Little Giant Still-Air Incubator-HELP Troubleshooting please

[rodriguezpoultry]

I haven't touched it since it steadied out at 100.8. It's been fluctuating between 101.8 and 99.7 so doing pretty good. The humidity is the issue...don't know why, but it's more humid outside of the incubator than inside of it.

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

Living in Florida I do the dry hatching once I set the eggs I put 1/2 cup of hot water in the bator it usually goes up to around 40-46% I dont add any additional water until it goes down below 25%. On day 18 I do up it to 70% I know someone here in florida who hatches all year round and never puts any water in his incubators at all He claims to have a big success rate. I have noticed that the forced air incubator drys up the humidity faster than the little giant I have both going and I have to put water in the hovabator every 2-3 days I had to put 1/4 cup of water in the little giant today. Its been running for over 1 month as I am doing staggered hatches in it.

 

[MiniBeesKnees]

Sugar Sand may I ask how you do the staggered hatches?
You use two incubators?
Is it a function of good recordkeeping and knowing when lockdown is for particular eggs, and you take them out of one and put them in the other one?

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Hmmm....

I have a single Langshan egg left. It's one of the ones from the fridge (I marked all the ones from the fridge on the first day when they were "cooling" off from their stay in the fridge.

The mutt eggs are looking pretty good. I had alot of development in the fridge eggs, but they just didn't make it. Ah well...poop happens.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Quote:
Well shucks - that stinks about the fridge eggs. I know you really wanted a couple to hatch at least.


Hopefully the one will make it and will have lots of company with the hardy mutt eggs.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Makes me wonder what's going on with the Langshan eggs though. Last year, I had quite a few. I'm just wondering if the heat is already getting to my male?

I'd put the son to the main rooster in, but he decided to have a go at me yesterday. First time he has EVER shown aggression. I'm chalking it up to the presence of baby chicks in the run. But, not certain on that. For the first time in 10 years, I actually had to watch my back. REALLY made me angry.

Once the chicks get a bit older (they're maybe a day old now?) and if he's still pulling that bs, his head is MINE. The rest of the chicks from the incubator will be going straight back to the house, the Langshan chick and maybe a single mutt chick will be kept here.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I agree with making his head yours. One thing I will not put up with. In fact, ate one of my favorite bantam Rosecomb roos cause he had decided it was fun to "tag" my calf. I could walk him down, pick him up and carry him around for hours - set him down, turn my back and thump/wack. Was not getting injured - but was not short season yet either.

Not to mention he was stalking the farrier and knew he would start going after DH on the weekends he was home. (he had already tried to make DH stay in the truck on one weekend)

As much as I loved him, he was even better in soup!

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

I don't believe in "reforming" a known attacker.

The young male (9 months?) didn't actually attack, but was in the mode. I'm really thinking it was the chicks. His father gets the same way, except I know his father MUCH better. Clyde won't attack at all. He'll scare the crap out of you when you catch one of his hens, but he's never attacked.

Made me REALLY angry just to see him doing the aggression stance.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Riddle me this:


If I put eggs into the incubator on June 1, 2010 at a relatively steady temp of 100.8*F (remembering that my thermometer reads .5* to 1* higher than actual temp making the temp 99.8*). Having a steady humidity flow without opening the incubator. As well as having an automatic turner....




WHY IS THERE A CHICK RUNNING AROUND ON THE 19th DAY?!


I just don't get it. Here's the even more hilarious thing: I'm down to 3 good eggs. Out of 36, I have 3 good eggs and 1 chick. The last few eggs were fine a week ago. I haven't opened the incubator since. Temp has been the same, nothing has changed.

Frustrating as heck.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Cannot answer that riddle

- have had it happen myself (course mine were Rosecombs (bantams) ).

Could your temp be off more than you thought? What about hot spots in the bator - even with a fan, I know mine has a couple.