Incubation Help Please!

[MoonstoneKK]

Ok now I feel like I'm being a PIA, but I'm finding I have to babysit my Hovabator and I have to go to work tomorrow. The silly thing fluctuates constantly, going from a nice even 83 at bedtime last night (was on several hours prior to my retiring) to a scarey 80 degrees this morning. I turned the little post and it raised to 84. Since then, and throughout the day, it has gone from 83 to 86 on and off, and anywhere in between.
I am constantly tweaking the thermostat.
I usually turn the house heat down to 65 at night, and 70 during the day, even if I leave the heat at 65 all day long, which I decided to do early in the day today, the Hovabator still seems to vary.
Is there a trick to getting the thing to sit at one temp, or does it always flex a couple degrees? I heard and understood that two degrees matters!
TIA!

 

[Twobeardieguy]

80-85 you will be fine! Where do you have the incubator? Near any heat sources or near a window? How is the humidity?

 

[MoonstoneKK]

Thanks that's a relief, so it's okay for it to bounce from 80-81 to 83-85 pretty much constantly?? I have it in the most temperature-stable part of the house, kind of central in the kitchen. No, not near any windows or drafts, it's on the kitchen counter in a corner near my desk. Where I can check it. Repeatedly. Haha!
The humidity is reading at 65, and that was my next question, what am I shooting for with that?
Thanks!!

 

[spyder79]

80% humidity is the happy spot that you want for the eggs. Some do it dryer but you chance the eggs getting to dry. 80% (or right around that) seems to be the best level.

 

[MoonstoneKK]

I added more water to the grooves in the pan below the wire, should I add some water to the substrate? It was at the right moisture I'm pretty sure when I put the eggs in.
What about misting, is it ok to get the eggs wet and if not how do you "mist" the eggs?
THX the Hovabator should come with reptile instructions instead of just chicken egg instructions...I'd be in trouble without this forum!

 

[spyder79]

no do not mist the eggs directly. You can mist the sides of the container or the lid. and if your humidity drops you can also add a cup of water in the center of the incubator.

 

[MoonstoneKK]

Ok thanks. I have only four left of sixteen, but for a first ever clutch (usually infertile?) I feel lucky to have any fertile eggs. Want to be good and ready for when she lays again.
Kim

 

[Twobeardieguy]

Kim, I think you are doing good! Like Brian said shoot for 80% Humidity! That seems to be the sweet spot for the humidity for most of us. By the way how are you measuring the temps and humidity?

 

[MoonstoneKK]

Lance, I have a round hygrometer lying on the wire bottom next to the egg dishes, it still reads 65 and I have a lot of water in the bottom of the incubator. It's kind of frustrating me...it should go up from what I've read.
Best,
Kim

 

[Twobeardieguy]

Kim, I never really trusted them! I just let the eggs tell me what to do. If the eggs start to collapse then add more water to the substrate, if the eggs start to get mold then back off the humidity. As long as the eggs are white round and plump then you are fine. If you are having problems with them collapsing then you can add warm water to bring the humidity up quickly but only in rare cases you want to do that!