Little Giant Incubator Temp Swings

[Peckin Around]

My LG temp will not stay constant, it swings from 99.5 to 101.3. Every now and then it drops to 97.8 but then comes back up. It is in a spare room with constant temp an no drafts. Will this affect affect hatching. What can I do to stabilize. I just bought a fan will that help? New to quail so any help would be appreciated.

 

[TedJan92_in_Idaho]

I had one once and I changed the thermostat in it and it did a good job.

 

[lilcritters]

I had that problems early this year hatching and I didn't hatch well. I ran it this time empty in the spare "critter" room and it stayed a constant 100. I now have 9 eggs in it so we will see.


April

 

[bfrancis]

Quote:

It could effect your hatch rate if it happens often...a drop or two, shouldn't effect too much if the humidity is correct. Think of a hen getting off her nest to eat...the temperatures will lower at that time too.

Buying a fan to create the "forced air" is certainly going to help in the fact it distributes the heat evenly through out your unit with no hot or cold spots. Thermostats are finicky critters, you have to be cautious of not over compensating and and adjusting to hot or cold. Small incremental changes. They do go out on occasion...but I bet you are "fiddling" with it to much.

Did you fill the little troughs in the bottom of the unit with water? This not only is for humidity, but the water also works as a heat sync. that will can help stabilize the fluctuations
as well.

One last thing...other than turning your eggs daily if you do not have a automatic turner...leave the box closed...no candle, no looky. everytime you open that big styrofoam lid it lets out all of your heat and humidity...and these little units take awhile to recover from that.

There are other folks on here that can give you additional advice...but that's the basics.

Good luck with your unit and hatch!

 

[mochicken]

Bfrancis covered everything I would recommend.

I actually have one as a backup incubator and the fan made a HUGE difference. I put a digital thermometer and hygrometer on mine with a HI/LO function so I can see how low or high it got, before the fan was 96-102 and after the fan it was 99-100.1 so its still fluctuating but not as bad as it was

 

[JJMR794]

Welcome To Lg...

They Do Fine For Many Types Of Poultry, But Any Game Bird Eggs Are Not 1 Of Those Types. Fans Will Eliminate Hot Spots But Not The Wild Temp Swings Inherent In This Unit. It Will Effect Hatch Rates

 

[Stellar]

You should be fine with the LG. The most important thing other than the temp (as long as it doesn't go lower than 97) is the humidity. Keep the vent plugs in all the way to hatch. Do not take anything out. This will help holding the humidity in. Since with quail you take them out as soon as fluffy, they won't have problems with the vent plugs in. Keep a sponge in there as well.

But for the temp, do expect some fluctuations, just keep the eggs a couple days longer just in case for any late hatchers (mainly since the temp air isn't going through the incubator uniformly).

 

[joe125]

Quote:
Yup! I don't have enough fans to deal with the hot/cold spots. I just rotate the incinerator top every now and then.

Yes Alex....the humidity thing is bad too!

Perfectly fine for dry hatching chickens....not so good for game birds/quail.

 

[mochicken]

I get a consistent 45-50% humidity in my LG but its hard to get above that, I have to put sponges on the wire grate to get the humidity up to 70% then it goes back down afterwards

 

[Peckin Around]

Thanks to everyone who answered. Ended up with 8 out of 25 eggs, with 4 dead in the shell. Starting 90 Jumbo Cot eggs on Thursday with fan installed. Hoping for a little better hatch. Thanks again.