Little Giant Incubator Tricks

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I set my hova bator up so the pc fan blows up and the air is directed onto the top and sides, this also makes it warmer on the sides though, (99.9 in center 102.3 on edge)

I would think since you added a fan regardless of the voltage it should circulate the air. The fan that comes with the incubator blows the air out of the sides of the fan where a computer fan blows the air down. Also how much clearance do you have between your fan and where you mounted it? If it is too close it inhibits the air flow and it will not be as good. On one incubator I put the fan at 1/4" and on another incubator 3/8th" also most have a hole in the top where a fan is normally mounted which is needed to draw air in. If you are concerned about a chick getting it's head in the fan I did cut a fine mesh wire and put it over the fan so no way a chick could get it's head in it. Good luck...

 

[Arielle]

I would think since you added a fan regardless of the voltage it should circulate the air. The fan that comes with the incubator blows the air out of the sides of the fan where a computer fan blows the air down. Also how much clearance do you have between your fan and where you mounted it? If it is too close it inhibits the air flow and it will not be as good. On one incubator I put the fan at 1/4" and on another incubator 3/8th" also most have a hole in the top where a fan is normally mounted which is needed to draw air in. If you are concerned about a chick getting it's head in the fan I did cut a fine mesh wire and put it over the fan so no way a chick could get it's head in it. Good luck...

I placed the fan in the only possible location: middle between the 2 windows, hanging about 1/4 off the ceiling. However I pull the air UP to the ceiling so as to not blow air on to the eggs with a direct force. I can modulate the air exchange by opening or closing the plug directly over the fan. Oddly, the temp is not the same thruout the incubator. I figured it is an improvement over no fan. THough many people hatch just fine in a still air. With the noticeable differences in temp I feel more assured of a more even temp than if I didn't use a fan.

 

[Arielle]

I set my hova bator up so the pc fan blows up and the air is directed onto the top and sides, this also makes it warmer on the sides though, (99.9 in center 102.3 on edge)

Interesting observation. Maybe the fan is backfiring on me here. Seems I need to fire up the incubator and test all the locations again with fan and again without the fan. I really thought the fan would add to the evenness of the temps--maybe I'm totally wrong on this based on your observations. Thanks for the input!

 

[cmom]

I agree that is why I put fans in my still air incubators.

 

[cityslickers]

I wrap mine with clear package tape all the way around the crack were the top and bottom meet. To keep my humidity in and do not open it till the hatch is completely finished. I think the tape helps me not open the bator

 

[Arielle]

I'm guilty of opening the incubator. WIll think of this every time I lift the top an slide a hand in to grab a chick!.

 

[cmom]

I wrap mine with clear package tape all the way around the crack were the top and bottom meet. To keep my humidity in and do not open it till the hatch is completely finished. I think the tape helps me not open the bator

You must have a turner.

 

[Beautiful_Chickens]

I will be doing my first incubating as soon as fertile eggs arrive. Lemon Cuckoo Orps.
Im using a LG 9200, still air. Brand new to me. Have been going nuts with three different thermometers, all giving me a different reading (see MYPAGE)
Nervous as a new Mother Hen that too much will go wrong and nothing will go right.

Im set up in a small bathroom (so I can lock out other family critters), thinking when I go to turn eggs I'll jack up room temp with a portable heater and turn on the shower to raise humidity in the whole room. Then when I close the bator it won't take so long for them to readjust?? does this sound feasible or stupid??

Please respond. Thanks

I am just now reading this whole thread and dont think anybody responded...Of course, now your hatch is probably done! How did it go?

I will answer based on my experiences, even though it is late for your hatch, but might be useful for future hatches maybe.... I don't think you need to turn up the room heat or humidity before opening the incubator to turn eggs. Hens get off the nest every day, sometimes for 20 minutes, and the eggs get that cooling period. So no worries till day 18 or 19. It is at that point that you want the humidity at 50 or 60 I think. Before then, between 30 and 40 is what I've heard..that is relative humidity, I think. There is some confusing thing about humidity...something like wet bulb reading of X is not the same as relative humidity of the same number...duh, I do not recall the details just that there are 2 different ways to measure, and they are not the same.
So anyway starting at day 18 or 19, you raise the humidity by adding water in the second ring in the bottom of the incubator and you can add a sponge in a jar like some people suggested. And you don't turn the eggs those last 3 days.

I'm hoping your hatch went well and you have fuzzy little chicks now..but if not, try again!!!

 

[Beautiful_Chickens]

this is my first hatch and I fortunately/unfortunately have the LG. I do have the egg turner and fan thanks to DH. I assigned him to build me a cheap incubator and he just ran out of time/energy (since he also had to build a temp fence and coop for the 25 meaties arriving Thurs.) So his solution was look TSC has this incubator turner and he ordered the fan since they didn't have it in stock. Had I known that was going to be the case before my eggs arrived I would have sprung for a slightly more expensive but better rated incubator but I was hopeing for the $25 homemade job, plus he always does great work.

anyway.... After setting them Sat. morning and reading more and more of these threads (read some before but you now still catching up). Found this thread in particular about the reliability of the incubator and started worrying about the humidity because it doesn't have a gage for that. I went down to HomeDepot and got a $10 temp/humidity reader. Takes up 2 egg holes but I only have 15 setting so plenty of room. The humidity was only 43%. I took everything out quickly and added wet bathroom towel strips (from old but nice cotton absorbant towels) in the bottom beneath the screen. I couldn't add a cup of water because I have the turner which takes up the whole space but is elevated. Humidity is now at 57% and may still be climbing. I'm glad the humidity has a higher range of acceptable values because I don't think I could achieve one set humidity right now.

Other than that the temp is stable and all three thermometers agree at 99.5 to 100.

Hope I can achieve a successful hatch cause right now if they all hatched (which I realize most likely won't since they were shipped and I"m inexperienced and life doesn't always give you 100%) they would be $10 /chick of course they are some black copper marans, ameracauna's and Barnvelders so maybe $10 / chick isn't so bad.

I am glad for all the tips and hope there are more to come as I really want a successful hatch.

Hi there, I know it is already January, and your hatch would be done..but I had a comment possibly that might help future hatches. I could not tell from your post if you had just set eggs or whether they were in "lockdown" --that is the last 3 days where you need humidity of 50 or 60 percent. You do not want the humidity that high earlier on in the hatching process and apparently can drown the chicks by having humidity too high. also various deformities and I don't know what else. So anyway I am really hoping you had some chicks hatch... it is such a fun process!!!

 

[cmom]

Hens get off the nest every day, sometimes for 20 minutes, and the eggs get that cooling period.

I'm hoping your hatch went well and you have fuzzy little chicks now..but if not, try again!!!

I agree...

It takes quite awhile for the internal temperature of an egg to raise and fall.