Feel free to skip the background info if needed:
For the past 10 years, I have been using a Little Giant 9200 incubator from TSC. I used incubating as a hobby then, as I do now. When I first began, I made mistakes without even knowing. From depending on the stock glass thermometer to keeping the Incubator full of water (with all plugs closed) the entire incubation, if you can think of a way to devastate a hatch I've had it happen. From my 25% hatch rates, I began to search the Internet and found this site full of wonderful and wise chicken experts. With time and learning the basics, my hatch rate got into the 70% range; I couldn't have been more pleased. However, the past few years I've been stuck around a 80% hatch rate, attempting each time to get a 100% hatch as others have achieved.
Recently, I made the conclusion that my practices were solid, yet the wide temperature swings of my now 10 year old stryo-bater were to blame. This spring, in the midst of a strange chicken fever, I managed to gather too many eggs for my old LG to handle. Unable to bare eating the extra eggs, I went on the prowl for another incubator. I discovered little giant has made improvements, and bought the LG 9300 with turner. The digital temperature control appeared to be the cure for my current hassle of maintaining temperature. Once I got home, I saw all of the rancid reviews for this incubator. I set it up despite the reviews, and it holds a perfect, true temperature.
The Experiment
My goal is to not only test the accuracy of the reviews, yet determine if the 9300 produces better hatches. I gathered 72 eggs, (kinda overboard
) 24 of the eggs are Rhode Island Red while the rest are Gold/Silver Laced Wyandotte. both incubators had been running for a week, each holding a steady temperature of 101.5. During this week, I was surprised by the performance of the LG 9300. Although there were slight temperature fluctuations in the room, the 9300 never altered more than +- .2 of a degree; while the LG 9200 dropped to 97 one night. Both incubators are using a turner, and in the same room. I am using a dry incubation, until the egg cells appear too large and then I will add humidity to both. I set the eggs on March 7th, and the eggs are due to hatch March 28th. I put 12 Rhode Island Red eggs in each incubator and filled each incubator with the rest.
Side Notes
The 9300 really helps with my temperature paranoia, I'm not even worried that it will experience temperature swings as it adjust itself accordingly.
Day 6- I removed 10 infertile eggs - 7 from the 9300 and 3 from the 9200. I candled the eggs tonight, and they appear to be on track both in development and egg cell size, any feedback?
Day 7- I can easily see movement in eggs in both incubators. Haven't had any temperature swings in either incubator and both are still incubating dry.
Pictures
LG 9300
LG 9200
Both images are a day 6 egg which has a very thin shell. This egg will be my candler due to it's thin shell.
Normal shelled egg and development. (Day 6)
Day 7, thin shelled egg. Difficult to see anything in normal eggs.
I will update as the experiment progresses, feel free to ask any questions not covered and offer any advice you have!
For the past 10 years, I have been using a Little Giant 9200 incubator from TSC. I used incubating as a hobby then, as I do now. When I first began, I made mistakes without even knowing. From depending on the stock glass thermometer to keeping the Incubator full of water (with all plugs closed) the entire incubation, if you can think of a way to devastate a hatch I've had it happen. From my 25% hatch rates, I began to search the Internet and found this site full of wonderful and wise chicken experts. With time and learning the basics, my hatch rate got into the 70% range; I couldn't have been more pleased. However, the past few years I've been stuck around a 80% hatch rate, attempting each time to get a 100% hatch as others have achieved.
Recently, I made the conclusion that my practices were solid, yet the wide temperature swings of my now 10 year old stryo-bater were to blame. This spring, in the midst of a strange chicken fever, I managed to gather too many eggs for my old LG to handle. Unable to bare eating the extra eggs, I went on the prowl for another incubator. I discovered little giant has made improvements, and bought the LG 9300 with turner. The digital temperature control appeared to be the cure for my current hassle of maintaining temperature. Once I got home, I saw all of the rancid reviews for this incubator. I set it up despite the reviews, and it holds a perfect, true temperature.
The Experiment
My goal is to not only test the accuracy of the reviews, yet determine if the 9300 produces better hatches. I gathered 72 eggs, (kinda overboard
) 24 of the eggs are Rhode Island Red while the rest are Gold/Silver Laced Wyandotte. both incubators had been running for a week, each holding a steady temperature of 101.5. During this week, I was surprised by the performance of the LG 9300. Although there were slight temperature fluctuations in the room, the 9300 never altered more than +- .2 of a degree; while the LG 9200 dropped to 97 one night. Both incubators are using a turner, and in the same room. I am using a dry incubation, until the egg cells appear too large and then I will add humidity to both. I set the eggs on March 7th, and the eggs are due to hatch March 28th. I put 12 Rhode Island Red eggs in each incubator and filled each incubator with the rest. Side Notes
The 9300 really helps with my temperature paranoia, I'm not even worried that it will experience temperature swings as it adjust itself accordingly.
Day 6- I removed 10 infertile eggs - 7 from the 9300 and 3 from the 9200. I candled the eggs tonight, and they appear to be on track both in development and egg cell size, any feedback?
Day 7- I can easily see movement in eggs in both incubators. Haven't had any temperature swings in either incubator and both are still incubating dry.
Pictures
LG 9300
LG 9200
Both images are a day 6 egg which has a very thin shell. This egg will be my candler due to it's thin shell.
Normal shelled egg and development. (Day 6)
Day 7, thin shelled egg. Difficult to see anything in normal eggs.
I will update as the experiment progresses, feel free to ask any questions not covered and offer any advice you have!
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