Optimum temperature for incubator is 99.5F right?

[kubotafoot]

I have an old still air incubator which I have installed a fan to move the air (yup....that's what fans do). I ran the incubator for 2 days to get a feel for the temperature and humidity settings and all was well.....then I put 15 eggs into it..... Here is my dilemma....
I can NOT get a real steady temperature on the thin plastic sheet thermometer laying on top of the eggs, or with the probe set in the same area that reads temperature and humidity. (Got a great one on Amazon for under ten bucks and it is working well, but I digress.....) Temps range from 98.3 F - 101.0 F and the control is SUPER sensitive with a tiny movement taking the temperature up or down by close to two degrees at times. OK, so what is this person's question, already? My question is.....Since I don't seem to be able to keep the temperature at a constant 99.5 F, is it better for the hatch to run a little below or a little higher? Incubator is in house in separate room out of drafts and sun... Room temperature remains constant at around 73, but 99.5 F just is elusive for many of the hours....Higher or lower and why, please? Thanks very much.

 

[chickenlittle21]

The temperature should be between 99 and 101

 

[kubotafoot]

OK, but is it better to run a little low or consistently high?

 

[MGG]

I have an old still air incubator which I have installed a fan to move the air (yup....that's what fans do). I ran the incubator for 2 days to get a feel for the temperature and humidity settings and all was well.....then I put 15 eggs into it..... Here is my dilemma....
I can NOT get a real steady temperature on the thin plastic sheet thermometer laying on top of the eggs, or with the probe set in the same area that reads temperature and humidity. (Got a great one on Amazon for under ten bucks and it is working well, but I digress.....) Temps range from 98.3 F - 101.0 F and the control is SUPER sensitive with a tiny movement taking the temperature up or down by close to two degrees at times. OK, so what is this person's question, already? My question is.....Since I don't seem to be able to keep the temperature at a constant 99.5 F, is it better for the hatch to run a little below or a little higher? Incubator is in house in separate room out of drafts and sun... Room temperature remains constant at around 73, but 99.5 F just is elusive for many of the hours....Higher or lower and why, please? Thanks very much.

Hi! Where is your fan located in the incubator?
Are the thermometers you're using calibrated?
It's better to run cooler, but your chicks may hatch a bit late. 101 for prolonged periods of time could prove to be fatal. Cooler is always better. Best of luck.

 

[MarkJr]

99.5-100.5 is ideal in forced air ‘bator.

My nurture righ settled on 99.0-99.3. They seem to be spot on with candling charts. Eye, veins, etc all developing normal

 

[Tonyroo]

You should post a picture of your incubator setup, so people can get a better idea of your layout.

 

[kubotafoot]

Hi! Where is your fan located in the incubator?
Are the thermometers you're using calibrated?
It's better to run cooler, but your chicks may hatch a bit late. 101 for prolonged periods of time could prove to be fatal. Cooler is always better. Best of luck.

The fan is an add on and at the top of the incubator, made for the unit. Yes, the thermometers are calibrated. I would go with lower better than higher as it made sense but needed confirmation from someone more in the know. Looks like I have settled on 99.1 F for now. Staying pretty stedy, but if I try to raise or lower, it goes off pretty fast and I move it a millimeter! Happy to be at 99.1 F. Will just keep checking and pray for the best.
Thank you so very much.

 

[MGG]

The fan is an add on and at the top of the incubator, made for the unit. Yes, the thermometers are calibrated. I would go with lower better than higher as it made sense but needed confirmation from someone more in the know. Looks like I have settled on 99.1 F for now. Staying pretty stedy, but if I try to raise or lower, it goes off pretty fast and I move it a millimeter! Happy to be at 99.1 F. Will just keep checking and pray for the best.
Thank you so very much.

Ok, gotcha. 99.1 is good. Fingers crossed you have a great hatch, good luck!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

99.5 is correct for a forced air, 100.5 is correct for a still air when measured at the top of the egg.
I've encountered your problem in a huge cabinet incubator I built and had highly accurate instant read thermometers. The temperature would vary by 4 degrees constantly. That is because when the heat elements cycled on and off the thermometers would immediately detect that fluctuation.
I decided to go with just above the low reading. I figured the internal egg temperature (which is all that really matters) would not be affected by the momentary surges in heat.
I also decided to work on different controls to have a steadier temperature.

 

[kubotafoot]

Ok, gotcha. 99.1 is good. Fingers crossed you have a great hatch, good luck!

Yes, high hopes for a great hatch. I have Welsummer eggs and tho I can not get a good look to candle (too dark a shell) I have weighed the eggs at the start and will weigh along the way as time moves on. Had a batch set and then we had the hurricane remnants and lost power for 6+ days, so that hatch was a twinkle in my eye....period. Praying hard for this one to come through. Thanks again.