Little Giant Incubator Tricks

[Arielle]

Quote: Since this is your first time hatching andusing the LG, my suggestion is get a note book.

Record day and time, egg turning O or X, . %RH, temp,

THe eggs need to lose some moisture so that the chick will be the right size to turn inside to zip the egg. I check the air cells and compare it to a chart I keep next to the incubator. THe chart shows size of the "air cell on 7th, 14th and 18th day " (google this and you should find a couple diagrams to print). HOpefully you are incubating medium brown or whitish eggs-- these are easy to look thru and see the air cell.

Humidity is adjusted to keep the development of the air cell in your eggs in synch with the diagrams. You can increase humididy and decrease it as needed. I can use dry hatching in the summer ( no added water to the wells; but need to add to the wells in the winter because the air is drier and we use a wood stove. So, you will need to find what works for you. KEEP RECORDS.

For most people I suggest starting out at 30-40%, and it will fluctuate day to day, and that is ok. I check a few eggs on day 5--if the air cells are bigger than the day 7 diagram, increase the moisture. If they are smaller, recheck on day 7, if it is a match, keep doing what you are doing; if too small, get the water out of the incubator; if the air cells are too big, keep the humidity higher. THe goal of the corrections are to be on track by day 14, adjust humidity again as need be. AIr cells need to be surprisingly big by lock down. I have delayed lockdown when air cells are too small (I didn't increase the RH for hatching).

THis is why record keeping is very important.

ALso, remove the moisture out of the LG is very difficult--it seems to absorb into the styrofoam. My suggestion is to start with dry wells if possible. ( IF you have already filled the wells, don't panic. start with filled wells)

Keep records. Can't say this often enough!

I have found this to be a main cause of chicks failing to hatch for newbie hatchers.
let temps stabilize for several days before setting eggs. do not fiddle with temps--they will fluctuate. that is ok.

 

[davony's chicks]

Just found this thread and started reading from the beginning. I got thru the first 3 pages and decided to skip to the end because there was so much useful information on the first few pages. Thanks to everyone for their input, this is so helpful.

I have been using LG for a few years now with varied success. The best incubator I ever had was one I built but it was too small and I thought I would be better off the with LG's.

I have one for incubating with a turner and will be adding a pc fan for circulation, and a cap to the the adjuster. What a clever idea, why didn't I think of that??? LOL

I have another for hatching. I only hatch in the spring because I just cant have all of those chicks in my house. I would be kicked out for sure!

Thanks again for all of your input and ideas. I will stayed tuned! LOVE all BYCers! They are the greatest!

 

[davony's chicks]

Just found this thread and started reading from the beginning. I got thru the first 3 pages and decided to skip to the end because there was so much useful information on the first few pages. Thanks to everyone for their input, this is so helpful.

I have been using LG for a few years now with varied success. The best incubator I ever had was one I built but it was too small and I thought I would be better off the with LG's.

I have one for incubating with a turner and will be adding a pc fan for circulation, and a cap to the the adjuster. What a clever idea, why didn't I think of that??? LOL

I have another for hatching. I only hatch in the spring because I just cant have all of those chicks in my house. I would be kicked out for sure!

Thanks again for all of your input and ideas. I will stayed tuned! LOVE all BYCers! They are the greatest!

 

[Kunjun]

Thanks so much Arielle. Actually I had put a damp cloth in initially but have taken it out. I appreciate the advice on the note taking and will do so. I am currently hatching cream Legbars so it makes it easier for candling. I've found a couple of great threads on what to look for!

 

[Arielle]

Thanks so much Arielle. Actually I had put a damp cloth in initially but have taken it out. I appreciate the advice on the note taking and will do so. I am currently hatching cream Legbars so it makes it easier for candling. I've found a couple of great threads on what to look for!

Pictures are very helpful!! THe best I can add is to reiterate that the air cell is slanted, I don't know why, So it needs to look bigger than the some of the diagrams.

WHen a chick doesn't hatch with in 24 hours of pipping I will help it hatch. OFten the chick has dried to the inside membrane and just needs to be freed. I don't know why this happens. I like to give the chicks a chance if that was the p roblem. Sometimes they have a defect and should be culled.

 

[LilyWhite]

All of my little eggies harched!

 

[OR4-hmom]

Oh Happy Day! Congratulations

 

[LilyWhite]

Yes it is! They started at 530am yesterday and they finished at 12am this morning they are so sweet too! Now I just have to figure out how sex them :/

 

[bwalden]

I've got a model 9200 Little Giant. Put 18 eggs in lockdown Friday and I've got 7 out so far with more pipped.

 

[LilyWhite]

Its so exciting!