Little Giant Incubator Tricks

[Arielle]

Those little red caps that close the holes ..do ya leave both out or one in til day 18 than remove both? Thanks

THis is a matter of opinion.

Both must be out by day 18-- that is a given.

As I have a fan in my LG and that move more air thru the incubator, I do play with which hole I plug to fine tune the temp without touching the thermostat knob. Covering the fan hole holds in more heat than if the other hole without a fan is covered. SO fine turning of the temps.

Realize that these are growing babies that depend on sufficient air flow to get the oxygen that they need to live and grow.

Some people leave out the plugs always; this can be done if another incubator is used for the last 3 days of hatching.

Hopefully you will hear some other opinions as well as others chime in.

 

[Sylviaanne]

Those little red caps that close the holes ..do ya leave both out or one in til day 18 than remove both? Thanks

I took mine out and they are used so much that they have gotten lost. LOL I figured they helped keep the heat in and when I got my incubators set, I didn't put them back because the incubators don't fluctuate very much.

 

[Sylviaanne]

Some people leave out the plugs always; this can be done if another incubator is used for the last 3 days of hatching.

I don't have a lot of experience messing with the settings and plugs of my incubators. I take the plugs out and leave them. Why do you say that above? Why should one use a 2nd incubator for the last 3 days?

 

[cmom]

oops

 

[CGinJCMO]

Quote: I'm not Arielle so I don't know their reason but I find when I take the eggs out of the turner, the temp. at the top of the eggs lowers because they are farther away from the heat source. Plus they say the turner motor produces heat so I effectively took away a heat source.

CG

 

[cmom]

Those little red caps that close the holes ..do ya leave both out or one in til day 18 than remove both? Thanks

I'm sure you will get many different opinions. Myself, it depends on how the temperature and humidity is holding. I do dry incubate and increase the humidity the last 3 days. I use to incubate and hatch in styrofoam incubators but a few years ago I bought a cabinet incubator that I incubate in but I still use the styrofoam incubators as hatchers. I believe I have posted some pictures in this thread.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I'm not Arielle so I don't know their reason but I find when I take the eggs out of the turner, the temp. at the top of the eggs lowers because they are farther away from the heat source. Plus they say the turner motor produces heat so I effectively took away a heat source.

CG
yup-- that is one reason.

I use two incubators so I can be continuously incubating and hatching. LG is mostly the hatcher now. A few still hatch in the incubator if I have missed them in the pile of eggs. lol

My incubators fluctuate with the weather. As the temps creep upward, the incubators also creeep up. IF a few cold nights blow thru the temps drop in the incubator.

Minute adjustments are just right for my set up.

 

[Sylviaanne]

yup-- that is one reason.

I use two incubators so I can be continuously incubating and hatching. LG is mostly the hatcher now. A few still hatch in the incubator if I have missed them in the pile of eggs. lol

My incubators fluctuate with the weather. As the temps creep upward, the incubators also creeep up. IF a few cold nights blow thru the temps drop in the incubator.

Minute adjustments are just right for my set up.

I have 2 LG incubators, one still air and the new one with a fan. I bought 2 egg turners, one for each but at this time I have eggs in bator 2 with an egg turner. Maybe for hatching I will try moving the eggs that came from my chickens into the still air. I am afraid to tamper with the silkie eggs as I paid money for them and moving them could mess them up but what I will do is on day 18, unplug the egg turner.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I move the eggs from the hatcher to the incubator at day 18 or so. I like to keep shipped eggs upright during both incubating and hatching, but check frquently for pips at the wrong end, which can happen.

YOu might be alreight with turning off the turner. DOes you LG drop in temp or hold?? THis is also dependent on the number of eggs because they give off a lot of heat.

 

[cblaese]

Thanks everyone! I take the one out by the egg turner motor and on day 18 I take both out.. I use the one and slow adjust it to remove it so it doesn't drop temp humidity too fast .. its a still air lg ..