Little Giant Incubator Tricks

[cmom]

Hi I'm looking for lock down help. This is my first hatch. What day should I start and then what temp and humidity? Do I unplug the turner? I have the newest model that has held temp and humidity like a charm! Love this incubator! Thank you for your help.

I take the turner out of the incubator on day 18 or 19 and set the eggs on the wire in the bottom of the incubator. I make sure the water reservoirs are filled with water the temp should be the same as when incubating. The Humidity should be raised to around 70%. On day 21 the chicks should hatch. Some will pip and not hatch for a few hours and some will pip and hatch right away. I hope you read this thread for a lot of good information. Good luck and have fun...

 

[chicNlove]

I  take the turner out of the incubator on day 18 or 19 and set the eggs on the wire in the bottom of the incubator. I make sure the water reservoirs are filled with water the temp should be the same as when incubating. The Humidity should be raised to around 70%. On day 21 the chicks should hatch. Some will pip and not hatch for a few hours and some will pip and hatch right away. I hope you read this thread for a lot of good information. Good luck and have fun... 

Thank you

 

[kristie18]

I recently bought a little gaint and have had two hatches fail with none hatching the eggs were fresh and the temp was level they were fertile because they started to development but stopped around first week any ideas :"(

 

[rayray983]

I recently bought a little gaint and have had two hatches fail with none hatching the eggs were fresh and the temp was level they were fertile because they started to development but stopped around first week any ideas :"(

are you using the cheap little thermometer that came with it if so get a digital thermometer from Walmart worth the 10 to 15 dollar investment are you turning eggs at least 3 times a day and don't over crowd the eggs if you are only hatching a few eggs at a time like a dozen or so fill mason jars with warm water put the lid on them and lay them on their side makes temps super stable! And by fresh eggs for you mean your own and are you checking for fertility crack one open and look for the bulls eye a lot of things can go wrong with a hatch don't give up! This thread has a lot of amazing advice its a lot to read but well worth it

 

[rayray983]

I recently bought a little gaint and have had two hatches fail with none hatching the eggs were fresh and the temp was level they were fertile because they started to development but stopped around first week any ideas :"(

oh also I remove my lil red plugs and throw them away! And where are you measuring your temps at always check temp from tops of eggs

 

[Arielle]

I recently bought a little gaint and have had two hatches fail with none hatching the eggs were fresh and the temp was level they were fertile because they started to development but stopped around first week any ideas :"(

You have come tot he right place to improve your hatching skills and learn how to use the LG.
I'll add a couple posiblitities here-

DId you track the development of the air cells?
Turn 2-3 times a day?
Use reliable thermometer?
Keep temps stablized by keeping LG in a room with stable temps, about 70-75 is best/easiest?

Definitely reading the whole thread is very worthwhile. ANd try again . . . .

 

[kristie18]

are you using the cheap little thermometer that came with it if so get a digital thermometer from Walmart worth the 10 to 15 dollar investment are you turning eggs at least 3 times a day and don't over crowd the eggs if you are only hatching a few eggs at a time like a dozen or so fill mason jars with warm water put the lid on them and lay them on their side makes temps super stable! And by fresh eggs for you mean your own and are you checking for fertility crack one open and look for the bulls eye a lot of things can go wrong with a hatch don't give up! This thread has a lot of amazing advice its a lot to read but well worth it

I have had them in egg carton turning them and they all came from my chickens and yea the little cheap thermometer

 

[kristie18]

oh also I remove my lil red plugs and throw them away! And where are you measuring your temps at always check temp from tops of eggs

its telling me 99.5

 

[kristie18]

 You have come tot he right place to improve your hatching skills and learn how to use the LG.
 I'll add a couple posiblitities here- I was using the thermometer that's came with it and turning twice a day had them on a sun porch Wilcher like a glasses in room with air condition that no one really uses and no I've only been checking for embyro when I candle I still have this last set in then incubation they were supposed to hatch yesterday but I looked only one is fully developed fingers crossed if it hatches

DId you track the development of the air cells?
Turn 2-3 times a day?
Use reliable thermometer?
Keep temps stablized by keeping LG in a room with stable temps, about 70-75 is best/easiest?

Definitely reading the whole thread is very worthwhile. ANd try again  .  . . . 

 

[Arielle]

The thermometer that comes with the LG is a very bad thermometer to use as is.

Intructions in the LG say to compare it to an accurate thermomter to calibrate it. Far easier to get a new one that is digital.

THis is a commonn problem and you are not hte first to have problems because of the thermomter. Mine is off quite a bit and as I mentally have trouble turning 104 into 99.5, I do much better with a handful of cheap fish tank thermometers. I bough 3-4 that read the same temp at Walmart. THen tested them with a hatch.

Either digital or fish tank-- I know have both. Digital is far easier to read and I rely on.