best incubator to have?

[ChickenWendy]

Ok, I'm getting the itch after being totally addicted to BYC. What is the best incubator I would need to get started and what would I need. Meaning - how much - that's going to be my husband's question. But I homeschool and I think this would be an excellent experience for my children

!!! But I have no problem asking for an incubator for Mother's Day!! - early! So what is the best kind (smaller one!!)?? Please help. Or maybe I haven't done my homework enough - if there is a good website to go read about all of this I will. I have been looking at prices on ebay and online but I really dont know where to begin. Would I need and Egg Turner? questions like that. Thanks so much.

 

[hart31]

I don't know if there is a "best" first incubator. Just keep looking through the posts here and elseware on the web. Some people have had poor hatches with very expensive incubators and others have great luck with the simplest ones. There are lots of ideas for inexpensive home built ones if you want to go that route. I have an old commercially made incubator which I have used but I just built another one because I wanted a window so my granddaughters could see the chicks hatch. I used materials which I had laying around so my cash outlay so far has been
1 light bulb socket $2.47
1 water wiggler $3.89
1 thermometer/hygrometer $6.14


A turner is not at all necessary. The eggs should be turned at least three times per day but not everyone can do that, others among us may just be forgetful

so automatic turners are nice but certainly not necessary.

 

[NewGuineaChooks]

If you go to the BYC home, and look in the Learning Center section, there is a handy article about "Classroom egg hatching projects" It gives you a good summary of the whole process, and information about such things as turning the eggs each day.