Little Giant Incubator Tricks

[Peep_Show]

Those quailings are ADORABLE!!!!! OMG! Cuteness overload!

 

[Arielle]

Here are some pics from tonight

A ball of adorable fluff!

 

[cmom]

I put my fan blowing up in the same spot as this fan is in this picture.

 

[bamachicks8]

Thanks

 

[pamelakay]

What awsome ideas!!! Thank you, (and your Mom). I plan on putting some of those ideas into action today! I am new to incubating, well I'm new to chickens, period. I have a few bard rock hens and a light sussex rooster. I am hoping to hatch out a few of their offspring. There is a contest going on, actually, as One of my more determined hens has made herself scarce and she has a nest somewhere on the property. Hope she will adopt any peeps I hatch out!
Ok, here is my little process. My little giants, I have a couple, one for the 18 days of rock and roll, and one for my hatch/nursery, seem to have held their temp. and humidity better since adding this thermal sandwich. I took a clean dry sponge, large one like you use to clean grout off new tile, and placed it between the two open vents....laid a doubled sheet of bubble wrap across the top and then a rag rug. It isn't an airtight thing, just laid over the top. The purpose of the sponge is to raise the "tent" so to speak. The bubble wrap lays across the top and the rag rug covers the wrap and drapes down three sides. I have noted that the temp and humidity lost following a lid lift come back to baseline quicker now. I don't make any temp adjustments, just wait. Otherwise, I overcompensate the temp and am off to the races to get back to that magic point... 99.5 hatch-a-chick. If and when the peeps hatch out, I plan on taking the wrap and rug off for ventilation purposes. If anyone has reason to think this may not be a good idea, please say. Because I seem to be growing some lovely eggs, but have a few days left for hatch.

 

[cmom]

There are those little holes on the bottom and the lid of the incubator which some air can exchange through. Many people leave the plugs in at least for the first 18 days anyway. I think your idea will work good. Good luck and have fun...

 

[bwalden]

I put my fan blowing up in the same spot as this fan is in this picture.

Why facing up? You do mean where it blows upward right?

 

[cmom]

Quote:
Yes blowing upward to circulate the air in the incubator instead of it blowing down directly on the eggs.

 

[bwalden]

Yes blowing upward to circulate the air in the incubator instead of it blowing down directly on the eggs.

Ok thanks. I was in the process of installing a PC fan into my LG 9200 was the reason I ask. Looks like the fan I got puts off to much heat though. I cannot get my temps to go below 103 deg. now. I unplugged the fan and temps return to normal. I think the fan may be a little too large for that size of incubator. Guess it's back to the drawing board. I'm really wanting to build my own cabinet type incubator anyway, so I may salvage the heating element out of the LG and use the fan for it. I've just never had stellar hatch results with the LG.

 

[Arielle]

bwalden-- I use an LG and a homemade henny penny--and I have had mixed results. SO many factors go into getting a great hatch. The best I had was almost 100%; other hatches 0% from shipped eggs.

I understand the DIckeys and the like have greater ability to stay even temps and correct humidity ,etc. LG is a very small unit and subject to the envoronment aroundt it. After tracking data, I found the the outside weather, eventually effected the room environment, and then the LG. Knowing that allowed me to plan ahead and watch more carefully. 102 weather eventually drove up the temp in the LG--that was the hardest to control without changing the knob!!

Have fun making a new one--I found it very satisfying!!