Best Incubator?

[ComfortChickens]

Hello all! I am new to keeping chickens and want to start breeding and hatching some of my own, specifically Seramas. What would you say is the best incubator out there that is a reasonable price? Any info, help, or advice is much appreciated. Thank you!

 

[ozexpat]

define a reasonable price?

Are you home to turn eggs?

Are you a set and forget type?

Can you handle heart ache during the learning curve?

 

[ComfortChickens]

define a reasonable price?

Are you home to turn eggs?

Are you a set and forget type?

Can you handle heart ache during the learning curve?

Since I am new to this I don't know what the norm price for incubators is which is what I was hoping to find out from this thread. I have looked around online and see they range in price quite a bit. I will spend a few hundred dollars if that is necessary, but if something under $100 works just fine then I am good with that too. I have three day weekends and and the other four days I work I am gone for about 11 hours. Luckily my husband has a rotating schedule so sometimes he is home on the days that I work depending on the week. I realize that everyone looses chicks which is sad, but also a part of the process. I won't like that part, but it is part of hatching your own. So any advice from your own experience would be greatly appreciated as I know I have much to learn!

 

[Roxannemc]

Since I am new to this I don't know what the norm price for incubators is which is what I was hoping to find out from this thread. I have looked around online and see they range in price quite a bit. I will spend a few hundred dollars if that is necessary, but if something under $100 works just fine then I am good with that too. I have three day weekends and and the other four days I work I am gone for about 11 hours. Luckily my husband has a rotating schedule so sometimes he is home on the days that I work depending on the week. I realize that everyone looses chicks which is sad, but also a part of the process. I won't like that part, but it is part of hatching your own. So any advice from your own experience would be greatly appreciated as I know I have much to learn!

Look on Ebay they have everything.
I started with a Hovabator but it doesnt hold the temp even You have to manually regulate and it needs to be as close to 99,5 as possible Very important to hatch well
I got stressed which most do when the temp is diving and jumping didnt get good hatches. at all. so later bought a Genesis The Hovabator is about$125- $135 i am THRILLED with my Genesis I think paid about $175 no turner.Wish now i had gotten it first.
If you cant turn it 3 times a day impossibe for you then get one.
Many working ppl turn bfore work then afte then bedtime.,Save about $50 or $60 I think they are.
.Genesis Automatically holds the temperature at 99.5 with maybe a .2 degree variation. Just add water for humidity. HAs a large window to see whats hatching where others have 2 smaller windows and your crane your neck. And reads the temp and humidity built in Cheaper ones dont. and yuhavr to buy a more acctruate digital one with a hygrometer. for humidity
LOVE MY GENESIS>
Also if you get shipped eggs dont expect to get many chicks.Maybe be 30 % First i would do local eggs. as hatch rate is WAY better.85%the trruck ride really does shipped in.
Find the local on Craigs, or Ebay Classifed or you may have a chicken swap on Facebook for your state
Once your hatches are down pat them order more expensive shipped eggs if you want. a certain breed and you cant find eggs in your area

If your husband is handy he can build one .Not sure what ppl spend doing this though See YouTube for directions
Good luck.!.

 

[Roxannemc]

Read as many hatching threads as you can as ppl always have quesitions and are otyhers always on their first hatch too.
Also ask!!
We all are happy to respond NO question is dumb

it WILL be used!!!
and the addage you get what you pay for applys here 10 fold

 

[ComfortChickens]

Look on Ebay they have everything.
I started with a Hovabator but it doesnt hold the temp even You have to manually regulate and it needs to be as close to 99,5 as possible Very important to hatch well
I got stressed which most do when the temp is diving and jumping didnt get good hatches. at all. so later bought a Genesis The Hovabator is about$125- $135 i am THRILLED with my Genesis I think paid about $175 no turner.Wish now i had gotten it first.
If you cant turn it 3 times a day impossibe for you then get one.
Many working ppl turn bfore work then afte then bedtime.,Save about $50 or $60 I think they are.
.Genesis Automatically holds the temperature at 99.5 with maybe a .2 degree variation. Just add water for humidity. HAs a large window to see whats hatching where others have 2 smaller windows and your crane your neck. And reads the temp and humidity built in Cheaper ones dont. and yuhavr to buy a more acctruate digitalonewith a hygrometer.
LOVE MY GENESIS>
Also if you get shipped eggs dont expect to get many chicks.Maybe be 30 % First i would do local eggs. as hatch rate is WAY better.85%the trruck ride really does shipped in.
Find the local on Craigs, or Ebay Classifed or you may have a chicken swap on Facebook for your state
Once your hatches are down pat them order more expensive shipped eggs if you want. a certain breed and you cant find eggs in your area

If your husband is handy he can build one .Not sure what ppl spend doing this though See YouTube for directions
Good luck.!.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I will certainly look on ebay! Craigslist too. Sounds like Genesis is a great place for me to start. I'm greatful for your insight with what will be best for hatching as I wouldn't have known about other incubators that don't produce a steady temp, and about the large window the Genesis has also. I will also look into getting a turner as my work can hold me over on mandatory overtime- making it a 12 hour work day excluding my commute. This doesn't leave much time for turning. I will also get local eggs to start like you said. That makes much more sense for me at this point as this is all new to me and it's going to be (and has been) a learning process. Again, thank you for your advice and help!

 

[ComfortChickens]

Read as many hatching threads as you can as ppl always have quesitions and are otyhers always on their first hatch too.
Also ask!!
We all are happy to respond NO question is dumb

it WILL be used!!!
and the addage you get what you pay for applys here 10 fold

Oh yes, there is so much great information on this sight from very helpful people such as yourself! Thank you for not making me feel silly for asking questions. It is much appreciated and hopefully will be able to help someone else too! I want to do everything the best I can and I consider the people who have "been-there-done-that" the experts. So I'm very grateful for all the info!

 

[ComfortChickens]

Look on Ebay they have everything.
I started with a Hovabator but it doesnt hold the temp even You have to manually regulate and it needs to be as close to 99,5 as possible Very important to hatch well
I got stressed which most do when the temp is diving and jumping didnt get good hatches. at all. so later bought a Genesis The Hovabator is about$125- $135 i am THRILLED with my Genesis I think paid about $175 no turner.Wish now i had gotten it first.
If you cant turn it 3 times a day impossibe for you then get one.
Many working ppl turn bfore work then afte then bedtime.,Save about $50 or $60 I think they are.
.Genesis Automatically holds the temperature at 99.5 with maybe a .2 degree variation. Just add water for humidity. HAs a large window to see whats hatching where others have 2 smaller windows and your crane your neck. And reads the temp and humidity built in Cheaper ones dont. and yuhavr to buy a more acctruate digital one with a hygrometer. for humidity
LOVE MY GENESIS>
Also if you get shipped eggs dont expect to get many chicks.Maybe be 30 % First i would do local eggs. as hatch rate is WAY better.85%the trruck ride really does shipped in.
Find the local on Craigs, or Ebay Classifed or you may have a chicken swap on Facebook for your state
Once your hatches are down pat them order more expensive shipped eggs if you want. a certain breed and you cant find eggs in your area

If your husband is handy he can build one .Not sure what ppl spend doing this though See YouTube for directions
Good luck.!.

I found this one on Ebay. Does this look like the model of Genesis that yours is? Or is there a specific model number that you would recommend?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GENESIS-INCUBATOR-1588-AUTOMATIC-EGG-TURNER-1611-/280505464518#vi-content

Thanks again!

 

[Pele]

Definitely don't go with the cheapest possible one. Incubators are one of those items where paying for higher quality really is worth your time. I made the mistake of buying a cheap Hovabator when I first started out, and really paid the price for it with dead hatches and crippled chicks. It was heartbreaking.

Brinsea is a very good brand, and higher quality Hovabators like a Genesis is good as well. They are worth saving for. Take it from me.

 

[ComfortChickens]

Definitely don't go with the cheapest possible one. Incubators are one of those items where paying for higher quality really is worth your time. I made the mistake of buying a cheap Hovabator when I first started out, and really paid the price for it with dead hatches and crippled chicks. It was heartbreaking.

Brinsea is a very good brand, and higher quality Hovabators like a Genesis is good as well. They are worth saving for. Take it from me.

Thank you for the info! I would like to have my hatches be as successful as possible so I will make sure to not get a cheap one. I looked up Genisis online and I'll look up Brinsea too. It is for sure worth the money to have healthy chicks so thank you!