little giant incubator

sundance

Songster
12 Years
I was in TRS the other day and saw one of these, any body ever tried one and can you tell me how it works, since my RIR chickens don't seem to know what broody is. I need some new babies and would like to hatch my own. this was called LITTLE GIANT AIR INCUBATOR.any info would be appreciated. marrie
 
LG's are Ok, but be ready to babysit all day, I personally hate them, and prefer the Hovabator 1588, but the LG's are whats most available, and cheaper, but it's definately a situation where you get what you pay for, Some people have luck with them, but most hate the babysitting, they can have very sudden temp spikes. Good luck, if you have the funds, and can wait the shipping time, I say go for the Hovabator 1588, I had my LG 1 week before buying the 1588.
 
I currently use the Little Giant with relative success. I am assuming that it is the still air version. (If it was about $50 that's what it was.) I didn't have a whole lot of luck with it until added a fan and made it a forced air. I'm a total computer geek so I had a plethora of cooling fans to choose from in my bin-o-computer parts
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The only thing I wish I had now was an automatic turner. Every time I open it up to turn the eggs, I loose humidity and heat.

I also had problems keeping the humidity as high as it needed to be but the addition of a bowl of water and a sponge fixed that.

As to the workings, there is a heater coil at the top with a knob. It comes with a small alcohol thermometer but you will want to upgrade to a digital that has humidity readings too. You adjust the heat and humidity over a couple days before adding eggs to get it regulated then add your eggs. If you don't have the automatic turner you'll have to get in and turn them yourself.

There is a lot of info on here about the general workings of incubation. I like my LG and would recommend it as a good beginning machine mainly for the low startup cost. The fan helped me keep my temps regular, but for someone that has central heat and air it might not be necessary (we use window units in the summer and the room temp varies up to 10 deg through the course of the day.)

Hope this helps!
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The 1588's are about $120 + shipping through Cutler Supply. The LG's are dificult, but not impossible. I Recently bought a Bunch of eggs, but needed a hatcher for the eggs already in the Bator, so yesterday I stoped by TSC an bought another LG
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, then when i got home I added a Computer fan to make it into a forced air, the temps are more regulated with the fan, but I still have some fluxuating that is annoying me. If you buy the LG, try to hook up a PC fan, it will help regulate your temps.
 
I have a LG and my last 2 hatches have been about 55% and 33%. I too have a still air and no turner.


I currently use the Little Giant with relative success. I am assuming that it is the still air version. (If it was about $50 that's what it was.) I didn't have a whole lot of luck with it until added a fan and made it a forced air. I'm a total computer geek so I had a plethora of cooling fans to choose from in my bin-o-computer parts The only thing I wish I had now was an automatic turner. Every time I open it up to turn the eggs, I loose humidity and heat.

I also had problems keeping the humidity as high as it needed to be but the addition of a bowl of water and a sponge fixed that.

As to the workings, there is a heater coil at the top with a knob. It comes with a small alcohol thermometer but you will want to upgrade to a digital that has humidity readings too. You adjust the heat and humidity over a couple days before adding eggs to get it regulated then add your eggs. If you don't have the automatic turner you'll have to get in and turn them yourself.

There is a lot of info on here about the general workings of incubation. I like my LG and would recommend it as a good beginning machine mainly for the low startup cost. The fan helped me keep my temps regular, but for someone that has central heat and air it might not be necessary (we use window units in the summer and the room temp varies up to 10 deg through the course of the day.)

Hope this helps!

I've been thinking about installing a fan but am not sure how to do it. You mentioned about central air--I was thinking maybe I should shut the vent in that room because I thought the ac might take the humidity out? Am I thinking wrong in this? I had trouble keeping my humidity up the last 3 days this last time and the ac wasn't even on. I had rags and sponges in there but it just didn't seem to want to stay above 70%. Next hatch being in June, the ac will more than likely be running.​
 
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I've been thinking about installing a fan but am not sure how to do it. You mentioned about central air--I was thinking maybe I should shut the vent in that room because I thought the ac might take the humidity out? Am I thinking wrong in this? I had trouble keeping my humidity up the last 3 days this last time and the ac wasn't even on. I had rags and sponges in there but it just didn't seem to want to stay above 70%. Next hatch being in June, the ac will more than likely be running.

You may be right about the humidity thing. I didn't have as many problems with humidity as I did with the temp spikes. That is why I assumed someone using central heat and air (with more steady room temps) would have better luck as a still air.

I installed my fan just to the front of the little control box inside the bator. I used little plastic pieces to keep the fan off the styrofoam. The fan blows up (so it isn't blowing directly on the eggs) and I used a couple small pieces of a wire clothes hanger and screen to keep any hatching peeps out of the fan blades. I used hot glue (make sure it's high temp not low temp) to attach the screen and wire. I will try to snap a couple pics in a couple hours when it's time to turn eggs.
 
I am on my second hatch with one of the LG's($41) from TSC. The first hatch was 1/2 incubated eggs that a broody left. I didn't have alot of money either- but I have time so I did not get the turner. I added a hygrometer for about $10. If you keep it in a room with stable temps you should be ok.

It looks like I may get 100% hatch this time. The only thing I have a problem with is the chicks don't "dry" very well because of my lack of a fan. Maybe next hatch!

I'd recommend it for a start-up. The need to monitor it more closely seems to have put me more "in-tune" with the eggs- if that makes any sense!
 
My LG works fine. I do have the fan and turner. Once I get it set, thats it for the next 3 weeks. I did notice that when I candle and set the lid aside for 10 mins or so, when I put the lid back, the temp spikes to about 102 for about 2 minunets then goes back to 99. I have had great hatch rates even some 100%.
 

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