AARRGGHHHH! LG bator is driving me CRAZY!

[sian]

Bator sat at 99,5 for 10 days (with fan and egg turner DH bought me for Christmas) before I put the eggs in. Stayed steady at 99,5 for the first 7 days and now is all over the map. I have 14 Blue Andalusians that all candled alive at day 7. The LG bator is driving me nuts.......Thinking of theowing away all the money on the incubator, turner and fan and getting a Genesis.......

 

[ninejw]

I feel your pain.

I lost a few hatches in an LG still air that seemed to test out perfect & hold temp at first then fluxed after week 2 with the eggs in. I kept exchanging them for a new one in between hatches and they all didn't stay consistent. I bought a hovabator circulated air after try 2 and started hatching over 80% live birds and finally by the end of my pheasants breeding season managed to hatch about 2 dozen of the six dozen they laid. It was very frustrating-not to mention all the dead in shells...ugg! Good luck!

 

[Paganbird]

I've had some great hatches in an LG 'bator. I used to have a still-air LG.
The best way to use an LG is to:
1. Put it in a room where the temp is fairly regular... no breezes, not near a heater, etc.
2. Get the temp set for about 24 hours before you put the eggs in
3. Once the temp is set... DO NOT TOUCH IT! The temp will drop slightly at times - usually at night and right after you add water. It's ok. Don't touch the dial unless temp goes OVER 103* and stays that way for more than 3 hours.
4. Get a thermometer/hygrometer and make sure they are calibrated correctly.
5. Add warm water through a straw or plastic tubing through the humidity holes. I used sponges cut into strips (to fit into the water troughs) to up the humidity at lockdown.
6. During lockdown... DON'T OPEN THE 'BATOR! If you do, your humidity will drop and you may "shrink-wrap" your hatching chicks!

I don't know if I was "lucky" or what, but I never had any big issues with my LG 'bator. It never held the same temp steady, but a degree or two fluctuation didn't seem to affect my hatches.
Good luck!

 

[kelseygirl707]

I had my LG for a week exactly before I bought a Genesis! Even with a fan installed in the LG, I would get pretty good temps, but horrible humidity.

 

[tobin123]

yes we also have good luck,just leave the dial alone .and it seemed to be good.Paganbird gave great advice.

 

[ChickyLaura]

I'm using my LG again, and am hand turning. I have a Hovabator with a turner, but last year I just couldn't get the temp to regulate in the Hovabator. I need to go unpack the Hova and get that up and running to try to have success with that one this year.

I am so darn determined to figure out this LG. I think I have the temps down *so far* this hatch, but I'm only on day 4.

My temps seem to spike first thing in the morning, which I cannot figure out! But nothing over 102.2, so I'm NOT touching that dial anymore!!!

I sort of want to go get another 'bator, but then again, I don't want to spend any more money... Too much $ being spent on chickens!

 

[Illia]

I feel your pain

- I had an LG, set 18 eggs in it. . . And had NONE hatch because of soo many troubles, the biggest being that the temp spiked to 107 for hours one day. Ugh!

You'know what the solution is? Get a better incubator. I just spent extra money, sure, on a Hovabator 1588, but it is certainly worth it!