Little Giant Incubator Tricks

[doubleatraining]

I bought one of these yesterday to use as my hatcher. I'm incubating in my Genesis. I can NOT get the temps under 120 to save my life. I followed the directions to turn it all the way up and when the temp got where I wanted it to be to turn it back until the light went off. I did all of that but the temp stays ABOVE 120. Even with the light off the temp doesn't come down. I've unplugged it, let it cool, and started over a few times and can't get it to work. Is this a malfunctioning incubator or is it something I'm doing wrong? The room temps are the most consistent in the house and the other bator has no issues at all.

I would love any advice y'all have before I exchange this on Saturday......hopefully in time for my first lockdown. As it stands now I'll have chicks hatching in lock down next to the turner for the other eggs.....this was Plan B.....I would REALLY like Plan A back.

 

[nickie]

I bought one of these yesterday to use as my hatcher. I'm incubating in my Genesis. I can NOT get the temps under 120 to save my life. I followed the directions to turn it all the way up and when the temp got where I wanted it to be to turn it back until the light went off. I did all of that but the temp stays ABOVE 120. Even with the light off the temp doesn't come down. I've unplugged it, let it cool, and started over a few times and can't get it to work. Is this a malfunctioning incubator or is it something I'm doing wrong? The room temps are the most consistent in the house and the other bator has no issues at all.

I would love any advice y'all have before I exchange this on Saturday......hopefully in time for my first lockdown. As it stands now I'll have chicks hatching in lock down next to the turner for the other eggs.....this was Plan B.....I would REALLY like Plan A back.

Seems like a stupid question, but have you tested it with a different thermometer?


Eta: you can't go cranking on the knob Willy nilly. Get it turned on set it at halfway (thats where I would start at least) let it stabilize and then adjust.

 

[doubleatraining]

Seems like a stupid question, but have you tested it with a different thermometer?

No.....I am using the one that came with it. I don't have another one to use....

 

[nickie]

From what I have gathered around here is those are known for being waaaaay off. Anything else is better than those. Someone around here can tell you how to test it for accuracy... Not me though. I use a standard thermometer/hygrometer combo AND a digital thermometer/hygrometer combo. Home depot has them both. The digital one is my beat friend in there fits in the palm of my hand and only cost me $9.

My guess: your thermometer is off and you may be starting it off way too high with it being warm out.

 

[doubleatraining]

Hmmmm ok well I hope its a thermometer problem. I found an old meat thermometer in the junk drawer so I put that in one of the top holes and its reading higher than the one it came with.

Mine: 100degrees
Theirs: 92 degrees

Have NO idea which one is correct but if it will HOLD a temp I'll be happy. If in the morning the temp...whatever it is holds I'll go buy a better thermometer and use that to regulate the temp.

I REALLY don't want to hatch in my Genesis.

 

[Arielle]

Hmmmm ok well I hope its a thermometer problem. I found an old meat thermometer in the junk drawer so I put that in one of the top holes and its reading higher than the one it came with.

Mine: 100degrees
Theirs: 92 degrees

Have NO idea which one is correct but if it will HOLD a temp I'll be happy. If in the morning the temp...whatever it is holds I'll go buy a better thermometer and use that to regulate the temp.

I REALLY don't want to hatch in my Genesis.

120 is very high--no wonder you are upset at this machine. I do not use the thermometer provided UNTIL I am sure of it's real temperature. The design is poor but once you know where 99.5 is , it is a good thermometer. I use several fish tank thermometers because the Mercury type ( substitutes for the mercury type) are the same everytime. I go to walmart and look at 6-8 thermometers and take the ones that have the same reading. THen I put them in a cup of warm water, about 100 degrees and compare all the thermometers I have. Please note this is NOT a perfect system to check the accuracy of the thermometers, but not having an accurate thermometer to it's the best I could come up with.

THere are a number of factors that play into measuring the temp, like how high off the floor, and which section you measure in (think of a grid like a tic-tac-toe game). So the real test is how the eggs develop: 1 day early, at 21 days or one day late. All can be possible with an accurate thermometer.

1 inch off the floor should be 99 degrees. 120 degrees with the LG thermometer indicates the temp is too high.Usually the LG thermometer is off .5-2 degrees, not 20. Since you can't exchange it until Saturday, a little playing is possible.

Put new thermometer on a paper cup cut to 1" high and cut half circles to set the thermometer. Heat the puppy up. I did not find there method of turning back the knob to be the more accurate way to set the temp. It was just the beginning.

Also, new incubators are funky compared to well seasoned LG's. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Avonshire]

I had a panic attack tonight. I am on my second hatch with my lg. My temp/therm that it came with has been stable the whole time. Then yesterday I go to check before bed and my digital is still right on BUT the therm that came with the LG had dropped almost 4 degrees. Crazy! So I threw my fish tank therm in and it agreed with my digital. Not sure what happened. I did not even open it yesterday until I saw the temp change. I am on day11 so right in the middle of incubation.

 

[Arielle]

I had a panic attack tonight. I am on my second hatch with my lg. My temp/therm that it came with has been stable the whole time. Then yesterday I go to check before bed and my digital is still right on BUT the therm that came with the LG had dropped almost 4 degrees. Crazy! So I threw my fish tank therm in and it agreed with my digital. Not sure what happened. I did not even open it yesterday until I saw the temp change. I am on day11 so right in the middle of incubation.

I have read a study where the LG has regional temperature measurements, kind of like a tic tac toe grid. So it is important to rotate the eggs, or as I do, rotate the lid.

 

[bwalden]

The therm that came with my bator always runs a little cooler for some reason that my fish tank therm. I havent bought a digital one yet but that's my next purchase. I just always keep both in my bator.

 

[moetrout]

Hmmmm, I am using the thermometer that came with my LG. Hatched 14 out of 24 on the first try. LG's should be in a room that has very stable temps. I can not over emphasis this! My first hatch it sat in my office on the second floor. I had a lot of temp variations. This time around I put the bator in my basement and I have not had to touch adjust the temp even once. I added a pc fan to mine and also did the mod where you screw a milk jug cap onto the temp control stick. That helps to make much finer adjustments to the temp. Without it I don't know if I would have ever got the temp right and I highly suggest you do this if you have not already.