Brinsea Mini Advance Incubator

I wanted a small incubator to start out my hatching adventures. I also wanted one with a digitally controlled thermostat. I also wanted an autoturner. This little incubator fit the bill. I love the clear plastic dome when my eggs start to pip. I can move all around the unit and get a 360 degree view of the eggs and chicks when they start hatching. When I candle eggs and replace them back under the dome, the Brinsea Mini Advance can rebound the temps quickly. This incubator can hold 7 eggs with the autoturner in or 10 eggs with the autoturner taken out. (more if the eggs are small) I love the digital readout and everything is easy to set and adjust. You can set how often you want the eggs to turn. You can set an auto cool period to mimic a hen getting off the nest once a day. It has a high and low temp alarm. It will show if the unit has lost power during the incubation period. It has a day countdown timer and the autoturner can be set to turn off at day 18. I candle my eggs for the last time when the autoturner is off, fill both water chambers to increase humidity for hatch, turn the fat ends of the eggs out so I can see pips better, and the waiting really begins. :) The instruction booklet that comes with the unit is detailed but easy to understand.

My first hatch was 5 out of 7. One chick died at day 15 or so, and the other had severe cross beak and never pipped. My second batch, 7 out 7 hatched! I am very, very happy with this incubator and Brinsea as a company. I had an issue with a second order I placed with them, and they were very helpful when I called.

I am so happy with my little power house Brinsea :) I may purchase one of their larger incubators in the future, but the small size of Mini Advance will help keep me from becoming overrun with chickens for the present time.

This is incubator is pretty good, but not awesome. I've had 4 incubators total in my "chicken lifetime" so far & while this one gets the job done, it's pretty expensive to purchase initially & you can only hatch a small amount of eggs. Set up is easy, everything is digital, but there is no humidity control. The directions state that on the 18th day you fill up both sides of the reservoir to control humidity. That's it. I've used it 3 times, and while my hatch rate has increased significantly over time (with shipped eggs) my hatch rate is only 80% or so. Not bad, but not great! Once the chicks hatch, they are kind of smooshed in there- like kids pressed against the window on a school bus. I only have hatched Silkies and Polish, both tiny breeds but it's awfully cramped in there when you're waiting for the others to hatch. 

I recently purchased a Brinsea Octo 20 advance (not the EX) and I'm much happier with the results. It is a little bit more expensive, but not that much more. Everything is digital, the auto turn cradle literally rocks them back n forth like a baby crib. It's spacious, and easy to clean up. Hatch rate has been much better, but it might just be luck.

I wish I would have just waited, saved up my money & bought 2 of the Octo20's.