Any comments about the $20 Chick Bator?

[dsqard]

There are a lot of threads on here about making your own incubator and I wouldn't be surprised if your son could get some points for doing it in the Boy Scouts. Look out though, I hear hatching is just as addicting as getting more chickens that is why I have asked for one for Christmas. Yup totally addicted!

And yes have been totally enabled by the wonderful people on this site!

 

[WVchick71]

Honestly....I will never BUY an incubator. I debated this back and forth for a long time. I was afraid to put a ton of $$ in one and then not be able to hatch well. So I nibbed around on here and the net and put one together myself for like $12.00. i got a styrofoam cooler ($2.50) , 8x10 picture frame ($1.00), from Dollar General. A thermometer/hygrometer at walmart ($8.00), Used a fan from and old PC, a cord to an old phone, One of my heat lamp sockets,some hardware cloth I had and a 15 watt bulb. My first hatch was 9 out of 11!

 

[SkyWarrior]

I bought a brand new Hovabator off ebay for $35. Basically it's a Styrofoam cooler with a heating element with a rheostat and windows. Oh, and they had a thermometer and hardware wire floor.

It works well. I like it. Yeah, I could probably build one, and I might try later next year if I get bored. But at the price, it was worth it.

 

[DuckyMom]

We tryed one of those! WASTE OF MONEY! Extremely frusterating and a waste of time and eggs!

 

[Quail lover 100]

I would get one! I just ordered one today!

 

[gimmie birdies]

I had one of those bubble bators once. the bator can get cold easy, the cords are really bad because they are wrapped up tight when they arrive and if you bump the cord the light goes out. you lose all the heat when you hand turn the eggs. the bator can only hatch 3 eggs at a time. you might be tricked in to thinking, I might be able to stick a couple more eggs in there, I would not advise it. you can build a better one for under $11.

8''x9''box I made a removable lid and put a glass window on top to view temp. in future I would make glass window big enough to use as a door to turn eggs so I don't have to open box. box has air holes.15 w clamp lamp with heat sheild $11 bucks at hardware store.

box open so you can see inside, metal bowl is not for water it is for safety or you can just foil bottom of box, white dish under metal bowl holds water- but now I dry hatch. in a small box like this eggs create their own humidity.

eggs hang in a basket above since heat rises. this batch was 100% 6for 6

I have experimented with many boxes here is one I made from a box I found. I have not worked the bugs out. in one this size, I don't think I can dry hatch in one this size. plus if you hand turn the fewer you have to turn the better the hatch comes out.





I have had the best success with my small box, even more than hen hatch. My daughter teases me because I look at everything as a potential hatcher.
good luck with your hatches.