Little Giant Egg Turner Question

[salt and pepper]

would you recommend the egg turner for the little giant, when using it what were your hatch rates apposed to turning by hand? thanks for the replies!

 

[kizanne]

I would recommend it. Though i haven't tried a hatch without it. I have hatched more than I ever thought I would. Hubby had purchased the turner for me. I am so glad I don't have to worry about turning 3x day or anything. I find I can fill my water, turn on the turner and forget about it for 3-5 days at a time. I usually still check temps in the morning and evening. But in a stable room, with it stabilized before setting eggs, it holds pretty stable and I can even go away for the weekend or what have you without worrying because I don't have to turn or anything.

 

[dolly85]

I would totally recommend the turner! I have two little giants, one with a turner and one without. The LG with the turner holds my eggs for the first 18 days and is pretty much worry free! I start it up two or three days prior to setting my eggs and I ALWAYS turn the turner on right away. Its important to get the temp consistent with it as it generates some of its own heat. Since the temperature can change when the turner is removed I like to set up the second LG for hatching so I don't have to worry about watching the temp ALL day on day 18. This system has worked great and I have usually have very good hatch rates.

 

[salt and pepper]

thanks =) what about the LG period? are they good incubators?

 

[kizanne]

I would totally recommend the turner! I have two little giants, one with a turner and one without. The LG with the turner holds my eggs for the first 18 days and is pretty much worry free! I start it up two or three days prior to setting my eggs and I ALWAYS turn the turner on right away. Its important to get the temp consistent with it as it generates some of its own heat. Since the temperature can change when the turner is removed I like to set up the second LG for hatching so I don't have to worry about watching the temp ALL day on day 18. This system has worked great and I have usually have very good hatch rates.

LOL I have almost the same system. Except I have 4 hatchers. This way I have plenty of room for the 42 eggs to hatch without being on top of each other when popping out of the shells. Also allows for me to keep different breeds seperate. Another bonus is staggered hatches. I can set eggs every week if I want.

 

[dolly85]

LOL I have almost the same system. Except I have 4 hatchers. This way I have plenty of room for the 42 eggs to hatch without being on top of each other when popping out of the shells. Also allows for me to keep different breeds seperate. Another bonus is staggered hatches. I can set eggs every week if I want.

I was thinking of getting another hatcher too! Great minds think alike, lol. I want to keep my Ameraucana chicks seperate from my EE's and other mixed breeds.
Salt and Pepper- I love my LG's. I've only ever used LG's so I have nothing to compare them to at this point. The great thing is I have good hatch rates so I've never needed to consider another brand.

 

[kizanne]

OP - I find my LG right for the price. There have been times when I thought of more expensive ones or 'auto' incubators and if cost wasn't any issue what so ever I'd own a fancy cabinet incubator or brinsea 20.

However, I have some money, I spend way too much on chickens but I still am not willing to pay what it would take me to accomplish what I can with my LG's. Right now I've spent $260 on 5 LG's 4 with fans and 4 with egg turners. This way I can incubate a ton of eggs if I want (which it is addictive) better still in my best LG I incubate up to 42 eggs and as I said above I can lock down/hatch in others. I feel this has several advantages. One I can stick eggs in the incubator whenever I want as long as I mark the date on the egg. There is no lock down for incubation. My incubator stays very clean because it is the hatching that makes the mess. This way there isn't alot of bacteria in the incubator to create blood rings. I have 4 hatchers so I can go into lockdown in various methods. I could lockdown every day for 4 days (lockdown lasts 3 days so clean and repeat) or what I actually do. when the egg come out of the turners and then are laid on their side they take up more space so I like to spread the eggs out and also I can keep breeds seperate til I can mark them with a leg band.

I bought one full price, fan and turner as my first one. Then hubby added a hatcher, no fan, no turner (can't remember why but I'm sure I did something that needed it). then I got 3 older LG's off craigslist with fans and turners. I bleached them up and love having the 5 LG's versus 1 Brinsea. My rooster are really starting to be mature boys and the girls are laying. I have several experiments going on (that were never planned when I got my first incubator), I've found I can sell some chicks local for $5/each. I love fuzzy butts and we have started meat birds for ourselves. I also have 3 different breeds I'm working on breeding. I couldn't do all that with one 24 egg incubator. also If you order 2 dozen eggs that are shipped you always get a few extras. If you can only incubate 24 what do you do with the others?

For the price I love LG"s. That being said here's my warning. they have to be in a stable room away from a window or vent. You have to stabilize before you put stuff in. I find if I do that they are pretty stable and I set and forget. When I'm not busy I check my thermometer and hygrometer 2 times a day but I'm a teacher and when I'm busy I only check/add water every 5 days or so. hatch days are a little different as I check the humidity more often and I break the rules and do assisted hatches when necessary but I usually set on Saturday or Sunday so I'm home and not as busy as during the week.

There is a thread for tips on the LG. I found in the hatchers I bought of Craigslist the guy had glued the holes in the bottom closed and that was great because I made getting humidity up easier.

 

[kizanne]

PS just finished a 100% hatch with my eggs. Even with shipped eggs I have achieved over 50% which is typical for shipped eggs.


The hatch I just finished, I didn't get my temps stable before putting in hatcher because one pipped early in the bator and freaked me out (low humidity and all plus turner) I put them in the hatcher and thought I was stable (but really only watched it about 30 minutes) and left for work. Came home and the temp was 106. I thought for sure I had toasted them. but turned out 100% hatched and now over 24 hours later they all look great.

 

[salt and pepper]

wow kizanne! that awesome =) it looks like LG aren't that bad =)

 

[HughesFowlFarm]

Can someone PLEASE help me with setting up my turner. The racks won't go in right with the way the turning motor arm is sitting