Little Giant Incubator Tricks

[DirtCreature]

We JUST did this same thing to stagger our hatches out. We JUUUST made our DIY bator with an IncuKit. AWESOME! we love it, and it is soooo easy. we also will just keep the LG

Now you're thinking. I have an LG and a homemade incubator. My homemade is created from a plastic cooler. Better to keep the LG in one piece and build the new one from other peices. Most people like having 2 incubators. One as a hatcher, one as an incubator.

Lots of info here on BYC to build an incubator; read lots of ideas to decide what design you want.

 

[Marty1876]

Fantastic4 - just make sure there is airflow top to bottem. Must have a couple holes drilled in each.

I have 3 bators, and it isn't enough yet. I also have some little $3 homemades that make good early dry outs (pre-brooder) and not bad hatchers and bators, really. Its from a doller store syrofoam cooler, a used light, a 25 watt bulb, some wire and bowls. Oh, and a pencil to make holes and some good 1" masking tape. (I suppose you know about the thermometer)

 

[fantastic4]

Im sure u know more than I so why keep the LG together other than for hatcher? Just didn't know if you had another reason for saying keep that one intact. I do like the idea of 2, but I had temp differences inside of 5 or more degrees, that concerns me for even using it for hatcher. thats y i was thinking more cubic feet, and fans to stabilize that.

I am additionally concerned about light bulb. I do like having thermostat I am nervous about regulating temp

 

[Marty1876]

I like thermostats, if they work. I have fans in my hovas and my LG, but one of the hovas is a still air, for hatching. Too much air can maybe cause trouble with shrink wrap.

You should just build one. There are several excellent plans. Mine 3's are just little cheapos, but since I have time to watch them during the summer, when we use them usually, it worlks for us. Ironically, I think we've had fewer shrink wraps in those than my hova. The light vs. the water in bowls balance each other, and I end up with perfect 45%.

Of course, I love my fan and auto turn bators, cause they are easy (usually).

 

[Arielle]

Im sure u know more than I so why keep the LG together other than for hatcher? Just didn't know if you had another reason for saying keep that one intact. I do like the idea of 2, but I had temp differences inside of 5 or more degrees, that concerns me for even using it for hatcher. thats y i was thinking more cubic feet, and fans to stabilize that.

I am additionally concerned about light bulb. I do like having thermostat I am nervous about regulating temp

I've been experiencing differences in my LG too. More than I expected to see. I'm trying to figure out how to deal with that issue.

Starting with stabilize room temperature--put a thermometer back in the room to track ambient temperatures.

 

[cmom]

When I installed my fans I made sure they were blowing up and not down on the eggs so the air still gets circulated.

 

[cmom]

Now you're thinking. I have an LG and a homemade incubator. My homemade is created from a plastic cooler. Better to keep the LG in one piece and build the new one from other peices. Most people like having 2 incubators. One as a hatcher, one as an incubator.

Lots of info here on BYC to build an incubator; read lots of ideas to decide what design you want.

Im sure u know more than I so why keep the LG together other than for hatcher? Just didn't know if you had another reason for saying keep that one intact. I do like the idea of 2, but I had temp differences inside of 5 or more degrees, that concerns me for even using it for hatcher. thats y i was thinking more cubic feet, and fans to stabilize that.

I am additionally concerned about light bulb. I do like having thermostat I am nervous about regulating temp

There are two bulbs in here in case one burns out. They are 15 watt. I put a wafer thermostat in that I had replaced (with a electronic thermostat) from my cabinet incubator. It works great and really holds the temperature steady.



Original design which worked well too.

 

[mrgreenjeans53]

You can also get a power inverter that plugs into the cigarette lighter in your vehicle. Run an extension cord, (plugged into one of the AC plug-ins in the inverter) from your vehicle to your bator, turner, etc. If your vehicle battery is fairly new you can run your bator for hours. If not, you can always go out and start your vehicle to recharge the battery.

I used one of these inverters several times over a period of three years while I was the primary caretaker for my younger brother who was a quadraplegic. He was confined to a hospital bed, at home, which had electric controls and a special air mattress with a pump to keep it inflated at all times. It worked great for this!!!

Another good investment is to purchase a small gasoline powered generator. They have several AC plug-ins that you can plug extension cords into to run several bators at one time, with turners and also run brooders. They often run for up to five hours on a single tank of gas.

 

[cmom]

Here is what I have done when we have lost power. I use an inverter with a car starter. Works great. I put a towel over the incubator because this happened on the coldest day we had.

 

[Arielle]

I need some help from the great brains here on this thread.

I bought 6 turkey eggs, These are shipped. I have read that to keep the eggs upright in an eggcarton and still, shipped eggs hatch better. This is a change as I always incubate on the sides.

I removed the mason jars of water, inserted an empty egg carton, and checked the temps often until I reached a reasonable temp of 101.

I put one egg carton on a dowel, so it is raised higher than the test height. And the turkey eggs are rocked slightly with a folded TP tube under 1/2 the carton.

It's been 24 hours since, and the temps are running low at 98. BOTH plugs are in.

Edited to add--put 3 1qt mason jars of water back in at time of set.

What am I missing??

Will check back in the morning for ideas. Night.