Little Giant Incubator Tricks

[RickaRae]

Ah! So, cute!!!! We candle again on Thursday, so I'm crossing my fingers! My temps and humidity have been staying fairly stable! I put a mason jar in and the temps are definitely holding better. I may have a *tiny* bit of hope we may get one to hatch! LOL. On a side note, Cmom, is your farm named Hilltop Farm? My dad owns a tree service out here in Cali & it's Hilltop Tree Service! I thought that was a neat coincidence!

 

[cmom]

Ah! So, cute!!!! We candle again on Thursday, so I'm crossing my fingers! My temps and humidity have been staying fairly stable! I put a mason jar in and the temps are definitely holding better. I may have a *tiny* bit of hope we may get one to hatch! LOL. On a side note, Cmom, is your farm named Hilltop Farm? My dad owns a tree service out here in Cali & it's Hilltop Tree Service! I thought that was a neat coincidence!

Yes, our farm is Hilltop Farm because we are on top of a hill. Many people think of Florida as flat and when they come up they are surprised.

 

[jklyles1]

On day 10 with 8 eggs still going strong. Im almost sure im gonna take the turner out and lay the eggs on their sides for lockdown. Has anyone done this in the LG forced air and not changed the temp or raised the eggs up? Some say there is enough temp difference to kill the chicks the last 3 days

 

[Farmergreen]

I just stumbled on this and stopped to look. I have 2 280 egg Bators and I still use my "Old Styro" for like 4 or 5 eggs of a special breed. I use a combination of the Ideas I read. I use half of a Styrofoam egg carton for my reservoir. Cmom I'll give you the farm and a zillion bucks for that brooder
.

 

[Farmergreen]

On day 10 with 8 eggs still going strong. Im almost sure im gonna take the turner out and lay the eggs on their sides for lockdown. Has anyone done this in the LG forced air and not changed the temp or raised the eggs up? Some say there is enough temp difference to kill the chicks the last 3 days

I always turned mine by hand. Now if you are going to open the top twice a day your room temp needs to be warm as mush as 85 at all times.
Don't worry about marking them. Never seen a hen with a pen. Just pop the top up high enough to slide your arm in roll the eggs around and down with the lid (well under a min.) done. They will all get moved, it's the moving not the turning that is the goal. I had spent all my boyhood watching Hens set and tend eggs. Just copy nature as closely as you can. If you can mark the eggs under a setting hen, one that likes you! Look once a day and you will be amazed at the movement of the eggs.

 

[cmom]

On day 10 with 8 eggs still going strong. Im almost sure im gonna take the turner out and lay the eggs on their sides for lockdown. Has anyone done this in the LG forced air and not changed the temp or raised the eggs up? Some say there is enough temp difference to kill the chicks the last 3 days

Don't worry the eggs will be fine. I take my turner out. Remember one thing when a broody incubates her eggs she usually gets off her nest for a few minutes to eat, drink and poop and she doesn't worry about the temperature of the eggs when she is off the nest. It takes quite a long time for the internal temperature to raise when the eggs first go into an incubator and it takes quite awhile for the eggs internal temperature to go down too.

 

[cmom]

During lockdown you will see the eggs wiggle. The chick first pips the air cell and then pips the shell but they do move around in the shell. After they pip they will zip. I love to watch them hatch. Some take minutes and some will take hours.

 

[RickaRae]

Yes, our farm is Hilltop Farm because we are on top of a hill. Many people think of Florida as flat and when they come up they are surprised.

I DO think of Florida as flat, but I live in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Just candled yesterday & looks like both eggs left are progressing nicely, but the air cell might still be slightly large. I'm sure someone (I think Arielle) mentioned delaying lockdown, but now I'm concerned because they're bantam eggs & someone (maybe Arielle, too!) said they might tend to hatch early! What should I do?!?

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Banatam eggs usually hatch a little early, so to have the air cell be a little big compared to a standard chicken egg, sounds like you are right on target. THe air cells need to be surprizing ly large or the chicks are too wet. WIth practice you will learn what works.

If the air cells are truley too large, you can slow down the evaporation process by adding a little water = small surface area of water to increase the moisture level.

 

[cmom]

If the humidity is around 35% more or less, I wouldn't worry. You still have quite a way to go. Just check them once in awhile. I think some people worry to much and then I think of my broody's when they are sitting on eggs. Most of the time all of the eggs hatch. Once in awhile there may be an egg or two that don't, but most do. I have had chicks externally pip and hatch before I got the eggs into lockdown. Not to worry...