Anybody have experience with Farm Innovators Pro Series Incubators?

[budpayne]

i got a pro series 4200 and got 75% to 80% witch is good for one like that

 

[kynewbchickie]

I've just ordered one from our local-ish Southern States - the reviews were far better than the LG models they carry, and SS is the only one to offer the FI one.
After doing some research on these, I've noticed a trend of the thermostat not working properly at all - so that worries me.

Questions for a newbie hatcher:
1. Should I go ahead and purchase a better-quality thermostat and replace it as soon as I pick the bator up and get it home?
2. I've already gotten a decent digital read-out hygrometer that also measures temp - I think it has a probe. If it doesn't, should I just place it inside the bator with the eggs?
3. Any other improvements I can go ahead and purchase to add to this bator setup?

This is actually going to serve as my first/learner bator/turner setup - I'll likely build one of my own very, very soon. Our OEGB are refusing to go broody on a nest of 6 eggs, so I'm going to have to toss those as it'll be too late by the time I pick up the bator on Tues.

I'm doing everything I can to have the most successful hatch I can out of the eggs coming our way this coming week, as they mean much more to me than just chickens.

Thanks ahead of time.

 

[kynewbchickie]

I've just ordered one from our local-ish Southern States - the reviews were far better than the LG models they carry, and SS is the only one to offer the FI one.
After doing some research on these, I've noticed a trend of the thermostat not working properly at all - so that worries me.

Questions for a newbie hatcher:
1. Should I go ahead and purchase a better-quality thermostat and replace it as soon as I pick the bator up and get it home?
2. I've already gotten a decent digital read-out hygrometer that also measures temp - I think it has a probe. If it doesn't, should I just place it inside the bator with the eggs?
3. Any other improvements I can go ahead and purchase to add to this bator setup?

This is actually going to serve as my first/learner bator/turner setup - I'll likely build one of my own very, very soon. Our OEGB are refusing to go broody on a nest of 6 eggs, so I'm going to have to toss those as it'll be too late by the time I pick up the bator on Tues.

I'm doing everything I can to have the most successful hatch I can out of the eggs coming our way this coming week, as they mean much more to me than just chickens.

Thanks ahead of time.

I actually chucked the order, and went with a Brinsea ECO 20 instead. I just couldn't risk this hatch.

 

[goldbeachgal]

YES! I purchased mine at B&B Supply Langlois Oregon. Spent close to $200.00 for this unit here.
Model 4200- "PRO SERIES", with the Fan and Egg Turner. I have raised many breeds of chickens for the past 25 years.
I broke down and bought what I thought was a good investment with this Incubator as it has a Thermostat, Fan, Large External Thermometer set into the top of the lid, and an external Humidity Indicator. You could theoretically look on the lid and see all your gages.
My first disappointment when I opened the box, was the disclaimer by the manufacture, that you could not rely on the big external thermometer but had to use the tiny dinky one they provided as an after thought, and lay it inside on top of the eggs/rack.. Now the BIG Temperature indicator on the lid is why I bought the thing in the first place. BUT it is not accurate so they give you a tiny one mounted on a little plastic card to put inside.
That makes it VERY HARD to monitor the temperature without disturbing the lid on and off, as the rack alternates the position of the eggs, and the little Thermometer moves around with the rotation of the eggs! The store is about 60 miles from my home so I thought to just tough it out.That was mistake number one. Next, moisture gets into the humidity gage and you cannot read it very well as tiny moisture beads collect on the dome of the gague.
The thermostat is VERY sensitive to adjustments. I mean a fraction of a nudge can set you too cold or too hot. So they tell you to play with it a few hours till you get it right...NICE! So get a magazine pour yourself you favorite beverage and sit around waiting for the incubator to reach the desired 99.5..
I did 2 batches of chicks, monitoring the humidity and temperature, manually. My 3rd batch the thermostat went out on day 17 of my incubation period!! All the chicks died. Naturally it failed during the night. I had the incubator yes, next to our bed to keep an eye on it as it just seemed to fluctuate too much in-spite of our near constant ambient room temperature of 70 degrees.
Well, I called today the toll free number 800 277-8401 and asked if there was something we could do to get a replacement thermostat, and voiced my concerns about the thermometer, thermostat sensitivity and humidity indicator...
She basically told me, there is nothing they can do for me.
They do not sell any parts for replacement, and only warranty this product for 30 days. Just about long enough to get one batch of eggs incubated...Maybe I got the LEMON?
So I now have an expensive Styrofoam box..

BUYER BEWARE!

 

[BattelSyrup]

I desperately need a new window for our FI 4200 incubator. Anybody have one they want to parts out for a price? Ours accidentally got thrown out when someone didn't realize what it was.

The Farm Innovators 4200 is the only incubator we've owned, so I have no comparison. We've only run three batches of eggs through it. I'm pleased with the purchase for what we paid (actually, my 10-year-old chicken lover bought it with her own money!). I agree that the thermometer is not accurate. I dropped in a $5 thermometer/humidistat I purchased at egg level for a better reading. The humidistat readings seemed to always match though. Before the next hatch, I'll buy a digital thermostat and humidistat with a probe. It is annoying that the thermostat dial is SO sensitive. Barely a nudge at all bumps it up a few degrees. My husband's bigger fingers have a hard time not overadjusting it, but I have figured out how much (or, I should say, how little) to move it to adjust.

 

[familypendragon]

I am doing my first hatch in one now. I got extra thermometers and hygrometers as advised. I found the room temp, removed the large top thermometer dial and adjusted it to match what it should say. I did the same to calibrate the hygrometer. Then I switched it on and found that even then it did not stay accurate once the numbers started to climb. For the most part the temp gauge reads 5 degrees low and the humidity reads 10 degrees high. I am doing a version of dry hatching and will not have my vent plugs in at all so I run the hygrometer probe down through the vent holes. I also punched an extra hole right in the center where I was using a basal body digital thermometer and running random checks. But the batteries ran out and I nearly fried my eggs because I believed the readings on it. So far it seems to hold temp fine. I am not adding water so no idea about humidity. I am using an LG still air as a hatcher since I have a staggered hatch going. The little stick thermometer on a plastic card that came with it was way off and changed the degree by which it was off depending on how hot it actually was. I tossed it. So far I am on day 15 of Batch A and I had 20 of 24 make it this far. 2 were non-fertile and 2 had blood rings and looked like they died about day 3. Batch B was 17 eggs and is on day 12 - most were shipped Welsummer eggs. 3 were not fertile and 2 were scrambled in shipping. But right now my FI Pro 4200 is delivering 32 of 34 fertile eggs. Still have a ways to go and I am adding a batch C on day 18 when I transfer Batch A to the hatcher. So we will see how they all do! I got mine at Tractor Supply Company here in Texas for about $125.

 

[enel 1]

i have both the LG and the FI 4200,the therm. on the 4200 reads about 5 deg cool and the humidistat(?) isn't to accurate either,but unlike the LG it has a plastic cover and i think it helps maintain the temps. i have them both going right now and for the past couple days my FI has been holding temps between  99.2 and 99.7 but my LG is all over the map 97.2 to 100.2 both are forced air and have been running for a week before i put eggs in it,and both were holding decent temps but now that i have eggs in them (for2 days now) that stupid LG wont settle down! the feed stores around here only sell these two models so my choice of bators is limited. if i had the choice i would of bought something different. 

well a couple years later and I've fixed the problems with the LG and now it works perfect...I took it to a bed liner place and had him coat it. The stuff that he uses is called Vortex and it hardens in just a few seconds. I've since hatched a couple hundred chicks in it.

 

[arcadianacres]

The directions that come with the 4200 have much to be desired, so I have a couple of questions about adding water--do you add it through the red capped holes or somewhere else? Also, do you put anything down under the grate to keep it clean during/after hatch?

 

[suzycafe]

I'm putting in my fertile eggs tonight. I've read a bunch of posts that it gets too hot so I got another thermometer and it gets to humid so I got another gage for the humidity. Can anyone tell me what I press to lower the temperature and how I lower the humidity the instructions are aweful