Incubating Pheasant eggs

Whats the best and cheapest incubator to hatch pheasant eggs?

The cheapest incubator I've bought is the Little Giant from Tractor Supply co. however, when I bought it, it was a still-air incubator. But I converted it into a forced-air incubator by attaching an old 3" computer fan to a DC plug (A.K.A. an old battery charger cord) and after covering the front of the fan with plastic canvas (to prevent injuries) put it in the incubator and, voila!

As with any incubator, don't set it in direct sunlight as that will raise the temperature and can be fatal to the embryos.

Thank you so much and wow your a genius!

That is a good idea,but the fan that are made for those incubators have a regulator that holds the temps at 99.5 degrees.The problem with styrofoam bators are the temp inside changes with the room temp unless you have the right fan in it.I never had any luck hatching pheasants in a styrofoam bator.My best hatching bator has been the R-com.I have tried GQF with okay results,Dickey with a little better results,but the R-com has been the best so far.I have raised pheasants for over 30 years now and have only used the R-com for 3 years,so they get my vote.They are pricey,but well worth the money if you intend to hatch successfully.
In N.H.,Tony.

Can't go wrong with the rcom

I have (4) R-Com 50's and have been using them for 4 years now. My hatch rates on Bob Whites and Gambels is real near 100% and from 87-94% on pheasants and Chukars. They are a definite set and forget bator. All you have to do is keep the water reservoir filled. Cost a few bucks more than the others but well worth the difference.

Tony K T said:

That is a good idea,but the fan that are made for those incubators have a regulator that holds the temps at 99.5 degrees.The problem with styrofoam bators are the temp inside changes with the room temp unless you have the right fan in it.I never had any luck hatching pheasants in a styrofoam bator.My best hatching bator has been the R-com.I have tried GQF with okay results,Dickey with a little better results,but the R-com has been the best so far.I have raised pheasants for over 30 years now and have only used the R-com for 3 years,so they get my vote.They are pricey,but well worth the money if you intend to hatch successfully.
In N.H.,Tony.

Click to expand...

Which R com model are you using? I had an R com 20 pro that I really liked for its temperature and humidity control but I had issues with how it turned the eggs. Whether I used the egg trays, slats, or rollers it often would leave an egg or two egg pointy end up after turning. I think a lot of this has to do with the pointy shape of many game bird eggs. I didn't have this problem with rounder eggs i.e. chicken. I also had issues with the eggs properly fitting the egg trays that R com provides with the pro model. Seems my eggs were either too small or too large. If the egg doesn't fit the hole properly it won't turn, it just slides.

GAQuail said:

Which R com model are you using? I had an R com 20 pro that I really liked for its temperature and humidity control but I had issues with how it turned the eggs. Whether I used the egg trays, slats, or rollers it often would leave an egg or two egg pointy end up after turning. I think a lot of this has to do with the pointy shape of many game bird eggs. I didn't have this problem with rounder eggs i.e. chicken. I also had issues with the eggs properly fitting the egg trays that R com provides with the pro model. Seems my eggs were either too small or too large. If the egg doesn't fit the hole properly it won't turn, it just slides.

Click to expand...

I have the R-com 20 standard.I don't use the egg trays ,I use the slats.The birds turn their eggs in the nest and sometimes the points are up so I don't think it is a big issue as they are turned often.
Did they send you the slats with the tray also?I would use the slats as you can adjust them to the egg size.
In N.H.,Tony.

Tony K T said:

...

Click to expand...

I have the R-com 20 standard.I don't use the egg trays ,I use the slats.The birds turn their eggs in the nest and sometimes the points are up so I don't think it is a big issue as they are turned often.
Did they send you the slats with the tray also?I would use the slats as you can adjust them to the egg size.
In N.H.,Tony.

Tony K T said:

I have the R-com 20 standard.I don't use the egg trays ,I use the slats.The birds turn their eggs in the nest and sometimes the points are up so I don't think it is a big issue as they are turned often.
Did they send you the slats with the tray also?I would use the slats as you can adjust them to the egg size.
In N.H.,Tony.

Click to expand...

I have since sold my R com 20 pro. It did come with slats as well as trays. I had a hatch of Bobwhite eggs that had several pip in the small end which I i attribute to how the turner would leave several eggs with the pointed end turned up. You make a good point though about eggs in the nest. In any case I now use a Dickey to incubate and a Lyon Roll X as a hatcher.

Sportsman 1502 is pretty good. 100% better then Little Giant Incubator. Costs more, but better results. You get what you pay for.