Rural Gardening: Incubator observations and questions, 1 by Catscan

Catscan wrote:
This is my attempt at a homemade incubator. You can see the high/low thermometer and the little round hygrometer/thermometer through the window. You can also see the back of the little black fan I have facing the side (worried about too strong air currents over the eggs--should I be?) and the jelly jar with a sponge and water. I have been running it about a month (much to my DH distress, who can't understand why I keep fiddling with it) and it is pretty stable at 98-101 degrees and 65% humidity. I opened the ventilation holes a little more last night to bring the humidity down closer to 60-62. Now all I need are the eggs. Which will have to wait until mid-March after my work trip. No one would turn or watch over them while I'm gone:(

Someone else mentioned that an important factor is the room temp and that is a big problem for me because I don't have central heat or air and the safest room to keep the incubator in is basically unheated. I can check the temp before I go to work, at lunch and when I get home, but if the temperature goes up to say 103 for the 4-5 hours while I am gone will I lose the chicks? I haven't hooked up the thermostat yet--my light is from one of those work lights with the metal reflector and I would have to take the wires out and fiddle with them--I hate electricity......From what I understand, the thermostat would kick in when the temp dropped significantly low, say 88 degrees or significantly high, 105 and up. Does this happen quickly? Or, if the temp stays no higher than 102 for a few hours will that be similar to what the thermomstat would do?

I am so interested in what everyone else is doing, but the sickly chicks are so sad. One of my rooster was a little sick for a few days as a chick and then recovered completely--but I do know that the more you raise the more you are destinied to lose. It just is worth it.