Little Giant incubator question

[freemotion]

The incubator has four little holes in the bottom and the place you put water is in the middle, under the egg turner. It is pretty difficult to get water in there without moving the turner and the whole thing cools down for a couple of hours after adding water.

Can we plug the holes in the bottom so that we can just add the water around the outside of the bottom? Or are these holes needed for air circulation?

 

[glenolam]

I don't use the automatic egg turner so I'm not sure what I'm about to say is legit or not....

but....

I think you're correct that those holes are there for circulation. In my LG I have three "moats" that hold the water - one square shape one and two lines on either sides of that square.

Where do you keep your incubator? If it's in a bathroom you could turn the water on really hot to steam up the room each time you want to open up the incubator.

Is it possible to stick a straw down one of the vent holes in the top (where the red plugs are) and put water into the 'moats' that way? I've done that on occasion too.

You could also put a bunch of wet paper towels in there, but that'd only be a temporary solution.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I don't have the egg turner either, so I'm not sure. Is it possible to leave 1 egg hole empty so you can pour the water through that spot?

 

[deenamr]

I cut some small plastic tubing and positioned it so it goes to the water trays inside then I just use a syringe to fill them from outside of the incubator. This has worked really well for me.

 

[BeccaOH]

I'm another that doesn't use an egg turner. I've owned 2 and didn't like either one.

I always add warm to hot water, which seems to help. Some slight cooling is okay IMHO since a hen will move, get up to eat/drink, and even rearrange the eggs which allows for some cooling.

For ducks and geese, I've purposely allowed a cooling period for about 10 minutes each day. It seemed to help the hatches. Even spritzing with cool water -- like a parent returning from a swim -- is sometimes advised.

 

[Ohioann]

Add warm water (about 100 degrees)with a long spout household plant watering can. With care you can open the lid just a little and get the end of the spout down into the water channel. I use that type of incubator for over 6 years until I got a chance at a cabinet incubator for a really good deal and it has the automatic watering...sooooo much easier!!.

 

[Up-the-Creek]

I have an LG and I always add warm water and it doesnt affect the temps too much. (No egg turner either,)...look at it this way,..when you have a broody hen,..they get off the nest to eat and poo or whatever,....the eggs will be fine with slight temp fluctuations,..."be the hen,...become the hen"....Sorry,..thought that was funny.

 

[Wannabefree]

I leave one of the egg holes empty to add the water. I add water about every 4 days and right before "lockdown" and have never had issues. If you DON'T use a turner and turn by hand, over the course of the incubation process they get cooled a lot more often, so I don't think it will hurt them anyway.

 

[freemotion]

Helpful info, thanks everyone!

 

[AL]

I just used the LG with an egg turner (yay 11 chicks!) and I used those flexi straws and a syringe to add water to the paper towels I had in there.