6 Best Incubator Digital Displays For Temperature Monitoring For Great Hatches
Achieve great hatches with precise temperature monitoring. Our guide reviews the top 6 digital displays, ensuring optimal conditions for successful incubation.
The thermometer built into your incubator is lying to you. Maybe not by much, but even a degree or two can be the difference between a full hatch of healthy chicks and a tray of disappointment. After all the work of sourcing good eggs and setting up your equipment, trusting that single, often inaccurate, built-in display is the biggest gamble you can take. A reliable, secondary digital thermometer isn’t an accessory; it’s the most critical tool for a successful hatch.
Get fast, accurate temperature readings for the whole family with this no-touch thermometer. It features both forehead and object temperature modes, with a fever alarm and silent mode for ease of use.
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Why Accurate Temperature Monitoring is Crucial
Embryo development happens within an incredibly narrow temperature window. For chickens, that sweet spot is 99.5°F (37.5°C). If your incubator runs consistently at 101°F, you might get an early, rushed hatch with weak chicks and unabsorbed yolks. If it runs at 98°F, you’ll see a delayed, staggered hatch, or worse, embryos that quit developing entirely in the final days.
The problem is that the thermostat on an incubator and its digital display are two different things. You might set the thermostat to 99.5°F, but the actual temperature inside could be 98°F or 101°F. Without an independent, calibrated thermometer placed at egg level, you’re just guessing. This single piece of equipment removes the guesswork and gives you control over the most important variable in incubation.
Govee H5075: Smart Bluetooth Temp & Humidity
Monitor your home's environment with the Govee Bluetooth Hygrometer Thermometer. Track temperature and humidity remotely via the app, receive instant alerts, and export up to 2 years of data.
The Govee is for the hobbyist who appreciates modern convenience. Its biggest advantage is the Bluetooth connection to your smartphone. You can check the temperature and humidity inside your incubator from the living room without ever having to lift the lid and disturb the environment. This is a huge benefit, especially during lockdown in the final three days.
The app also stores historical data, allowing you to see if there were any temperature swings overnight due to a draft or a brief power flicker. The tradeoff is that you’re relying on technology; you need to be within Bluetooth range, and it requires batteries. But for peace of mind and data-driven adjustments, it’s a fantastic tool that lets you monitor your hatch without being tethered to the incubator.
Brinsea Spot-Check: A Calibrated Incubator Tool
If you demand precision above all else, the Brinsea Spot-Check is your instrument. This isn’t just another digital thermometer; it’s a tool specifically designed and calibrated for incubator use. It reads in tenths of a degree, giving you an extremely precise picture of what’s happening inside the machine.
Think of the Spot-Check less as a daily monitor and more as your "master thermometer." Use it to verify the accuracy of your incubator’s built-in display and any other thermometers you use. While it’s more expensive than other options, its reliability is unmatched. It’s the perfect choice for calibrating a new incubator at the start of the season or for troubleshooting a series of poor hatches.
AcuRite 00613: A Simple, Reliable Digital Choice
Easily monitor indoor comfort with the AcuRite thermometer and hygrometer. It displays temperature and humidity at a glance, tracking daily highs and lows, and offers versatile mounting options.
Sometimes, you just need a tool that does its job without any fuss. The AcuRite 00613 is that tool. It’s an affordable, widely available, and dependable digital hygrometer/thermometer that has become a staple in the poultry-keeping community for good reason. It’s simple to use, with a clear display showing current temperature, humidity, and daily high/low readings.
This isn’t a smart device—there are no apps or remote sensors. It’s a workhorse. The high/low memory feature is incredibly useful for checking if your incubator maintained a stable temperature overnight. Its main job is to provide a reliable second opinion to your incubator’s built-in display, and it does that job exceptionally well. Just be sure to test its accuracy before you trust it with a batch of valuable eggs.
Inkbird ITH-20R: Remote Sensor for Pinpoint Data
The Inkbird ITH-20R solves a common problem: where to place the thermometer. Its design features a main display unit that sits outside the incubator, connected to a small sensor probe via a thin wire or a wireless signal. This allows you to position the actual sensor exactly where it needs to be—right at the level of the eggs—without the bulky display unit taking up space or blocking airflow.
This is a huge advantage. Temperature can vary inside an incubator, and a reading taken near the lid can be very different from a reading next to the developing embryos. The Inkbird’s remote probe ensures you are measuring the temperature that the eggs are actually experiencing. The thin wire is designed to slip through a vent hole or be closed in the lid without breaking the seal, making it a practical and accurate monitoring solution.
JEDEW 4-Pack Mini: Monitoring Multiple Incubators
If you’re running more than one incubator, or perhaps a separate hatcher, buying individual high-end thermometers gets expensive fast. This is where multi-packs of mini thermometers shine. They are incredibly affordable and small enough to tuck into multiple spots to check for consistency. You can place one in each corner of a large cabinet incubator to map out hot or cold spots.
The key tradeoff here is precision for quantity. These mini units are generally less accurate than their larger, more expensive counterparts. The best approach is to test all four against a calibrated thermometer (like the Brinsea), identify the most accurate one for your primary incubator, and use the others for your secondary machines or for checking relative temperatures. They are excellent for identifying major problems, not for fine-tuning to a tenth of a degree.
ThermoPro TP50: Large Display for Easy Reading
The primary benefit of the ThermoPro TP50 is its large, high-contrast LCD screen. It’s designed for at-a-glance readability from across the room. When you’re constantly walking past your incubator, being able to get a quick, clear reading without squinting is a simple but significant quality-of-life improvement.
Functionally, it’s very similar to the AcuRite, offering reliable temperature and humidity readings along with high and low records. Its robust stand and magnetic back also make it a versatile tool that you’ll find uses for beyond incubation, from the brooder to the greenhouse. It represents a solid, no-nonsense option that prioritizes ease of use and clear communication of the most vital data.
How to Calibrate and Place Your New Thermometer
Before you place any new thermometer in your incubator, you need to know if it’s accurate. The easiest way is the ice water test. Fill a glass to the top with crushed ice, then add cold water. After a few minutes, the water should be 32°F (0°C). Place your thermometer’s sensor in the water (not touching the glass) and see how close it gets. If it’s off by more than a degree, you know to mentally adjust its readings or choose a different unit.
Placement is just as critical as accuracy. The thermometer’s sensor must be placed at the same height as the top of your eggs. That is where the embryos are developing. Placing it on the incubator floor or taping it to an interior wall will give you a false reading. Your goal is to adjust the incubator’s thermostat until your calibrated, correctly placed thermometer reads a steady 99.5°F. Always trust your independent thermometer over the incubator’s built-in one.
Ultimately, the specific brand you choose is less important than the commitment to using an independent, verified thermometer. This small investment of time and money protects your larger investment in fertile eggs and your hopes for a successful hatch. It transforms incubation from a game of chance into a predictable process, giving you the data you need to bring new life to your farmstead.
