Best incubator for beginner - all in 1 type - 150 or less?

[pasuit]

Not positive. Haven't hatched them. But read I believe they usually hatch around day 18 or 19.

 

[pasuit]

I'm hatching bantum silkies now. I've hatched them several times and assumed it was 21 days. They all seemed to have hatched at just about that time. Give or take a day.

 

[Spartan22]

Im going to be doing bntams, but is it ok to mix bantam with standard eggs when incubating? Any tips or advice will be great!!

The friend that split the incubator with me is incubating 12 bantams eggs with my 12 standard eggs as we speak she’s been incubating bantams w/ standard for the last few years so its ok to mix them up.

 

[FancyBottomHomestead]

Don't buy the Harris Farms 360 model. Here is my experience.

I bought this incubator about a month ago. Worked perfect for 21 days, then on hatch day, everything went wrong. First, condensation built up way too high in the incubator and water started collecting in the digital display, even with the humidity control all the way open. The humidity was so high, the chicks wouldn't dry. Then, about six chicks hatched and I noticed that they all had bloody beaks with blood dripping down their faces, so I started watching. When the chicks would stand up under the fan, the vent holes are so large, the chicks could stick their heads up into the fan. The fan blade would smack them in the head, breaking their beaks. This is a terrible design. I snatched the chicks out of the incubator and put them directly under the heat lamp to try to save as many as possible. Then the high temperature alarm started going off on the machine (saying it was 219 degrees), the candling lamp came on and none of the buttons worked. The fan was still running so I put a thermometer inside hoping that it would still run long enough to hatch the rest of my eggs. The temperature dropped to 79 degrees and stayed there. The machine was completely broken at that point and I'm returning it.

 

[pasuit]

Don't buy the Harris Farms 360 model. Here is my experience.

I bought this incubator about a month ago. Worked perfect for 21 days, then on hatch day, everything went wrong. First, condensation built up way too high in the incubator and water started collecting in the digital display, even with the humidity control all the way open. The humidity was so high, the chicks wouldn't dry. Then, about six chicks hatched and I noticed that they all had bloody beaks with blood dripping down their faces, so I started watching. When the chicks would stand up under the fan, the vent holes are so large, the chicks could stick their heads up into the fan. The fan blade would smack them in the head, breaking their beaks. This is a terrible design. I snatched the chicks out of the incubator and put them directly under the heat lamp to try to save as many as possible. Then the high temperature alarm started going off on the machine (saying it was 219 degrees), the candling lamp came on and none of the buttons worked. The fan was still running so I put a thermometer inside hoping that it would still run long enough to hatch the rest of my eggs. The temperature dropped to 79 degrees and stayed there. The machine was completely broken at that point and I'm returning it.

 

[pasuit]

That's what I'd call a nightmare. Don't we have enough problems without a faulty piece of.equipment?

 

[Ruralhideaway]

They are sending out a cover for the bottom of that fan on request. Too bad you didn't find the thread on it in time. So if you did decide to get another they would take care of that detail for you anyway.

Humidity skyrockets as chicks pip and hatch. Just one of those things you have to be ready to react to I guess. Fried the electronics it seems.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Here's the thread, assuming this is the right bator? https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/nurture-right-360-incubator-okay.1221033/

 

[aart]

I want something that I do not have to watch a bunch.

Any incubator is going to take some time to get it setup and working well, calibrate therms and hygros, make sure it's all stable before adding eggs, then watch again for a few days.

 

[pasuit]

Any incubator is going to take some time to get it setup and working well, calibrate therms and hygros, make sure it's all stable before adding eggs, then watch again for a few days.