Best incubator to get?

[mairead]

Hello everyone i am trying to figure out what is the best incubator. I need to get a new one...the one i have now is the little giant still air styrofoam incubator and lets just say it has been very annoying with temperature spikes and when i comes to chicken eggs i get a horrible hatch rate....the last hatch i did i set 20 eggs and only 1 survived through the incubation....i tried duck eggs in this incubator and have a great hatch rate though. I was looking into getting the Brinsea mini advance because, i have heard great reviews on it. I know it only holds 7 chicken eggs but that would be perfect for me and also i would like to have a steady temperature without worrying about it spiking if i walk away for a few hours.
What are your guys thoughts on incubators or this Brinsea mini advance?
Thanks for thoughts and suggestions

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Defiantly go with a circulated air incubator, whatever brand you choose. I just received a farm innovators model 4200 (I ink that was the number...) for a Christmas gift. It seemed comparable to the hovabator but cheaper and DH tricked me into researching what I wanted w/o letting on he was going to get it now.

Anycase, egg turner and circulated air for 120ish, depending on the site you order from. Fits 48 eggs w/o the turner. I haven't tried it yet but I found a positive thread on in on BYC. It needs a different thermometer to get accurate temps but otherwise is good.

 

[Pancholoco]

I have the 1588 I don't use extra thermometer. I just hatched 50 couturnix eggs alms all hatched still waiting on.

 

[mairead]

Defiantly go with a circulated air incubator, whatever brand you choose. I just received a farm innovators model 4200 (I ink that was the number...) for a Christmas gift. It seemed comparable to the hovabator but cheaper and DH tricked me into researching what I wanted w/o letting on he was going to get it now.
Anycase, egg turner and circulated air for 120ish, depending on the site you order from. Fits 48 eggs w/o the turner. I haven't tried it yet but I found a positive thread on in on BYC. It needs a different thermometer to get accurate temps but otherwise is good.

I have the egg turner for mine now and the only time i open it is when i need to add water. maybe i should buy the fan kit for it i hear it makes a big difference.

 

[Azriel]

I would go bigger than you think you need, unless you have better will power than most. I started out with the Brinsea Eco 20, and once I got the temp set it stays solid. But I soon found out that it didn't hold near enough eggs, so I got the Hovabator 1588, I love it. It holds twice as many eggs as the Eco 20 for about the same price and I never have temp problems and holds humidity well. I do not have the turners, I just tilt the whole bator 2-3 times a day and have had 100% hatches in it. One note on the Eco20, the turner cradle quit just after warranty was off and I never replaced it, just do the same with that, till the bator at least twice a day. I've never had 100% hatches in it, but close.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

I have the egg turner for mine now and the only time i open it is when i need to add water.  maybe i should buy the fan kit for it i hear it makes a big difference.

That may work well for you and be less expensive than buying a whole new incubator. Circulated air makes a big difference. I tried to find a site I read when I was researching but couldn't, this one is close with the same pictures to illustrate what they are talking about.

http://forum.hatchtime.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5.