Preparing my low-end Styrofoam Incubator for the Eclipsed Hatching Eggs 04/08/2024

Getting ready to set a batch of chicken eggs in the "cheap" Styrofoam Incubator. I paid around $130 for it a couple of years ago. It has the optional "forced air" fan and an automatic egg-turning tray (essential for any success at all). I've had good results with it in the past, but the thermostat is not accurate. I had to re-calibrate it with a more accurate analog gauge probe thermometer. This Incubator consistently runs 3 to 4 degrees too hot. That is enough to kill the embryos or cause the chicks to hatch with horrible birth defects. Ideal incubation temperature for chickens is 100 degrees. I aim for 99 degrees since the internal temperature fluctuates plus or minus 2 degrees every time the heating element cycles on and off. Humidity can also be a major issue. Too much humidity will cause the baby chicks to drown before they can hatch. Not enough humidity can cause them to get dehydrated and stick to the inside of the shell. It's a balancing act and has to be watched closely to keep it optimal for developing and hatching chicks. There is a port on the side to add distilled water as needed. Being careful not to get the electrical components wet, I washed it out with warm soapy water and then disinfected it with a weak bleach solution. Rinsed it out to air dry and then plugged it in to stabilize the temperature for several hours before adding the fertile hatching eggs.