temp fluctuation in incubator

[smallfarmTN.]

Hi folks,
A few questions about my first attempt to hatch Quail eggs. I researched this as best I could and really didn't find much.

I built a homemade incubator (typical foam cooler) using all the parts I saw on the videos I watched. Everything seems OK, but the thermostat that I have, the most popular on the videos ( little black rectangular one) has a wide range it seems to me. I have it set to shut off at 99.5 , but it drops down to 93* before it kicks on again. Doesn't that mean that on average, the eggs will only be slightly warmer than 96*?
Questions:
1. Is this acceptable, or should I change the top end to 101.5 or so to compensate?
2. When candling an egg, how many days old must it be before you begin to see blood vessels and such?  Thanks so much....Steve

[flynpa]

My homemade incubator does the same.  It tops around 101.5 and drops to about 98.  I was really worried about it but had 17 of 22 hatch.

Stuart

[slider]

A digital one works best. You also have to have good control ocer your air flow.