Beginner Question about Incubating

[RickiHupp]

I have never owned an incubator, nor seen an egg even hatch! Heck, I have never seen how to see if an egg is fertilized!! Of course I want to try it, I was wondering what the best beginner bator was? I am a stay at home mom and I am almost always at the house. I am ready and willing to try this out I just need a little advice

Thank You!!

 

[shelleyd2008]

Personally I have an LG still air, that I have the turner in, and an added pc fan. I do fairly well with this incubator. Alot of ppl don't like it, but with the fan it holds temp and humidity beautifully. There is also the hovabator, I think it's the 1588, that is just set it and forget it basically, and add water and eggs

That might be in my future! You could get an LG and a hovabator, or two LG's, one with a fan and one without, so you could stagger hatches, then you could have new babies weekly!

I'm not sure how many the hovabator holds, but the LG holds 41 eggs with the turner, up to 80 (bantam) without.

Good luck! You WILL be addicted!!

 

[RickiHupp]

Thank you for your reply!! I am looking at both the LG and the Hovabator!! I cant wait to start this!!! Thanks again for your input

 

[hinkjc]

I would recommend the hovabator for a first timer. Make sure to get one with a fan. The 1588 is a really nice model and easy to maintain consistent temps and humidity with the electronic preset thermostat. Have fun..hatching is so addicting.

Jody

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

LG is going to be your cheapest. I personally believe its also going to be the best for you to learn on.

Hovabators are preset to a certain temp I believe, so it takes a little of the "interactiveness" out, since you dont have to hone your skill of regulating temps. But Hovabators tend to be a lot more expensive.

LG's are good, but they can be tempermental at times. However the experience you gain from having to learn how to regulate temps and humidity with this incubator is priceless. Because you have to monitor and work to regulate temps and humidity, you learn how to troubleshoot incubation problems. I firmly believe that if you get an "automated" incubator that has presets on it, later on down the line when you end up with hatching problems, you wont have any knowledge to fall back on because everything has been automated up until that point. I really can't stress how much you learn with an LG.

I have an LG that I have used as a still air for 4 or 5 years now. I only recently upgraded it to a forced air by intalling a PC cooling fan. I love my LG and wouldn't trade the experiences I got with it for nothing. (Ok well mayyyyybe a redwood Humidaire)

If you dont want to invest a lot of money to get started, check out craigslist or other classifieds around your area. You may be able to find a used LG or Hovabator for aour $25.

 

[RickiHupp]

Okay so I found this on ebay! I was wanting to know if there was something else I had to buy WITH this?! Sorry to keep asking these questions

http://cgi.ebay.com/Little-Giant-Fo...2036252QQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

EDIT***
I found this too!!!!! Which would be better??
http://cgi.ebay.com/HOVABATOR-2362N...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Go down to Tractor Supply or your local feed store and pick up a still air LG for $40 and start with that. Mark your eggs with "x" and "o" and turn them by hand. Add water daily, and check temps often. No need to spend that kind of money to get started... unless you really want to! After all this is YOUR experience.

 

[RickiHupp]

Okay, I will do that!! When you say mark them with an x and o , do i turn them everyday? Omg I really need to read some more posts about incubating. I am such a noob!!
Thank you so much for your help!!

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

yes. you put an x on one side and an o on the other. in the morning when you wake up, turn it to the opposite of what is showing. If you start with x's, turn them to o's and vice versa. This will help you remember which side you turned last.

if you are home, turn them mid day. if you are at work, turn them when you return home. each time you turn, do it a full rotation to the opposite letter.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
I agree, and don't waste your money on a forced air LG, the pc fans work really good, and are a lot cheaper! I got mine off eBay for $4, and used an old cordless phone power supply cord to wire it up. It works great!!