Are Styrofoam Incubators Any Good?

[VolailleAmant]

I have the chance to buy a Styrofoam incubator. Are they any good? Opinions? Personal experiences?
Thank you!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

The incubator I am buying is used with a turner for $15, is that an okay deal?

It is if it works.

I bought mine brand new with no turner for close to $70... 15 is a much better deal!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

​Thank you! Which state is she in? I see that you are in NY, is that where she resides also? I wonder if she would ship.......

She does ship eggs when she has them. And she does an awesome job. She's in the NYC area, I'm up by Canada. She has sent eggs to a mutual friend in Wyoming and Georgia that both had awesome hatches. I'm sure by now she's sent all over, lol, but these were mutual BYC friends, so I know how well the hatch went. My own hatch had 14 go into lockdown with 12 hatching. This is one of my paints from her hatch:

 

[AmyLynn2374]

​If my tractor Supply doesn't carry one, I guess that I will just have to order one.....Did you order yours? If so, where would be a good place to order? I think that I have seen that hatcheries may sell them, I just need to look around. I am a bit nervous about my first hatch......I might need to buy fertile eggs because my Silkie hen is supposedly going to hatch eggs soon, and won't lay fertile eggs till a month or 2. So if I do buy eggs, I really do not want to scramble them internally in the incubator. You know what I mean?
Thank you!

I bought mine in the store. I use the accurite therm/hygrometer combo and two other independent therms.

 

[SiearraD]

Hi!
I have had a styrofoam incubator for about a month now and i am working on my second set of eggs and it has been amazing for me. mine has an automatic egg turner and reader inside for humidity and temperature. i have had lots of success from my styrofoam incubator! i would recommend it to anyone!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi.

I have successfully hatched in my styrofaom incubator. I did have to cover the top with blankets to get my temp up high enough as it is only 58 in my house. But I didn't cover the vent holes and it worked like a charm.

I did all my own turning in the still air at 102* and hatched 11 out of 17 on my first try. I was quite pleased. And the incubator was affordable. As well as being a simple design that should be working for a good time to come. I would get one again as a starter. Don't know if I will advance in the future unless I have a breakdown or become a very serious about breeding large amounts of birds. But I don't plan to.

Good luck!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I have the chance to buy a Styrofoam incubator. Are they any good? Opinions? Personal experiences?
Thank you!

Depends on the brand. The digital Little Giants are terribly unreliable for temp and humidity displays and prone to heat spikes. The farm innovators have better reputations, more 50-50. The Hovabators are great. I have the 1583 now and love it. I used an old lg 9200 for 2 1/2 years had great hatches, but it was a lot more work to get those good hatches.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Mine is a hovabator 1602N.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I have heard good things about Hovabators......I am just looking for a starter one

That's what I got for my starter one....

Guess I never considered getting used, but my location probably isn't conducive (small town), so on Amazon it got pretty good reviews compared to others for what seemed like was most affordable.

Plus... well.. it was chicken math!

I saw some hatching eggs and thought I wanna try. So I ordered.

But anxiety kept me back for fear I would set it up wrong for several months.

And finally I participated in a thread where someone was trying to hatch anything and everything without regard to age, breed, any thing. Then I wondered why am I holding caution up against the wall... while others are tossing it to the wind?! And tried my first hatch...

Yay... 7 out of 9 were cockerels!!! And 1 of the only 2 females was taken by a predator.

Do you have plans for all them boys?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

That's what I got for my starter one.... 

Guess I never considered getting used, but my location probably isn't conducive (small town), so on Amazon it got pretty good reviews compared to others for what seemed like was most affordable.

Plus... well.. it was chicken math!    I saw some hatching eggs and thought I wanna try. So I ordered.     But anxiety kept me back for fear I would set it up wrong for several months. :/  And finally I participated in a thread where someone was trying to hatch anything and everything without regard to age, breed, any thing. Then I wondered why am I holding caution up against the wall... while others are tossing it to the wind?! And tried my first hatch... 

Yay... 7 out of 9 were cockerels!!! And 1 of the only 2 females was taken by a predator.     Do you have plans for all them boys?    

Ouch! I feel your pain. Two years ago I started my Silver Spangled Appenzeller Spitzhaubens. I wanted 4 girls and 2 boys. I hatched out 12. 10 boys and 2 girls! Lol