Little Giant Incubator Tricks

[avance09]

I know this is off topic but im new to incubating eggs and im confused. I have some silkie eggs in a brand new LG (still air) incubator, day 2. It didnt come with a manual and ive been reading that some people are taking those red plugs out. Should I be doing this? I dont have a hygrometer but ive been putting water in the bottom channels. The temperature stays at 99.5 and I also have an egg turner. Also, is is really important that I have a hygrometer? I havent been able to find one.

 

[Coopnana]

We have had serious problems hatching in LG incubabor recently and lost all of the eggs (including silkies) and believe it was a problem with humidty too low in final stages of incubation. You might not want all of your channels filled in the beginning as humidity could be too high for the early period of incubation...and then may want to fill them in lock down. There are others on this site that have a lot more experience w/ LG incubators and successful hatches. We are now incubating my daughter in laws eggs in two separate incubators .. one is the LG and then other is a mini auto Brisnea advance. We are closely watching humidity and temperature in both and have moved to another location where humidity and temperature seems more stable.. We are 8 days from hatch and so far all eggs seem to be doing pretty well...but we've done well at this point before...so still very nervous. If these hatch we will be putting silkies and blue laced red wyandotte's in the next incubation. Good luck and look into a hygrometer. They sell a nice one on Incubatorwarehouse.com for around $16.00.

 

[cmom]

I know this is off topic but im new to incubating eggs and im confused. I have some silkie eggs in a brand new LG (still air) incubator, day 2. It didnt come with a manual and ive been reading that some people are taking those red plugs out. Should I be doing this? I dont have a hygrometer but ive been putting water in the bottom channels. The temperature stays at 99.5 and I also have an egg turner. Also, is is really important that I have a hygrometer? I havent been able to find one.

I hope you have read this entire thread. It will give you very valuable information on using an LG. I use the vent hole plugs to regulate my humidity. I take them out if it is to high and put them in if it is to low. If the humidity is to high as the eggs are developing they can't loose the moisture they need to loose while developing. While they may fully develop, they drown in their shells from too much moisture as condensation builds up in the shells and air sack and when they pip the air sack they drown They do need the moisture the last 3 days so they can move around in their shells to hatch. So yes it is important to keep track of the humidity. In many cases you may not need to add any water for the first 18 days. This is what I have been using. It is pretty accurate. Also

 

[Coopnana]

This is same humidity sensor that we are using

 

[Peep_Show]

re: red plugs (just what I do...)

for being an enclosed Styrofoam box, the LG can be draughty. Air circulates up through the holes in the bottom of the box and seeps in/out via the cord channel for the auto egg turner (if you've got one). Developing eggs also get a fresh air exchange when you candle or manually turn.

I keep my red plugs in until lock down. At lock down I remove the plugs and flip them so it looks like a little hat and cover about half the vent plug hole with it and monitor the humidity levels. If things get too humid or when hatch is active (which really raises the humidity) then I might remove the plugs off the box entirely....but total removal is dependent on humidity.

 

[avance09]

Ok, thanks for the tips. Ive ordered one of those hygrometers. I just wish I would have known that before I started the incubation process. I hope they arent ruined because of too much humidity. I think I over filled those water channels. I was assuming the more humidity the better but boy was I wrong.

 

[aart]

Once you get your hygrometer, test it for accuracy.

Tips on checking accuracy of thermometers and hygrometers:

The thing you want to do is check that any of thermometers and hygrometers are correct by testing them against a known criteria.
Comparing devices is useless unless you know how accurate any of them are.

I used a candy thermometer tested in boiling water and noted how far off 212 degrees it was...or whatever temp water boils at your altitude.
You can check your boiling temp at altitude here.
Then put the candy thermometer and 3 others in the incubator during the test run and compared them all, noting any differences.
I made a chart noting all temps and made notes about if this one reads this temp it is actually that temp.

Hygrometers can be tested by putting 1/2 cup salt and 1/4 cup water in a dish or jar and mixing it to a slurry.
Put the salt slurry jar and the hygrometer next to each other in a sealed plastic bag.
After 8-12 hours the hygrometer should read 75%...again note and differences and you're set.

 

[CGinJCMO]

Thanks for all the great tips! I'm setting up my new LG for my first incubation and I'm very nervous and so excited! Just wondering what the cheese cloth over the fan is for?

Some fans do not have any protection against little chicks getting beaks and wings caught in the fast moving blades. They may have put a layer across to keep them safe yet cheesecloth has lots of holes so the air still flows. My hubby added a computer fan to my incubator for me and put a metal grate over it. Some of them already have plastic vents to protect small body parts.

CG

 

[Arielle]

I use a hydrometer just to know the general humidity-- I've never checked it for acuracy because it is not as important as checking the eggs themselves for correct water loss. I rarely add water to the channels-- that is limited to the dry winter months. By summer all is hot and humid here and difficult to keep the LG regulated for temp and humidity. I keep a print out of the diagram showing the air cell at 7th, 14th and 18th days while candling. I find this very important. OTherwise weigh the eggs for wt loss on those same days.

I kept a detailed notebook my first year hatching-- very enlightening. THe LG temps and humidity is very effected by the ambient "weather". I recorded temps many times a day, and looked to see if the temps were rising or falling over the last few days.

It takes a couple hatches to learn the LG and how to adjust it minutely.

As CMOM said-- read this thread entirely-- you will find a ton of info.

 

[QueenofKings]

Hello fellow LG users!
Currently, I'm looking at a 50% hatch rate for my first hatch. Which, I would think is okay considering that its my first time - and of course, figuring out that little styrofoam box of doom taught me a lot.

Now for the big question...how do I clean this thing? I have blood and yolk all over in one corner of the bator and poop in another and bits of that cord everywhere else! I was thinking about rinsing it out with cold water first to let everything sort of rise to the surface before boiling it. Is that alright? Or would it be better with some type of soap or powder? I'd prefer not to use bleach or any harsh chemicals since it would leave residue, which could later be toxic to further hatches once it is heated to the right temp.