Really Frustrated

[Bobwhite quail24]

Ok I got eggs yesterday and before that I ran my incuabtor without water and it stayed perfect, but now it is going everywhere. from 99.7-102.5, Can anyone give me some advice? Also my humidity is at 50 right know should I raise it, and what do I rais it to when I take them out of the auto turner? Thank you so much for your help.

[Pheasant Hollow Farm]

Ok I got eggs yesterday and before that I ran my incuabtor without water and it stayed perfect, but now it is going everywhere. from 99.7-102.5, Can anyone give me some advice? Also my humidity is at 50 right know should I raise it, and what do I rais it to when I take them out of the auto turner? Thank you so much for your help.

First off.
1- what make of incubator
2- still air or circulating
3- what is the outside/ambient temperature
4- how long after the eggs were set did the temps vary
5- where are the temperature reading being taken

Steve
Pheasant Hollow Farm

[Bobwhite quail24]

Ok first it is a little giant still air, Temp being taken from the center same hieght as eggs. My room temp is 72-73F.Please help I would really like to see some chicks next month.

[Pheasant Hollow Farm]

Okay,

The little Giant looks similar to the GQF foam still air that I have.

Did you check the wafer? They have a tendency to become loose.

Even though the incubator held the correct temp prior to the egg placement, I have found on my GQF foam incubator that the temps will drop and rise until all the eggs them self have equal out in the temps prior to temp stabilization. If the temps still vary, try changing the wafer.

The recommended humidity should be around 81-84* wet bulb at 100-101* still air.

Hopefully some of the others will chime in.

Hope this helps.

Steve
Pheasant Hollow Farm

[magnumhntr]

How many of the vent holes do you have open? I'm talking about the 2 that are covered with the little red plastic plugs. Try and plug both of the larger holes, plug 1 hole, plug none. I've got 2 little giants that I started with, and if I recall, I had to plug one and leave the other open. I had the same problem with mine, and changing what holes were plugged/unplugged made the difference for me.

[Bobwhite quail24]

My digital hygrometer says 50 i don't know what wet bulb is? and I have the front plug in. With the back out.

[Pheasant Hollow Farm]

My digital hygrometer says 50 i don't know what wet bulb is? and I have the front plug in. With the back out.

I believe 46-54 on the digital should be fine. Has the temps stablized yet?

Steve
Pheasant Hollow Farm

[Bobwhite quail24]

So when they are taken out of the auto turner I should raise it to 56-65? Thank you guys so much for your help.

[Pheasant Hollow Farm]

sounds about right.

Steve
Pheasant Hollow Farm

[Bobwhite quail24]

ok came home from school today and the temp was 102.7, do you think they would be ok?

[jchiar]

what are you using for a thermometer if you have another one put that in the incubator also this way you can check  and see if you are getting the same readings

[magnumhntr]

Sounds to me you've got some sort of issues with the fluctuation of the temperature in the room you're trying to incubate in. The Little Giants can be tough to get stable. If you can, put the incubator in the basement, in a draft free area, where the temp doesn't vary. You could also invest in the fan to make it a forced air incubator, and you should see less temp fluctuations. Also, make sure the bottom holes are not covered. If you set a towel or something under the incubator, it would not let air flow in freely. Just another idea *shrug*

Also, say you get the temp to stabilize at 100 or so, and it's fine for a few hours, and then you check it and it's say, 99, don't automatically adjust it up. That might be your problem too.... maybe you're trying to overadjust it.

Not criticizing, just offering some suggestions....

[stewaw]

I agree 100% with Magnumhntr on this one. Sounds like an ambient temp problem.  If you don't have access to a basement, stick it in your closet with the door closed.  Whatever you do, keep it out of the sunlight.  Remember, the incubator can ONLY heat the eggs, it can't cool them off if sunlight streaming in through a window turns it into a terrarium. If the bator is sitting on your nightstand under a window where it receives sunlight during some part of the day, it can and will overheat.   I personally don't think your spike of 102.7 will kill the whole bunch, may drop your success a little or rush the hatch date (ever wonder why the recommendation is to "remove the eggs from the turner THREE days before the hatch date")?

Good luck and keep your chin up- You're doing fine,
David

[Bobwhite quail24]

the room has stay'ed 73-74 for a few weeks now

[Bobwhite quail24]

Why does the temp go down when I add water? I add it from the vent hole?