dSad :(

[kburen]

I'm starting to think that I'm just not "ment" to hatch chickens

I'm still convinced that there is nothing growing inside my first group of eggs because there is something wrong with that incubator, (after day 1 it jumped overnight to 110 degrees and last night after being consistant for 2 days dropped down to 90 degrees). I got a second incubator yesterday for a dozen new eggs and came in this morning excited that the temp. was right where I left it....only to then notice a huge puddle....the incubator was leaking!! So...the nice 4H woman came and switched the bottom out on that incubator AND left me with their very old incubator heating up as a backup in case I have a problem with this one leaking too.

In reading through the site, I have seen a lot of you have not had good luck with Little Giant incubators....that's the type I'm using! However, the other teacher who's also hatching has had great luck....Her eggs look REALLY good (hatch date should be the 28th...same as my 1st set that I don't think I'm getting anything out of...my second set isn't due to hatch until June 10).

Am I doing right by keeping the temp. up a little higher because it's a still air incubator? The 4H woman said 99.5 to 100.5....I'm keeping it around 100 to 101 if I can. Making sure the water is always in the bottom. Not opening it unless it's needed, however, will open to attempt to candle next week.

 

[ginasmarans]

Oh, that's too bad. Mne is a Hovabater. One thing I discovered about fluctuating temps is you have to change that wafer thermastat out when it starts. I don't know if your's has a wafer,but it is well worth the money to change it out. Good luck!

 

[Country Gal]

I hope everything works out with your incubator! It's no fun incubating if nothing hatches in the end...

I ended up converting an old cooler into an incubator last fall and had great results. There's plenty of good threads on this site with directions on how to do it if you ever want to give it a try and it's a lot easier than I thought it was going to be...

 

[equine chick]

I had really bad luck with the lg so I bought the 1588 and another hovabator but the 1588 is my fav. I now have 50-90% hatches which before I was barely getting to 30%.

 

[kburen]

You may not believe this....buuuut....the NEW bottom (incubator number 2, bottom number 2 on that incubator) leaks too!!!! I came back from our assembly and the counter top was covered in water!! I'm in the process of trying to get the ooooold (hovabator) up to temp. so that I can put them in that one...however it's only up to 90 and I don't know if I can get it up any higher....i'm turning the thing over a full turn and it doesn't move it up a degree or 2! I'm getting depressed

 

[herechickchick]

I have little giants and it is hard to keep temps in them. Be sure that they are in a draft free area away from windows and in a room not used that often. Set them up a week prior to the eggs going in so you can get a stable temp (you will have to re-adjust the temp after the eggs go in). Also do your best to keep the temp in the house consistently at 72 degrees, that will help as well. I like my little giants and I will continue to use them but I will be purchasing an Octagon 20 from Brinsea. Don't give up, you just have to keep going.

Good Luck

 

[ChelleEnchanted]

I keep my LGs in my closet.
I set them up on the boxes and it keeps the temps so much easier in there.

Good luck.

 

[kburen]

I didn't have a problem with the temp. on the second LG...I had a problem with the water leaking out the bottom. I'm just sad because the kids were looking forward to seeing chickens hatch....I have several kids in my class who have never seen seen a baby chick!

Edit: I couldn't get the Hova-bator to get hot enough...It would hover just below 99.5 and not get any higher. Here's what I've done...someone tell me if I shouldn't! I left the turner and eggs in the leaky bottom LG with NO water in the bottom. Instead of putting the water there, I took 3 tops (1 from like hair spray or something, and 2 from detergent) and filled them with water and put them in the center of the incubator between the turner parts. None of them are touching eggs and the eggs have been repositioned to be near them. I put left them in this incubator because this is the one that holds a GOOD constant temp. Sound ok?

 

[yotetrapper]

Can you find a narrow container, maybe like a tupperware lid? to slide in under the wire? Keep in mind the amount of surface water exposed to air is what causes increased humidity. Do you have a hygrometer? Can get one from walmart for $8, then you'd know what your humidity is. I really reccommend this, as I followed the water directions with my incubator, but when I bought the hygrometer I found that my humidity was nearly 20% higher than it should of been!!