Little Giant for hatching in? Or should I wait?

[FenDruadin]

I am hatching in a circulated air hovabator. I've been running staggered hatches in it. I know I need a separate hatching incubator, but we don't have any money right now except what I am earning from selling the ducklings and eggs--all the more reason to get another incubator! So here's the deal:

I have $45 set aside from duck money that I can spend on "extras" (i.e., I've already set aside the amount I need for the month's expenses plus some savings for winter, so this is truly "extra"). It would take me till about July to save enough for the hovabator with fan plus shipping. But I could by a LG today at tractor supply with what I have.

Considering that my ducklings are selling before they even hatch, and I could probably make more money if I were hatching in a separate incubator (more incubator space, yay!), plus my husband wants incubator space for his quail--what would you do? Would you buy the LG now as the hatching bator and incubate mostly in the Hovabator, or would you hold out for a second Hovabator?

Thanks very much for any feedback!

 

[chichi56788]

I just bought a LG and it is better then I expected. It takes a few days to calibrate but other than that it's good. If I were you id just go ahead and buy it.

 

[SarahFair]

I have and LG and as long as you give it a couple days to warm up and dont change the temp in the room much they are fine!

 

[muddyhorse]

lg make good hatcher's. the last couple of days the temp is not as critical because the babies are producing their own heat. I've hatched alot in them.

 

[FenDruadin]

Thank you!! I may do that.

I do have another concern though--we don't use our air conditioner in summer, unless it gets up in the 90s. So the temp in the house does fluctuate from morning to day to night. It does it slowly, because the house holds a lot of thermal mass, but still--will the LG perform poorly under those circumstances?

I really like the comment that the temp doesn't matter as much--I hadn't thought of that, but it does make sense. Humidity is more critical during the hatch, I guess.

It would certainly make things easier... Thank you!

 

[SarahFair]

I havent been running my AC and its been cool in the mornings and on some days super HOT. I found that if I throw a light blanket over the bator at night before I go to bed it helps

 

[fresheggs4u]

i have been incubating in one incubator and hatching in another. I just built a cabinet to house everything and built in a hatcher. I hope my investment works too!

As far a humidity, we have yet to turn on our air and the house temps change from 65 - 80 thru the course of a day. Temps where not at all a problem. The problem was the effect of the house humidity on the inside incubator's humidity. It was hard to manage. But i have had some pretty good hatches tho. 30 eggs 18 bought and picked up 12 shipped and 22 hatched. Healthy Black Copper Marans.

Good luck!

 

[One Acre Wonder Farm]

Go for it! The LG is trickier, but if you are willing to watch it and tweak it when necessary it is fine!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=303201

 

[FenDruadin]

Thanks, guys! Now we're talking about making one from an old cooler. It would probably cost less than $20 and we love to build things--and there are SO many helpful designs on this website. Then I'd still have money left and could keep saving to buy parts for the cabinet bator we plan to build, or money to buy one.

Thanks for all your thoughts!

 

[FenDruadin]

One Acre Wonder--that link was great! Thanks--very helpful.