- Jul 27, 2010
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Love the large syringe idea to get water to the channels I might have to try that one in the next run. Still fighting with the humidity to get up from 34%, It's like it is sitting there laughing saying I will not budge.
Do you have a Little Giant? Do you love or hate it?
- Thread starter mothersin2ition
- Start date
I just bought a little giant and the first one blew a circut and blew up. Boy, did the fire fly! Be careful!
Quote:
That's the thing behind the paper towels. I use them because they're disposable, so they won't harbor bacteria, but they increase the surface area of the evaporative substrate. You'll then have BOTH sides of the paper towel on the wire, plus the surface of the ones rolled up in the channels, shich swell to rise over the channels themselves. You'll easily hit 80% if you follow my instructions.
That's the thing behind the paper towels. I use them because they're disposable, so they won't harbor bacteria, but they increase the surface area of the evaporative substrate. You'll then have BOTH sides of the paper towel on the wire, plus the surface of the ones rolled up in the channels, shich swell to rise over the channels themselves. You'll easily hit 80% if you follow my instructions.
LG's work great if you don't mess with it after it is stable. I kept it in the layndry room with no windows so the temp stayed pretty much the same day or night. My first try I put in 12 eggs and 12 hatched and I was hooked! I don't think I every had a hatch under 85%. Mine does have a fan and it helps with the temp. Now it is just a back up because I have a GQF incubator and hatcher and a Dickey's bator. I also put a dimmer knob on the temp knob so I could make smaller adjustments.
I bought a Little Giant used at an auction and while it is my first incubator I couldn't be happier! I have noticed that the more eggs in it the lower the hatch rate, but a lot of this I attribute to buying eggs. When I put my own chickens' eggs in it I have a much much higher hatch rate. Love my LG! : )
I bought my LG two decades ago. Hatched goose and chicken eggs in it with no problems. Then I stored it under Mom's house for a decade or so....the rats gnawed on it, but didn't seem to affect it too much when I recently dug it out and put in a new wafer AND an egg turner. Tried adding a computer fan, but I thought it was too buzzy and so took it out.
The first batch of eggs got cooked due to Springfield digital thermometer error. I kept cranking up the temp and it wouldn't read above 96. Ditched that. Went to K-Mart and bought a glass thermometer in a plastic base that also had a humidity scale on it. I totally FORGOT about adding water to the LG for the first 10 days of incubation....and in the desert that means some pretty dry single-digit humidity. Added water and then upped the humidity again at Day 18. GREAT hatch! I had even unplugged it and moved it into another room at lockdown.
The secret is making sure it's stable beforehand at holding temps (use a store-bought "stunt" eggs if you are worried). Make sure you have accurate thermometers (no digital) and have one on the floor of the 'bator and one riding the egg tops. Be sure the wafer is good. Look through the window at the seal of the top and bottom and if you see too much daylight (like where turner cord enters), then readjust the top or plug it with TP or something. Once it is dialed in, set and forget.....that is how hatching should be.
I thought about springing for a Brinsea. But if it ain't broke, don't fix it and save the money. If it is broke, there's plenty of places to get replacement parts and they aren't that price-y.
I will use the LG until the styrofoam dissolves into a passel of little tiny balls....or until I win the lotto and Big-Time my chicken empire.
The first batch of eggs got cooked due to Springfield digital thermometer error. I kept cranking up the temp and it wouldn't read above 96. Ditched that. Went to K-Mart and bought a glass thermometer in a plastic base that also had a humidity scale on it. I totally FORGOT about adding water to the LG for the first 10 days of incubation....and in the desert that means some pretty dry single-digit humidity. Added water and then upped the humidity again at Day 18. GREAT hatch! I had even unplugged it and moved it into another room at lockdown.
The secret is making sure it's stable beforehand at holding temps (use a store-bought "stunt" eggs if you are worried). Make sure you have accurate thermometers (no digital) and have one on the floor of the 'bator and one riding the egg tops. Be sure the wafer is good. Look through the window at the seal of the top and bottom and if you see too much daylight (like where turner cord enters), then readjust the top or plug it with TP or something. Once it is dialed in, set and forget.....that is how hatching should be.
I thought about springing for a Brinsea. But if it ain't broke, don't fix it and save the money. If it is broke, there's plenty of places to get replacement parts and they aren't that price-y.
I will use the LG until the styrofoam dissolves into a passel of little tiny balls....or until I win the lotto and Big-Time my chicken empire.
- Thread starter
- #27
wow, thak you for all this awesome info!!! This is going to help me a ton
Hi! I have 5 LG's w/ electronic thermostats here (had a Hova with a wafer, but loaned it out this spring and it never came back home). THEY are reliable but I'm not --- I can mess up a perfectly good hatch like you wouldn't believe. I have yet to find a 'digital humidity measuring instrument' I can trust for a full 21 days .
Good luck!
Lisa
Good luck!
Lisa
- May 13, 2010
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Even when I have my little giant holding a steady temperature for a day, it will still occasionally bug out and roast/chill my eggs. Our indoor temperature is stable. Might just be my unit tho.
What ChooksChick said!
Also one other little tidbit - that took me about six hatches this year to figure out - it holds a temp far far better away from any draft, vent, door, window, people walking by etc. And if you can feel the knob turn - you've gone too far.
Good Luck on your hatch!
Jenny
Also one other little tidbit - that took me about six hatches this year to figure out - it holds a temp far far better away from any draft, vent, door, window, people walking by etc. And if you can feel the knob turn - you've gone too far.
Good Luck on your hatch!
Jenny
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