Little Giant

[Chickenaddict]

I have 24 eggs in there, I did not touch thhe dial once i put them in since it was steady before i added them, i figured it would come back up again. I added a wet wash cloth last night and by this morning it was completely dry and only helped the humidity by 2%. I may just try the sand. I was wondering if i could take out a few rows on the turner to be able to keep an eye on the water level and to add a container of some sort with damp sand in it.

 

[WalkingWolf]

Quote:
I do not have a egg turner but I do know that the rows can be removed to change size. Whether it will operate with rows removed I have no idea. But if you are using 24 bantam eggs or medium sized eggs you do not have enough volume, to stabilize temps. Check a craft store for ceramic eggs. If not maybe find some modeling clay, shape it to eggs and let it dry. Anything to increase the solid or liquid mass in your bator. One other thought maybe add some aquirum gravel in the bottom in the areas that do not hold water.

 

[Chickenaddict]

Yep they are bantam eggs, I have some aquarium gravel i may just try that, thank you

. I think im gonna try taking a few rows out of the turner too, if that doesn't work maybe add a few rocks in the slots that have no eggs in them. I just hope its early enough to not have affected the eggs too much

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

I, too, have an LG. This year I added a fan and replaced the thermometer/hygrometer because I broke the old one. Once I got that regulated, the whole setup has worked like a charm.

I incubate and hatch in cartons. I have sponges under the vent holes and add water that way. My temps vary between 100.0 and 100.8 BUT the key to keeping them that way is to watch the humidity. As long as I keep the humidity above 38% my temps are rock steady. When they start to rise, I generally find that the humidity is falling and if I add water, the temps steady right out. Knock on wood, I have not had to adjust the temps at all in the last 3 hatches until I hit day 18. Then when I up the humidity, I do generally have to touch the temp knob ever so slightly.

Oh, and the only time I open the bator is when I candle on day 7 and day 14. Then on day 18, I open, refill all the reservoirs, add additional sponges, candle, and shut 'er up until the hatch is over. I don't have a turner but I use a block under the bottom edge of one side of the unit and move it every 4 hours--for a total of 5 times a day--so that the eggs get "turned" that way. I stop this process on day 18 (the END of day 18).

I keep one vent open all through the incubation and the 2nd one open from day 18 forward.

I think the key to the whole process is to learn what works in your incubating spot and do it that way each and every time.

HTH


Rusty

 

[skyedobb]

Hmm...sounds like I need to increae volume in my bator since I only have 8 eggs in there. How big/tall of a block do you use under the edge of the bator? When I put water in my reservoir, it all spilled out once I put my block underneath, so I switched to a sponge and that has seemed to work.

Thanks!

 

[chubbydog811]

It's funny seeing all the different responses to the LG.
It definitely is a you love them or hate them...
For me and mine, it was a love/hate relationship...Until I bought a new one...
I absolutely love mine. I had screwed around with my old one enough to figure out how they work. I set my new one up over a month ago, and have had eggs in it constantly - any where from 6 to 30 some eggs.
It stays perfect at 100*, only fluctuations is when the room temp drops/rises. The lowest its gone is 98.8*, highest is 100.9*.
No problems with the humidity. I fill up the trays on the bottom, and it stays right at 35%.
For my hatcher (my old LG that ticked me off enough to buy a new one) works great also now that it's only a hatcher. I put a facecloth under the vent (like someone else already said). I have an old syringe from some of the horse's shots (a larger one). I put tubing from my fish tanks on it so I dont need to open the incubator the last 3 days, and I figured out that after filling the bottom with water, It takes one syringe full squirted on the cloth to get the humidity up to 70%.
For my regular incubator, it takes 3 syringes full in the tray on the bottom to get it to 35 or 40%.
As for adjusting the temp...I found when you go to turn it up or down, you twist just enough to make it feel like to didnt turn it. That will make it go up/down by 1 or 2*...
Definitely agree that unless it spikes way up or down, you're better off leaving it and letting it figure itself out.

forgot to add- both of my LGs are circulated air, and one has a turner.

 

[Maryallison]

Hi there! Just bought my LG this weekend and set it up this morning back in my bedroom on top of a dresser. Hope this is ok. I have small kids and I am trying to keep the eggs safe.

The room has no heat or air so I will have to keep a close eye on them. Nice to hear so many people like this incubator. I just bought some guinea eggs and I will be thrilled to hatch anything out!!!

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

How big/tall of a block do you use under the edge of the bator?

Mine is a bit of styrofoam that is about 1" high and 3" long and less than 2" deep.​