... So treat your incubator like I treat my car!

A quantity of ice in water will be close enough to 32⁰F to tell how far off a thermometer is.

Like your car, it will be a percentage high or low. It's the difference between getting ticketed or only having a 33% hatch rate.

Just because traffic is moving faster than you are doesn't make your indicated speed wrong. It's due diligence to check your measurements with known distance and a stop watch, or a radar station.... then adjust.

 

[MarkJr]

https://www.thermoworks.com/thermapen101_creating_an_icebath

 

[MarkJr]

https://thermometerwiki.com/how-to-calibrate-a-thermometer/