# Little Giant Incubators - Anyone use them for queen cells?



## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

I have one of almost identical design, I believe it was made by GQF, and it is actually an earlier version of this model -> GQF - 1583 Circulated Air Picture Window Hova-Bator. I have used it to hatch many quail and chicken eggs, over a period of many decades. I believe it shouldn't be difficult to devise a rack that could hold queen cells for emergence of virgins. I'm sure it could be done to accommodate at least 100 cells, possibly more. They could be set to emerge into individual queen cages, each containing a few drops of honey to ensure the virgin queens have an energizing first meal available.

I also designed, and built a small cabinet incubator, about 2' wide x 2' deep x 4' high, of 2 by lumber, pressed board, and sealed together and insulated with polyurethane. The heating and air circulating mechanism is a recycled old-fashioned portable bonnet hair dryer (found at a thrift store, back in the 1980's). I purchased a solid-state thermostat (sold as a replacement part for a modern incubator), then modified its circuitry to increase its sensitivity about 4 times, finally wiring the hair dryer's heating element to the thermostat. This incubator was also previously used to hatch quail and chicken eggs, with great success. I've also been considering creating alternative shelves (presently they hold racks to automatically rock poultry eggs during incubation), to hold cells in cages, for use in this incubator. It could likely accommodate 2,500 cells, or even more.

Your thread has inspired me, thanks.


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## Paul McCarty (Mar 30, 2011)

I have been looking hard at them because I get tired of my cell finisher tearing down cells etc. I have been cutting the cells out and wrapping the upper end in foil and covering the lower with a protector and a mini queen cage. Placing them in the nursery hive can be a bit problematic though - an incubator would make it much easier.

Grafting is such a pain, I normally use a cloake board or the Hopkins method where the cells hang down vertically, so the cells they make aren't real pretty and easy to manipulate.


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## AramF (Sep 23, 2010)

I have hatched one queen cell in it. I believe Lauri uses it successfully. I will use it next year. Lauri took a 1x4 block and drilled some holes in it the dimeter of hairculer cage. He sets the cages into these blocks and places them in the incubator. I thought it was a very creative solution to keeping cages vertical and separated from each other. My forced air was at 92.3F and they hatched successfull. The thermostat was set at the lowest setting.


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## Brandy (Dec 3, 2005)

Just set a couple 1 X's inside to rest the cell bars on or use the hair roller cages with the nicot cell cups. No fuss, no muss, and you save allll those cells that are invariably taken out 1-2 days before they're ready for the mating nuc's.


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

Joseph - would you have designed it any different if you had built it for queen cells? 2' x 2' x 4' seems awfully large...if you are gonna try it, do keep us posted! I'd like to have some more suggestions about sensitizing that thermostat.


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