Little Giant Incubator Tricks

[Arielle]

I have the Little Giant with the egg turner.

With mine I had tried three different changes. My first change was different was of humidity control. That didn't work.

My second was the fan, that helped but still no hatch.

My third change actually consisted of a few things. They were random ideas but they worked.
These changes were, one I took the egg turner out, and retried the different was of humidity control. That was putting a a bowl of water under the incubator itself where the vent holes are. I found this is only needed during hatching time. And finally I covered the top piece with duct tape. I now have development in my 5 eggs. This is the first ever with the three different tries. So I figure it is working.

One week for two eggs and two weeks for the other three.

I'll let you know if anything hatches.

Nice effort! Do make sure the 8 holes the size of a pencil are open. The little chicks need more oxygen at the end of the hatch, during the lockdown phase and especially at hatch.

DO you watch the increasing size of the aircell?? This is the key to humidity levels.

Diagrams of air cells, duck and chicken:

http://www.poultryconnection.com/quackers/aircell.html


A good read.
Incubation Cheat Sheet - BackYard Chickens Community

 

[chick123600]

Yes I made sure to look for all the holes. My duct tape is blue and I marked the holes with a bright orange marker so I wouldn't cover them.

I am keeping an eye on any and all development. Mainly because my mom is tired of me putting eggs in the bator and them having to through them out because nothing was happening.

She's excited now that somethings moving at least. I had no idea that candling and egg is kind of like seeing an ultrasound. It's just amazing!

 

[Arielle]

Yes I made sure to look for all the holes. My duct tape is blue and I marked the holes with a bright orange marker so I wouldn't cover them.

I am keeping an eye on any and all development. Mainly because my mom is tired of me putting eggs in the bator and them having to through them out because nothing was happening.

She's excited now that somethings moving at least. I had no idea that candling and egg is kind of like seeing an ultrasound. It's just amazing!

THe air cells are the piocket of air at the large end of the egg--is that what you mean for development or the embryo?

Humidity in the incubator should be less than 50%, depending on where you live, even less.

Love your try-try again effort!!! You are making progress! So fun to candle the little wiggly embryo and see the veining.

Keep us posted!!

 

[aukuma]

I am on lockdown tonight. I put 4 water soaked mr. clean pads (that have no detergent in them) one in each corner to increase my humidity. When I go into lockdown I plan to tape the seam of where the lid meets the bottom to seal everything in. I will only open it after its been 24 - 48 hours after the first complete hatch.

 

[Arielle]

I am on lockdown tonight. I put 4 water soaked mr. clean pads (that have no detergent in them) one in each corner to increase my humidity. When I go into lockdown I plan to tape the seam of where the lid meets the bottom to seal everything in. I will only open it after its been 24 - 48 hours after the first complete hatch.

My suggestion is DO NOT SEAL the sides, these chicks need more oxygen as the develop during lockdown and then significantly more when they pip. You should be able to get the RH to 60 easily for chickens and 80 for turkeys without taping the seam.

I don't follow the lockdown rules strictly as there are times when intervention is necessary.

Good luck.

 

[aukuma]

My suggestion is DO NOT SEAL the sides, these chicks need more oxygen as the develop during lockdown and then significantly more when they pip. You should be able to get the RH to 60 easily for chickens and 80 for turkeys without taping the seam.

I don't follow the lockdown rules strictly as there are times when intervention is necessary.

Good luck.

I had the sides sealed, but condensation was building on the tape. So I have removed it and removed one of the red plugs. I dont have a hydrometer, I just cannot find it so I am doing this blind. (I know thats bad). I am just surprised that there was no fog on the windows, maybe the heating element defogs it. I have only been locked down for 24 hours so no pips yet. Crossing my fingers that I still have a hatch even without all the right equipment.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: You should be ok. Condensation on the window is ok at this point. If the eggs have developed the right sized air cell, you can up the RH. For some reason the window doesn't always get foggy so much as moisture dripping off it. I think you will do fine without the RH meter--I put mine away where I would remember it, then I couldn't find it until the hatch was over!!

How did the air cells look at lockdown??

 

[aukuma]

You should be ok. Condensation on the window is ok at this point. If the eggs have developed the right sized air cell, you can up the RH. For some reason the window doesn't always get foggy so much as moisture dripping off it. I think you will do fine without the RH meter--I put mine away where I would remember it, then I couldn't find it until the hatch was over!!

How did the air cells look at lockdown??

The air cells looked good on all the eggs but one, it looked very small. It was a large porous egg, not too sure about that one. I will just be waiting patiently till something happens. I hope something happens!

 

[cmom]

If I have problems getting the humidity up during lockdown I have left either one or both of the red plugs in the styrofoam incubators and have had no problems with my hatching chicks. There are small air holes on the top and bottom of an LG. I have put a towel over the incubator too. I have had no problems with the chicks that have hatched. I know some people are more scientific about it and I go by the seat of my pants. I don't keep track of the air cells and I don't weigh the eggs. I usually put the eggs in the incubator and don't touch them until time for them to go into lockdown, then I candle the eggs and take out any that haven't developed and the rest go into the hatchers. I dry incubate and bring up the humidity during lockdown and have had very good results. It's whatever works.

 

[aukuma]

I actually purchased another batch of eggs to start once these hatch. I should have them all out before the others get here. I will try the dry hatch method with that batch, no water in the incubator, just ambient humidity. I'll try the water and sponges at lockdown. We'll see how that goes.