Little Giant Incubator Tricks

[cowchick11]

Do you candle to evaluate the air cell development? Some people prefer the weighing method.

Either way the point is that the air cell needs to enlargen to a specific size by day 18. Because THen humidity needs to be elevated for lockdown and further development of the air cell slows or ceases all together with higher humidity levels.

I candle at day 7, 14, and at 18 for lockdown. I look for veins/embryo development, bloodrings, check for smell, and to make sure that the air cell is getting bigger. I have an excel spread sheet that I print off and write down what I observe. Anything that doesn't look right I separate in the bator. If it looks worse, smells or I find clear ones by day 18 they are removed.

 

[Arielle]

I have found it is helpful to check the air cells as it helps me know how to adjust the humidity and ventilation. My first time hatching I started with water in the wells, and by day 7, the air cells were smaller than the typical diagram. I used fans and AC to dry down the eggs by day 18 and had a good first hatch IMO. About 50% of chicken and turkey eggs.

The hen is always the exact correct temperature and humidity.LOL SHe is constantly the same. She is the perfect incubator. I like the LG because I can alter the temps and humidity to suit different birds; it's flexibility also makes regulating the settings for temperature and humidity a bit of a challenge.

Edited to correct a word.

 

[mrgreenjeans53]

Arielle,

At what temp and humidity do you set your LG during lockdown for turkey?

I have 18 turkey eggs in one of my 4 LG's, (5 Rio Grande, 6 Eastern and 7 Bourbon Red). I made a 3" extension ring for this bator so I could use an auto turner. It also has a fan.

Day after tomorrow, (wed. may 3rd) is lockdown day for these eggs. They will be transfered to an LG Still Air for lockdown. I have been "frantically" trying to find out what temp and humidity I need to be at and whether the "red plugs" in the bator top should be in, or out during lockdown. No one I guess knows as I haven't received an answer to any of my posts, or I have been posting to the wrong threads on here.

I also have 39 Ringneck Pheasant eggs, (7 Chinese and 32 Blueback), in another LG, w/fan and auto turner, that will be going into lockdown tomorrow. They too will be transfered to an LG Still Air. I have been told that the temp for pheasant eggs during lockdown should be 98.5, 1* lower than the temp during incubation of 99.5 and the humidity should be between 60% and 70%. Not sure if this is true. Do you know?

I have both of the LG Still Air bators up and running to get ready for lockdown. Both bators, according to the hygrometers, are steady at temps of 99* and humidity at 68%. Is this okay or do I need to adjust?

Please respond and let me know. I don't want to lose the whole hatch after all this time because of temps or humidity. Shipped eggs are too expensive to waste.

Thanks for any input you can give me,


Tim
mrgreenjeans53
[email protected]

 

[Arielle]

Arielle,

At what temp and humidity do you set your LG during lockdown for turkey?

I have 18 turkey eggs in one of my 4 LG's, (5 Rio Grande, 6 Eastern and 7 Bourbon Red). I made a 3" extension ring for this bator so I could use an auto turner. It also has a fan.

Day after tomorrow, (wed. may 3rd) is lockdown day for these eggs. They will be transfered to an LG Still Air for lockdown. I have been "frantically" trying to find out what temp and humidity I need to be at and whether the "red plugs" in the bator top should be in, or out during lockdown. No one I guess knows as I haven't received an answer to any of my posts, or I have been posting to the wrong threads on here.

I also have 39 Ringneck Pheasant eggs, (7 Chinese and 32 Blueback), in another LG, w/fan and auto turner, that will be going into lockdown tomorrow. They too will be transfered to an LG Still Air. I have been told that the temp for pheasant eggs during lockdown should be 98.5, 1* lower than the temp during incubation of 99.5 and the humidity should be between 60% and 70%. Not sure if this is true. Do you know?

I have both of the LG Still Air bators up and running to get ready for lockdown. Both bators, according to the hygrometers, are steady at temps of 99* and humidity at 68%. Is this okay or do I need to adjust?

Please respond and let me know. I don't want to lose the whole hatch after all this time because of temps or humidity. Shipped eggs are too expensive to waste.

Thanks for any input you can give me,


Tim
mrgreenjeans53
[email protected]

I follow Kevin Porters information for turkeys.
http://www.porterturkeys.com/egghatchingtips.htm

You have time to increase the humidity; I can do it in a matter of minutes by inserting warm wet sponges if there is extra space. Or use a jar of warm water with as much sponge extending into the air as possible without tipping over. I may use 4 jars.

Pheasants I have no experience with. sorry. Are you posting in the area for birds other than chickens? https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/50/pheasants-and-partridge-chukar

As for the red plugs. THese have a dual role. I learn from CHookCHick to use them to moderate the temperature by a degree: no plugs, 1 plug, 2 plugs. One of my plgs is over the PC fan that I installed so red plug one does not equal the effects of red plug two. Gives me more ability to fine tune. THe problem is, when the plugs are open, more humidity and heat is lost. You need to find the balance for your situation and number of eggs. Since KEvin POrter prefers a lower temperature perhaps having the two plug open will decrease the temp and increase the ventilation. A study shows that a pipped chick uses more air than an internally pipped chick; which uses more air than a non-internally pipped chick. Again, the more chicks hatching the more air needs to flow thru the incubator.

Chooks chick uses LG's . But she keeps the incubators as incubators and has another LG for hatching because of the different settings. ( THe turner puts out heat so the LG temp knob would have a different setting).

Yinpu has loads of experience with turkeys; if you can track down posts by Yinepu with this new system, I consider YinePu a very reliable source.

 

[jbwells30]

just had my worst hatch so far. third time running my incubator. i know two big mistakes i made. 1. it is spring time and the weather has been nice enough to just leave the windows open so the room temp would swing big between day and night so keep a steady temp has been very tough. 2. did not turn my eggs while waiting to fill my bator. first two times i hztched 85% this time 10%. going to give them another 24 hours then call it. i see some pipps but not sure they will come through. I blame most of this on the temp thing , lesson learned

 

[Arielle]

just had my worst hatch so far. third time running my incubator. i know two big mistakes i made. 1. it is spring time and the weather has been nice enough to just leave the windows open so the room temp would swing big between day and night so keep a steady temp has been very tough. 2. did not turn my eggs while waiting to fill my bator. first two times i hztched 85% this time 10%. going to give them another 24 hours then call it. i see some pipps but not sure they will come through. I blame most of this on the temp thing , lesson learned

Try again! Put the lesson to use!

 

[Arielle]

I have a question for those users of the LG still air.

If the temp on top of the eggs is 102, what is the temp on the screen floor??

 

[cowchick11]

My still air temp at about 1/4" above the screen has been about 97 degrees. So, when they are up in the turner they are in a good place.

 

[cmom]

Still air temp should be around 101 degrees.

 

[Arielle]

My still air temp at about 1/4" above the screen has been about 97 degrees. So, when they are up in the turner they are in a good place.

Thanks. I'm trying to figure out why mine measured 85. Seemed low to me. Will run some tests to verify my initial observation. Thanks again.