Best incubators for beginners?

[thecreekhouse]

I want to ask for an incubator for my birthday this year but have no idea which brand or model I should look for. I'd like to be able to hatch at least dozen eggs at once. Can anyone recommend (or NOT recommend) a particular brand or model for my needs?

Thanks!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I want to ask for an incubator for my birthday this year but have no idea which brand or model I should look for. I'd like to be able to hatch at least dozen eggs at once. Can anyone recommend (or NOT recommend) a particular brand or model for my needs?

Thanks!

Not the Little Giant 9300 or 10300.

It depends on yor price range. If price isn't an issue, I'd say the Brinsea 20. They are pricey, but one of the most reecommended. They also have a smaller "mini" but I believe it has a 7 or 9 egg capacity.

Midline styro bators, I'd say the Hovabator 1588 or 1583. Both have the big picture window. The 1588 is all digital, the 1583 is not. Most recommended of the styro bators is the Hovabator no matter what model you go with. (They can hold 42 eggs or more depending on whether you use a turner or not, but also can do a mere dozen if that's what you want.)

There are cheaper bators, people have had a wide range off success with them, but the generally, the cheaper you go, the more work and monitoring the incubator is and the less accurate the temps and hygrometers are.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I want to ask for an incubator for my birthday this year but have no idea which brand or model I should look for. I'd like to be able to hatch at least dozen eggs at once. Can anyone recommend (or NOT recommend) a particular brand or model for my needs?

Thanks!

I have one of these with a fan added----hatches about as good as my cabinets!! I feel adding the fan is important and ""I""" do not like the cheaper digital thermostats----I love this wafer.

http://incubatorwarehouse.com/egg-incubators/combokits/hova-bator-1602n-combo-kits.html They sell this with a fan installed---call it circulated $75

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I have one of these with a fan added----hatches about as good as my cabinets!! I feel adding the fan is important and ""I""" do not like the cheaper digital thermostats----I love this wafer.

http://incubatorwarehouse.com/egg-incubators/combokits/hova-bator-1602n-combo-kits.html They sell this with a fan installed---call it circulated $75

I've seen many that use the 1602N that love them as well. I think Hovabator is the only styro that I'd recommend personally. I prefer the non digital as well. Most of them are useless anyway as they are so innaccurate.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I've seen many that use the 1602N that love them as well. I think Hovabator is the only styro that I'd recommend personally. I prefer the non digital as well. Most of them are useless anyway as they are so innaccurate.

I love mine, but I have to be honest---I get good hatches with other older styrofoams like the little giant but not as good as this 1602. I have not tried any of these newer Styrofoam with the built-in meters/electronics etc but I have friends that have and have read so many night mares about them.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I love mine, but I have to be honest---I get good hatches with other older styrofoams like the little giant but not as good as this 1602. I have not tried any of these newer Styrofoam with the built-in meters/electronics etc but I have friends that have and have read so many night mares about them.

I use the little giant 9200 and have awesome hatches. I just did my first shipped eggs, (after staying away from shipped all this time) and 12/14 hatched. I usually get 90-100%. It's a little more work monitoring, but when you get 90%+ , you can't complain. I would love to get the hovabator 1583 though cause I love that picture window, but am not interested in the digital controls.

The LG 9300 is notorious for being at least 3 degrees off and a worthless hygrometer, and from what I can tell the 10300 is about the same.

 

[RainForestBird]

I have a Hova Bator 1603H and I couldn't believe after what I paid when it was delivered that it was styrofoam. I thought it was the packing material, but it was the actual incubator. Then I put it together and the wafer thermostat and the wing nut control were ridiculous-how can you get something like this to work accurately? You can't. It stays on all the time and will not turn off regardless of how much I turn the control (it is as tight as it goes). My digital thermometer which is fairly accurate always measures the temperature at over 100 degrees so I've yet to put any eggs in it. I keep trying to get it to the right temperature and humidity but its seems impossible. I have better luck with my home made styrofoam ice box and Ikea clear plastic tote incubators which keep almost perfect humidity after adding two small tupperware containers full of water and bacteria resistant sponges. I ordered an egg turner from CoopsNMore and had to return it because it was missing parts and they would not provide technical assistance. So I've been turning my 25 pheasant and 12 quail eggs by hand 4 times a day. Just 4 more days and I'll be home free! I'm ready to invest in a Brinsea depending on how many eggs hatch. I don't believe the GOF corporation is humane based on the quality of their products and the thousands animals that have suffered because of it. Not to mention the thousands of kids that have had to witness this cruel type of death over the years!

 

[dheltzel]

I have a Hova Bator 1603H and I couldn't believe after what I paid when it was delivered that it was styrofoam. I thought it was the packing material, but it was the actual incubator. Then I put it together and the wafer thermostat and the wing nut control were ridiculous-how can you get something like this to work accurately? You can't. It stays on all the time and will not turn off regardless of how much I turn the control (it is as tight as it goes). My digital thermometer which is fairly accurate always measures the temperature at over 100 degrees so I've yet to put any eggs in it. I keep trying to get it to the right temperature and humidity but its seems impossible. I have better luck with my home made styrofoam ice box and Ikea clear plastic tote incubators which keep almost perfect humidity after adding two small tupperware containers full of water and bacteria resistant sponges. I ordered an egg turner from CoopsNMore and had to return it because it was missing parts and they would not provide technical assistance. So I've been turning my 25 pheasant and 12 quail eggs by hand 4 times a day. Just 4 more days and I'll be home free! I'm ready to invest in a Brinsea depending on how many eggs hatch. I don't believe the GOF corporation is humane based on the quality of their products and the thousands animals that have suffered because of it. Not to mention the thousands of kids that have had to witness this cruel type of death over the years!

I have stopped using all my hovabators except for the Genesis. It is where I hatch my most valuable (or difficult) eggs, and I own 3 cabinet incubators and a dedicated hatcher. The difference between a Genesis and the regular Hovabators is huge. It costs more because they put a good digital control and an adequate heat source in it.

I agree with you about the 1603H, it is not worth having. I with they would dump their low end hovabators and make only the Genesis and Sportsmans. They GQF would have a reputation like Brinsea.

BTW, I have a Brinsea Eco 20 and use it some, but the Genesis is used a lot while the Brinsea sits unplugged next to it.