Little Giant Incubator Tricks

[Arielle]

Well here goes. Loaded the eggs this morning. If the ladies lay today I'll stick them in also. I'll know better in a week.

Let us know how they develop . . .

 

[OR4-hmom]

I had hopes that I would get more bantam eggs today, so far no luck. I might go out and try squeezing them later. The BLRW have given me two today. Typical

 

[Arielle]

Let me know if squeezing works!! SOmetimes I need a couple more to fill a carton of 12.

 

[OR4-hmom]

We end up a few short each week also. Those are the ones we eat.

 

[LilyWhite]

I am actually trying to incubate some chicken eggs now and it is doing great at the moment. All the eggs that I put in my incubator are all fertile and they are on day 15.

I placed a small computer fan like I seen on You Tube and have noticed a great improvement as far as keeping the air circulated and keeping the temperature and humidity steady. I have also got a sponge in it also. If you do use a sponge make sure that you use warm water because if you use too cold or too hot it will affect the temperature and the humidity so just use warm to the touch. I candeled them and they are moving around and I can not wait until they hatch!!!

Good Luck!

 

[Arielle]

Lily White, nice job on incubating. Do you check the air cell development and compare them to a diagram to be sure the RH is correct??

 

[cmom]

Quote: There is really not much I can add. It is really what works best for you. This thread is a good guideline for LG users. If you can master your LG, you can hatch in anything. I started out with barnyard eggs. My original hatches weren't great but I was trying to hatch in the winter months too. I have discovered since that even though the boys are mating the girls in cold weather and in very hot weather fertility goes down, so if your hatches aren't great it could be fertility. I recently hatched out some chicks and half of the eggs I put in my LG turned out to be infertile. Also read the "Incubating & Hatching Eggs" forum there is a lot of good information there too. This is good information from the BYC Learning Center https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-incubate-hatch-eggs-just-21-days-from-egg-to-chicken

 

[cmom]

I am not as scientific as many people are. I usually candle some eggs around day 10 to 12 and again when I set the eggs for hatching on day 18 or 19. Usually I set the eggs late on day 18 or early on day 19. Some eggs I'm not sure about I mark and sometimes they have hatched and other times they haven't. If the temp runs on the high side the chicks could hatch a day or two early and if the temp runs low then the eggs can take a day or two longer to hatch. I don't worry about the humidity except to keep it around 35% during incubation and 75% during lockdown. I try to keep the temp around 99.5 but usually it maintains between 99.5 and 100 which is fine. If it fluctuates a little that is ok. A broody will get off her nest to eat drink and poop. Originally I incubated around 50% humidity and 70% at lockdown with 60% to 75% hatches. Since I have changed to 35% during incubation (dry incubation) and 75% during lockdown my hatches have improved greatly. I have had 100% hatches but usually around 95%. This is what works for me. You will have to find out what works for you.

 

[LilyWhite]

I compared it and it looks as if it is doing what its supposed to. I am just waiting now. It is day 18 and I am hoping to have some baby chicks.

 

[Kunjun]

So grateful for this awesome thread. I've just bought the LG for my first hatching ever! Waiting on my eggs to arrive and then thunderbirds are go!! Thank you for all the insightful tips. My main concern right now is that I don't have a fan. I'm contemplating running out to get a computer fan to add