5 things I wish I knew before I started incubating
- Thread starter taraann81
- Start date
Quote:
I love my Little Giant. I get awesome hatch rates. Who needs Ebay when you can get all kinds of eggs from BYC.
I love my Little Giant. I get awesome hatch rates. Who needs Ebay when you can get all kinds of eggs from BYC.
When you get the temperature set LEAVE IT ALONE. If it goes lower cover the incubator Watch for temperature spikes
Quote:
You might want to get a large disk/knob and glue it to the control knob on the LG. The large disk/knob will act as a turns-reduction mechanism...remember the old tube-type radios with the BIG knobs on them? Those big knobs gave the radios better precision in tuning...turn the tuning knob a 1/4" and the actual stem moved only maybe 1/32".
Just a thought....
Ed
You might want to get a large disk/knob and glue it to the control knob on the LG. The large disk/knob will act as a turns-reduction mechanism...remember the old tube-type radios with the BIG knobs on them? Those big knobs gave the radios better precision in tuning...turn the tuning knob a 1/4" and the actual stem moved only maybe 1/32".
Just a thought....
Ed
pattyjean73 - I'm in the same situation. I'm using our Circulated Air HovaBator and our friends LG, and the HovaBator is keeping the temperature much more regulated. We open the windows of the house in the morning for the cool air to come in and then shut the windows in the afternoon. This causes the temp in the LG to go down and then back up. We've just moved the LG to our basement where the temperature should stay stable (We don't open windows down there)
I would have to say though, the main thing I dislike about LG's is the small viewing windows. I LOVE to watch my babies hatch.
chickenlittle32 - Ours friends should've listened to that one, lol. Last August they incubated a hatch of eggs, but a day or two before the eggs were supposed to hatch they went down to Florida. My mom and I had to set up the brooder, move the chicks into it, and clean the incubator. Was that ever a nasty job.
I would have to say though, the main thing I dislike about LG's is the small viewing windows. I LOVE to watch my babies hatch.
chickenlittle32 - Ours friends should've listened to that one, lol. Last August they incubated a hatch of eggs, but a day or two before the eggs were supposed to hatch they went down to Florida. My mom and I had to set up the brooder, move the chicks into it, and clean the incubator. Was that ever a nasty job.
good idea i'll have to try it the next time
Them little suckers sure eat a lot.
I'm running out of room in the brooder.
Who's going to take care of all these babies while I'm out of town?
I have 300 eggs in the incubator and the power just went out.
I'm running out of room in the brooder.
Who's going to take care of all these babies while I'm out of town?
I have 300 eggs in the incubator and the power just went out.
- Jun 15, 2008
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since i've never hatched, I don't know, but whats wrong with little giant bators?
They have a few minor design issues I dislike. For most it's the sensitivity of the temp knob that causes problems but if you're careful adjusting and give your self plenty of time to get it set the first time then I haven't had any real temp issues with it. I'm using my lg right now for a hatch cause I haven't disinfected hova. It did take me a week to get it to hold the right temp though versus 2 days for the hova. What my complaints are now is that the base is shallow with the opening sitting right even with the mesh. That means when opened all hot humid air is lost where with the deep base of a hova and the sides coming above the height of the eggs it seems to hold that hot humid air for awhile after opening. Makes it better when you find some reason you have to slip the bator open during a hatch. Losing all the humidity can kill a hatch. 2nd issue with the shallow bottom is when hatching quail they bounce around the incubator like ping pong balls and right over anything less than about 4" high. That means opening an lg that you just hatched 50 quail chicks in results in 50 quail chicks running across the table. The hova they remain contained. Last issue I have with the lg is that it only has a few narrow water trough that hold very little water. Filling all the troughs all the way up does not raise the humidity above 40%. The area outside the troughs has air vents so the water would drain out if put there. I had to add jar lids to the corners. In the hova there is a whole tray for water so on the dryest day of winter I can get up to 65% easily for hatching. On the wettest day in spring I can just fill the smallest section with a little water. Overall the hova is just more versatile. The lg works but often requires slight modifications when your running conditions are exactly what it was designed for such as dry areas of the country or seasons.
They have a few minor design issues I dislike. For most it's the sensitivity of the temp knob that causes problems but if you're careful adjusting and give your self plenty of time to get it set the first time then I haven't had any real temp issues with it. I'm using my lg right now for a hatch cause I haven't disinfected hova. It did take me a week to get it to hold the right temp though versus 2 days for the hova. What my complaints are now is that the base is shallow with the opening sitting right even with the mesh. That means when opened all hot humid air is lost where with the deep base of a hova and the sides coming above the height of the eggs it seems to hold that hot humid air for awhile after opening. Makes it better when you find some reason you have to slip the bator open during a hatch. Losing all the humidity can kill a hatch. 2nd issue with the shallow bottom is when hatching quail they bounce around the incubator like ping pong balls and right over anything less than about 4" high. That means opening an lg that you just hatched 50 quail chicks in results in 50 quail chicks running across the table. The hova they remain contained. Last issue I have with the lg is that it only has a few narrow water trough that hold very little water. Filling all the troughs all the way up does not raise the humidity above 40%. The area outside the troughs has air vents so the water would drain out if put there. I had to add jar lids to the corners. In the hova there is a whole tray for water so on the dryest day of winter I can get up to 65% easily for hatching. On the wettest day in spring I can just fill the smallest section with a little water. Overall the hova is just more versatile. The lg works but often requires slight modifications when your running conditions are exactly what it was designed for such as dry areas of the country or seasons.
Quote:
I second that 100%. I put 2 humidty/temp gauges, both the exact same thing.... Both of them read different temps. and humidity. I even took them out and and did the salt and water thing.... still off... Lord help me I just gave up and made sure there was water in there and a sponge!
I second that 100%. I put 2 humidty/temp gauges, both the exact same thing.... Both of them read different temps. and humidity. I even took them out and and did the salt and water thing.... still off... Lord help me I just gave up and made sure there was water in there and a sponge!
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