Difference between hovabator and little giant foam incubator?

[houndit]

What are the differences between the little giant foam incubator and the hovabator besides $100.00 in the price? They appear to be about the same.

 

[astylishgirl]

There are lots of posts that go into the differences and you might want to do a search. However, I will tell you the little that I know.

I have both. This is my first set of hatching eggs, so I don't know which will hatch better yet. My Hovabator runs like a charm with a constant temperature. It also has a fan. My LG has to be adjusted constantly and does not have a fan. We ordered a fan from TSC... but it never came in.

When I can compare hatching rates, I can let you know more. Of course, I have different eggs from different people and even different types of chickens, so it will not be remotely scientific.

 

[Darin115]

I have both as well and I would not trade either one. Both hatch chicks. Both hold constant temps.

You can fiddle with any incubator. If you have them in a room where the temps will fluctuate, the temps in the bator will as well.

Also, set it up and leave it alone. If you constantly adjust the temps you will constantly have spikes and lows.

I have not adjusted my LG one time during a hatch. When you adjust it you need to give it at least 1 hour to stabalize before you adjust it again.. Most people want to adjust it and expect an instant change and then adjust it again and again and again.

My thermometer records highs and lows in the bator during the course of the day. It never varies more than 1 degree either way.

My buddy has one to. His works flawlessly as well. But I guess we could have the only good LG's ever made. I really doubt it.

The last hatch I actually had a better hatch rate in the LG. Go figure.

I am sure some people do have bad LG's. But I do believe human error plays a role in some people's problems. You can adjust the temps to much if you don't watch out.

If you don't want to spend the extra $'s buy a LG. Set it up and leave it alone. But do make sure you set it up in a room where the sun won't shine directly on it and the temps fluctuate a bunch during the course of the day and night.


Darin

 

[astylishgirl]

Mine are sitting next to each other. The Hovabator temp never changes. The LG has to be adjusted constantly. Every day it has either gone up or down a few degrees. But it is not really HARD to adjust. Just a little tweak and that is that. So in that respect, I find a difference between the two.

For instance this morning I woke up and one LG went from 100 to 140 and the other went from 100 to 80 whereas my Hovabater was still right where it was supposed to be.

 

[KattyKillFish]

here is a link to a thread that has some REALLY great info on exactly what you are asking.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=157229

oh- i prefer the GQF hova-bator. i've had better hatch rates with it and virtually no temp swings.

 

[houndit]

Thanks for the link and your information.

 

[al6517]

The difference is one is a very good entry level Incubator ( the Hova ) easy to adjust / fumble free / good results. The other should be strapped to the nosecone of a very big rocket and sent back to china where is came from!!!!!. If you do your reseach as you should this is what you will find, most people use them because they are cheap and easy to aquire, ( the Chinese way ) mass bombardment. The Hova is a good dependable product that will give you yrs of service, I hope you are old enough to know you get what you pay for.

AL

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
Al, I'm surprised at your dislike of the LG. I have had both and loved my
LG forced air. The Hova is bigger and easier to use but the LG forces
people to learn the ins and outs of incubating eggs. Are they made in
China?

 

[Davaroo]

I've used both and don't really find that much difference between them. The crummy little thermometer that comes with either one are junk, though, IMHO. Plan to replace it.

I do think the styro bators, in general, tend to drown the chicks. Its really our fault, because we follow the directions and are always pouring the water to them. Im a big advocate of 'dry hatching' and so moved away from the styros for that reason.

I also reckon they are too crowded and so I prefer something a little bigger. Bigger usually equals more stable, too.

But I started with them like so many others, and they do work - even if they can be a little fiddly. Given a choice, I'd take the Hova Bator, forced air model. They have a "better" feel to me.
And their newest, high dollar ones are said to have eliminated much of the fussiness of the earlier models. But I can't speak to that, as mine were sacrificed long ago to make bigger, better models.

If you plan to use them, I would recommend you first read about dry incubation here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-DryIncubation.html

 

[KattyKillFish]

lol yeah NEVER trust the thermometer that the incubators come with. they are cheap and inaccurate.