Is a Little Giant incubator a good deal or just "Cheep, cheep."?

[emvickrey]

I have 2. I have temp and humidity go up and down. A constant battle. But if you keep them in a room that stays the same temperature so will the bator, (for the most part). At lock down mine still went nuts. It was like waiting in the maternity ward for news. Always checking the temps staying up all night.

I did a little rigging on mine to be able to add water with less opening of the windows. I ran aquarium air hose through the vent holes and into the water wells. I use one of those large syringes for putting seasoning into meat to put water in the hoses. I use a flash light to see when the wells get full and I don't put eggs in the places that the hoses go into the wells at so I can see when they are full. The hose goes through the screen into the well, then the turner is put in ontop and the hoses run from under the turner and over it into the closest vend hole above the well. I also cut sponge and placed them in the wells. It seems to hold water longer. I also have a strip next to the turner ontop of the screen near the inside wall. I add water to that very quickly with the syringe if it needs humidity raised. Then I place the red plugs upside down over the big vend hole that doesn't have a hose in it and adjust how much of the hole I cover to the humidity I want to stay inside.

Sounds complicated but once it's all in place there is very little opening.

I would love to be able to have an incubator that the temperature adjusts itself. I don't go anywhere very long for fear of a huge spike.

 

[MagsC]

I have eggs hatching now in an LG, good hatch rate. You do have to fiddle with it more than some incubators though, at least in my experience.

 

[clothdiaperingmom]

I bought an LG new. Then got a used hovabator with fan so that I had 2 since I was doing staggered hatches.

I cant stress enough how much I HATE the LG. In fact, Ive started hatching with the still incubating eggs in the hovabator.

The stupid LG has temp spikes all the time. The other day it was 103, I didnt touch it. Next time I checked it, it was 97. Then it went up to 105. Thank god I didnt have anything in it. I just had it running for a place to move the hatchlings too if they were pecking at ones still hatching. The water chambers arent as big as my hovabator and cant even begin to get the humidity up like I can in the hovabator.

The only diff in temps in my hovabator was a 100.2 one time and a 98.9 another.

Id love to step on, crush, tear up the LG.
Im eyeballing the brinsea eco 20 and the genisis 1588.

I wouldnt waste my $ on an LG.

 

[clothdiaperingmom]

Quote:
Same here. Same here. Same here...all of the above.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

Just had my first failed hatch in a new LG with a turner. Some things we are going to change: Hubby is installing a fan. Installed foam tape around the middle seal. Finding some good terry cloth to add to humidity at lockdown- sponges not enough. Putting it in alarger container ( big box?) to avoid drafts although it was in a room relatively stable temp-wise.
our eggs apparently failed early on so I am attributing it to an early temp spike. We were using a digitalwireless indoor/outdoor thermometer. Now will double calibrate the hygrometer portion and attempt to find a mercury thermometer to verify the digital. Thermometers with the unit were worthless.
I can see where it would be hard to clean.

 

[A1 Steak Sauce]

I like mine just fine, hasn't failed me yet lol. Some people absolutely hate them though, go figure. I've had an 80-90% hatch rate every time. My neighbor has 4 of them, has great hatches every time too... And he hasn't shut his down since before Thanksgiving lol.

About the temp spikes... Only reason mine ever spikes is because I have a cat (remind me why I have that ol' brat in the house again?) likes to sleep on top of it lol. Both my neighbor's and mine don't have fans, but do have the turners.

 

[cuckoo_orpington13]

I have another question about candling, can you use a flashlight to candle?
I don't want have to spend more money then I'm already going to.

 

[deerman]

Quote:
Yes I use a small mag light. best to candle in a dark room.....lot easier

 

[rancher hicks]

Quote:
Same here. Same here. Same here...all of the above.

while I can't say where you are using your incu, a fluctuation of a couple of points isn't something to worry about. I have previously listed two sites that may help your hatching skills. However the room you use your incu in is important. I put a thermometer on the wall of my office and monitored that as well. At room temp of 70*-80* is best. If necessary use a heater of some kind to help keep the temp right in the room. Also use a room that does not have alot of traffic w/ opening and closing of the door.

The sites I listed suggest humidity percentages and adopting these may help. There are differences of opinions in this area. Pick one and try it and see how that works for you. If not try another until you find one that works best. Some say wash the eggs, some say no. Try it both ways and see how it goes. Even the position of the chick in the shell can cause it to not hatch. What can affect this I don't know. The chicks beak under the wrong wing can hinder it's hatching.

 

[Sachasmom]

It warmed up here in NY today and my one is 101 already, I need to move my thermometer to check the other (I did have two, one died) Its supposed to be in the 80's on Sat and I am sure I will have to adjust them again. I have mine in the basement and they still suck.

I'm just frustrated with it, since the eggs I hatch are supposed to be how I pay for feed, fencing and a new incubator, now how am I supposed to do that if I only hatch out 4 out of 42????