Have new Little Giant can't get humidty right!!!! HELP

[pioneergirl]

I got a Little Giant incubator for Christmas and have ran it several times to try and get it to regulate. The temp seems to be holding steady, but I just cannot get the humidity above 20 percent. I started out with the basic Little Giant with still air. I then added a fan kit and also a plastic liner to keep water from spilling out the bottom. I filled basically the whole bottom liner with water (including the designated water areas). I added sponges today..so we will see if that helps. So far it is still only showing 20 percent humidity. I have also covered one of the vent holes. Whats the problem??? Everyone else seems to get a higher humidity level. I'm not sure I can hatch chicks if I can't get it to increase. I was wondering if I should reinforce the windows with duct tape or tape the lid on? I do have an automatic egg turner I will be using. I'm so frustrated .. I thought I'd have this all worked out by now and have some eggs in there.

I would appreciate any advice you can give.
Thanks

 

[Mommysongbird]

Make sure your viewing windows are all the way in, mine weren't and that helped when I pushed them in.

 

[pioneergirl]

I just went to check and the windows seemed pretty much in.. I may try taping them around the edges.
What is the humidity in your machine? Is it still air or forced? (Not sure if it matters)

 

[Mommysongbird]

I have a still air the one in my avator pic.

My humidity has been staying in the mid 30's to low 40' but usually no higher. Right now I have the humidity guage out trying to make sure it is correct, it seems to be, but just not sure.

Not sure if the thermometer that came with the Little Giant bator and turner are right either.

 

[petunias212]

i got an lg still air and that was my frustration..i even joined a thread of individuals who were just setting their eggs in an lg to see if i can learn anything from that group...it took taping the windows - taping the mid section, wet sponge, both wells filled and small bowl with some water to get it to stabilize - one air vent plug in, one out and then covered the bator with towels and tshirts, leaving a portion of a window accessible for viewing occassionally, and constant, constant monitoring...i'm a stay at home mom, so it was easier for me - once the humidity would get too low, i would replace the other air vent so both air vents were plugged up...once the humidity stabilized, i'd take one of the air vent plugs out and that's how i did it...back and forth - plug in, plug out...plug in, plug out...oh, and big difference in using warm or hot water as opposed to cold water...but even with all this it was tiring all the monitoring i had to do that i couldn't really enjoy my hatch...don't get me wrong i am so excited to get a pip but after all this time i just want it to be over with so i can relax....i'm getting a brinsea cuz my next hatch, i want to be able to enjoy it....

by the way, started with 24 eggs, ended up with 7 and even now, 2 don't seem like they're going to do anything...and i blame the bator due to all the fluctuations...on two occassions, my temp spiked to 102 and my humidity was well below the 20's...so it really was a survival of the fittest....and i'm surprised and ecstatic to see my first zip catching her breath and drying out -

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Quote:

 

[Karrie13]

Have you calibrated your hygrometer? If not, run a search on here for the salt method, it is very easy to do. Are the viewing windows fogging up (this happens in mine when the humidity spikes)?

 

[pioneergirl]

I have the digital thermometer from wally world that tells temp and humidity. Is that a hygrometer??
I added papertowels and taped everything up.
Oops was using just regular tap water proba cold- I think I'll go back and try it with warm water now.

thanks everybody.. I'm trying to make this work before I buy eggs. hhhmmm maybe I should start with my neighbors free eggs.

petunias212 - thanks for sharing your experience.. maybe I'll end up getting another incubator too if it doesn't seem to ever work right.

 

[destinydot6]

Quote:
calibrating your hygrometer is simple salt test that i had to do
its the humidity thingy by the way

get a zip lock bag
a bottle of water
table salt
and your hygrometer
take the top off the bottle of water
fill about 3/4 of salt in lid
then ad a couple droppes of water to the salt just to soak up the salt
then you put lid with salt and your hygrometer in ziplock bag (keep flat)
be sure to leave some air in it while your closing it up
keep it sealed for 24 to 48 hours
and inside the bag its 75%humid
so open the bag up read your thingy and if it dont say 75% humid then there should be on back to turn yours to 75% humid then your good to go
hope this helps

 

[Karrie13]

Quote:
Yes, the part that tells the humidity would be the hygrometer part. I got mine from wally world too, all of the different ones I have purchased that is and there have been many. Since I learned about calibrating them, I found them to be off anywhere from 3 -17% to low. I haven't found one that went to high yet or one that was right on. The one that I am using now is 3% low so I just compensate for that.

I have an LG with a turner and forced air. I was getting very frustrated when I first started using my LG, I ended up with chicks to wet and then went to the other extreme of being to dry and having a hard time hatching. I had horrible hatch rates. I would get 1 or 2 to hatch out of a dozen of shipped eggs if I was lucky. I finally quite throwing my money away and hatched some of my own eggs (after I hatched out a roo) and have had excellent results. I think my frustration was being a fist timer hatcher, trying to use an LG, and trying to hatch shipped eggs!

I think it would be a good idea to do a test hatch of your neighbor’s eggs, then if you get good hatch results you can always sell the chicks you don't want to keep!

Edited to add... Like other's have suggested, use warm water when adding it to your bator!

 

[Cowgirl71]

Are the windows fogging up at all with condensation? 20% humidity is extremely low... I would definitely try incubating some really cheap/free eggs for your first hatch, even if the incubator starts behaving right.

I've used nothing but still-air LGs until this spring. I got a 2362N and a 1588 real cheap used, and I love them! I get better hatch rates, healthier chicks, and it's so much more stress-free and a lot less hands-on (especially the 1588). Next spring I plan to upgrade to a 1502...


I gotta say, I love your avatar!