the janoelle 12 and the rite farm 1200 are the least expensive incubators that a semi-reliable.....they are both in the $50-75 range depending on the seller. i have hatch both chickens and quail in my j12 with relatively good success. main issue that @Nabiki addressed is controlling humidity and ensuring accurate and even temps.
I have those issues with my incubator so I use the hygrometer and thermometer that was recommended to me. So far it's worked, but I would never rely on an incubators reading, they can be great then the next second they aren't. I thought everyone was crazy on here at first not trusting brand new incubators, but I see it with my own.
to follow up on last point....what is your overall goal as hatching can be very addictive.....if you are only looking to hatch a few then easy to store and donāt break the bank (great starters) but if you are planning for long term and routine hatching, you will want to purchase or build a larger incubator. but j12 still works great as a hatcher, icu, or even secondary for staggered hatches. iāve definitely gotten a huge return on that investment.
I thought this was nuts too.
I am hopefully going to learn it. I just want to hatch, breed, and process. When I get mine I'm sure when they hatch everyone can tell me what they are. I was looking at Myshire Farm, they have assorted Coturnix Quail you can get for fertile eggs."
I'm glad you told me because I see a 10% difference from my brand new incubators humidity reading and the hygrometer reading. The temp has been spot on so far.
Yep, love to hear a Bob call but my favorite is a Gamble or Valley, their usually the bird call you hear in old western movies.@007Sean "If you have the room and can afford to buy some more totes I'd separate them further. It's alot more work and expense but the chances of losing them is greatly diminished.
They can then be integrated later into the group you want to keep and the rest sold, given away, or go to freezer camp!"
ā”Why can't every body just get along? It seems like they're all happier since they were divided up into separate groups. I haven't noticed any picking so far today. I may separate further once their attitudes & sexes are determined.
@Texas Kiki "Dog cage: I just put this peice of board to try and block some of the door opening for when I open it."
ā¤I always have someone attempt an escape when I'm feeding/watering, usually by trying to fly above or behind my head. Little buggers are hard to catch while in flight.
@FortCluck "When people talk about quail colors all I hear is blah blah blah
āI ordered 25 assortment from @Myshire Farm Quail, received 30 eggs, all but 4 were fertile, had 20 hatch out. I recommend ordering from them, pretty good statistics for my 1st Coturnix hatch.
@Texas Kiki "No! Start with the sex linked eggs from them. The assortment will kill you. It's killing me not being able to tell which sex I have."
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Don't you say I didn't warm you. Prepare for a good 7 week long pain in the butt never ending guessing game."
āYeah, I don't have a freaking clue what "sex/color" of birds, I just think they're a beautiful bird & wanted to raise them for myself.
@007Sean "That's one reason I quit raising Cot's, too many color variants to remember or figure out." "I just raise mine to 'look at', eye candy!"
ā§Bobs have been so much less complicating so far. I just love my little Bobs, can't wait to start hearing the boys calling "Bob-white".
How big is your container?
Cool? The first time I heard it I thought the dogs have cought a car a have killed it. Then a day later my father (living downstairs) said: I think the dogs have killed a cat last night..
It is 10C at night here, they are ok outside, laying eggs and no extra light.
Not at all. I had one of these, took it apart, took the fan and the heater and made another one.
