Best Incubator for newbie

[Berkshiremom]

Hi,
I was wondering what would be a good incubator for a newbie, I'm looking for something to hatch 12 or less eggs at a time, and priced under $200.00. I would be interested in hearing opions on brands and why or why not you like it.

Thanks in advance

 

[SarahIrl]

My tips are:

1 - Buy one twice as large as you think you need if you can afford to, or you'll end up buying two. It's more addictive than drugs.

2 - Get an automatic turner unless you are home all day. Remembering to turn is not easy as it is but when you're out at work for 9+ hours a day, forget it!

3 - When you factor in the cost of the incubator, add in the cost of brooder too, materials to build it from/what you have that you can already use and a heat source, even in the warmest climes there will be cooler times, eg in the middle of the night, and they will need supplemental heat.

4 - Ditto above for feed for chicks, they will need chick crumb for about he first 4 weeks and growers after that.

5 - Make sure when you plug it in and add eggs that you'll be there for hatch date - I didn't and ended up taking them with me on a week's break!

6 - Plan a location to put it. If you have kids, either place it so it is inaccessable to them but not to you. Out of direct sunlight but near enough to a fresh air source is best.

7 - Happy hatching!!!

 

[sonjab314]

Hovabator 1588. It comes preset from the factory so you don't have to find the correct temp. It has an electronic thermostat instead of a wafer thermostat and it hold temps and humidity like a dream. I have the auto turner, which is sold seperately which holds 42 eggs. Without the turner, it holds a lot more eggs. Everyone that has one that I know of love it.

 

[smokeyodie97]

Little Giant 42 chicken 120 quail

 

[chickee]

Quote:
X2

I love my Genesis 1588 with auto egg turner ~ Only costs $155.95 for the Genesis 1588 incubater with 1611 auto egg turner combo at Cutler Supply online! Just put 16 Wheaten/Blue Wheaten Ameraucana eggs in mine yesterday from Pips&Peeps!

 

[BuckeyeDave]

A couple of years ago I nearly choked when I bought my first incubator, a 1588 with a turner. Now I am selling my 3 sportsman incubators and a hatcher for a Jamesway AVN and a homebuilt super hatcher. Like they said, buy one a little bigger than you currently need, you and your chicken loving friends will find a way to keep it full.

If I were to do it all again I would have picked up a used sportsman right away, keep it clean and working and when you are done with it you can sell it for the same that you bought it. It's like hatching for free!!!!
Peace,
Dave

 

[Denninmi]

You should also plan on spending a little extra, like $60 to $100, for an Uninterruptable Power Supply. There are numerous, numerous threads on here by folks who lost or feared they lost their eggs due to a power failure. A UPS is a good peace of mind investment because it will give you at least a couple of hours, if not more, of continued electricity if a storm takes out your power -- enough time to get a generator going or make some other provisions in the event of a longer outage.

 

[hd_darcy]

I have heard nothing but raves about the Brinsea Octagon Eco 20. It says it will hold 24 eggs,but that would be pretty cramped from my understanding. It would hold 12 perfectly (and more)

I recently purchased one and have my first batch of eggs in it now.

I believe Brinsea still has them on sale as well.

 

[imsomarinky]

My Brinsea Mini Advance hatches up to 7 eggs at a time. I purposely bought a small one to help me resist the temptation of hatching every egg my chickens and ducks lay. It really is addictive.

The Mini Advance by Brinsea is better than I imagined. Aside from having to add water to the resevoir every 4 days or so, the incubation is completely self sufficient. here's a link to the manual for this bator. http://www.brinsea.ru/upload/iblock/359/Mini_adv_instr.pdf

If it's possible, I would suggest finding the manual for your specific incubator online before you buy, regardless of which brand or model you choose. It really gives you a lot of insight when doing research.

My main concern when I was searching for a new incubator was how well it would be able to keep a steady temperature. I've lost a lot of eggs because my styrafoam bator reached temperatures of 108 degrees F during an unexpected heat wave and then dropped to 95 on a cold night. The Mini Advance is solid in this area and I'm still on a pink cloud about how wonderfully it's performing in San Diego's Hot/Cold Summer. Today it's almost 100 degrees outside. Two weeks ago it was 60. Inside the bator it's always 99.6.

Brinsea makes rock solid incubators and they are worth the investment. With shipping included, my Mini Advance cost $139.00. Well worth it.

Good Luck!