Recommendations for incubator - guinea eggs

[Mistahbue]

Pardon if this has been done to death but I am wondering if there are any recommendations for an incubator for hatching guineas? Thus far my girls have lain about 24 dozen eggs this spring - we've collected and have been giving away (as food) or using ourselves. Mainly because when the nest(s) were located we had no idea how long the eggs had been in place. I know they use a community nest - the biggest thus far had 50 eggs in it.

So - assuming they lay at this rate through the summer I've decided, I think, that I want to raise keets - hopefully be able to trade for other varieties (I have the standard pearl gray babies) or sell to folks wanting to start with keets.

Anyway - I'm completely confused when I look at these incubators.

I will say that I sometimes travel for my job -- I did find one that has automatic turner - however there is someone at home when I travel so I don't know if this is a good thing to look for or not.

All input appreciated.

Thanks

 

[MamaKitty913]

Hi I have a TSC model Little Giant I put in the automatic turner and got an 85% hatch rate I'd say a turner is important unless your really able to turn by hand 5 or so times a day. Also mine started hatching on day 22 so remove turner early if you can since 28 days is what most of the literature says and with the turner inside you cant remove it once somethings pipped or in my case pipped and hatched lol! It's not harder IMO to hatch keets than chicks. Just a longer wait since my chicks usually hatch by day 19 - 20. But that's just my results and I added no water to the incubator through out the entire incubation period since it is sooo humid here in Louisiana it wasn't needed. Only added 30ccs of water via a syringe and tubing at lockdown. Good Luck

 

[R2elk]

Pardon if this has been done to death but I am wondering if there are any recommendations for an incubator for hatching guineas? Thus far my girls have lain about 24 dozen eggs this spring - we've collected and have been giving away (as food) or using ourselves. Mainly because when the nest(s) were located we had no idea how long the eggs had been in place. I know they use a community nest - the biggest thus far had 50 eggs in it.

So - assuming they lay at this rate through the summer I've decided, I think, that I want to raise keets - hopefully be able to trade for other varieties (I have the standard pearl gray babies) or sell to folks wanting to start with keets.

Anyway - I'm completely confused when I look at these incubators.

I will say that I sometimes travel for my job -- I did find one that has automatic turner - however there is someone at home when I travel so I don't know if this is a good thing to look for or not.

All input appreciated.

Thanks

Which incubator you end up with will depend on a number of variables.

1. What is the price range that you want or can afford to spend on an incubator?
2. How many eggs do you want to hatch at a time?

I recommend that you spend a lot of time in the Incubating & Hatching Eggs forum. They have had discussions concerning the many different varieties of incubators from homemade to top of the line models.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/5/incubating-hatching-eggs

Also if you are new to incubating be sure to read @Sally Sunshine

Hatching Eggs 101

 

[R2elk]

This is what you can look forward to.

The keets are hatching.