Buying incubator today

[Bettacreek]

That's exactly what I was thinking. You can make the initial investment of $40 or so for an LG at Tractor Supply, hatch the eggs, then if you're not addicted to hatching, you could easily sell it for $30 or so. But, do understand that the chances of NOT becoming addicted are slim, lmao.

 

[wyndski]

Quote:
IS THAT NOT THE TRUTH!!

Just for sh*ts and giggles I tried a homemade thing with a few eggs from my 1 chicken and 1 roo. I had problems with keeping the heat regulated. Even though with candling I know they were growing great at some point the heat got to hot and they died.

I ended up getting a hova bator and now have more eggs in. I don't even know what I will do with the chicks if they hatch. It has become a addiction now.. I have to see them through. then what? I will probably put more eggs in .. after all I have a bator...

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
thanks a lot,,,,,,,I purposely did not mention the addiction thingy..
sort of , well, if I got it you should too .......

 

[LilDucky85]

I know I was well aware of the addiction when I posted that lol!! I'm thinking what IF it only happens once, or doesnt work at all and I just give up? I'm already addicted from trying my first two eggs. Part of the problem too is that I totally agree about what to do with the babies once they hatch? I only want a few, and it will be almost impossible to part with something I actually helped hatch!

I looked online last night until wayyy later than I should have, and took your advice about the $50. It was actually cheaper than I remember, at $42. However, I realized it's the Little Giant, and nothing more than a Styrofoam box!! I couldn't bring myself to pay that for a piece of foam. Its not that I'm cheap at all, it just doesn't seem very sturdy! Then after seeing the homemade plans online I went to plan C. I e-mailed my Dad the Miss Prissy plan for a homemade incubator, and he just told me he could make me it no problem. He is a Master Technitian Specialist, so an electrician, contractor, builder, plumber, etc. all in one! This will take him about 10 minutes to build. Yay, bring on the eggs!!

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
super choice..

go dad, go dade

 

[AK_Button_Mama]

Quote:
thanks a lot,,,,,,,I purposely did not mention the addiction thingy..
sort of , well, if I got it you should too .......

you act like its a disease....It is an addiction and people go to rehab for their drug addictions are you saying we should go to a rehab for hatch-a-holics? as long as I can take my new 1502 I will go!!!

 

[Bettacreek]

Lol. I don't think Hatch-A-Holics would work, it would just become a huge swap for hatching eggs... lol.

I tried the homemade route as well, but I didn't want to spend more on a thermostat wafer than I would on a whole incubator, so ended up going with a dimmer and fried the eggs that had developed. I thought about making an incubator with a nice computer thermostat, but, after weighing the costs, it would have been about the same to buy a 1588 w/ the autoturner. I ended up going with the pre-made one, because, well, if I had spent $200 or so MAKING an incubator, I would have made a monster of an incubator, then later would have been tempted to fill it, and then would have ended up in a bad situation, lol. As it is now, I'm buying, incubating and scheduling eggs that I have no room for. I bought two dozen chicken eggs, and I only plan on keeping 3 chickens (and I already have two chicks here!) I have the feeling that I'm going to end up with more chickens than I originally wanted to, but, hey, at least I'll have the choice of white, brown or blue eggs each day for breakfast! Lmao.

Let us see pics of the homemade bator when you're done, and we want to see it FULL of eggs, no skimping, or you'll get a D+ for the day!

 

[LilDucky85]

LoL geeze, Sounds like it gets more intense when you actually HATCH an egg huh?? When I first visited this site I didn't understand how a chicken message board could be so addicting? Well, it IS! I hardly come on the computer for things other than graphic design but ever since I started posting on this site I find myself checking the computer more, and more! Oh man, once I get my bator, and eggs I'm in for it.

A wafer? Was this thing included in the instructions? I don't remember it mentioned. As I said I'm not the one making it so I have no clue! The Miss Prissy one I saw was made for about $20?? Actually all the ones in the Homemade Incubator Contest were under at least $30?

Originally I only wanted to get about 3 eggs to hatch since I was getting the cheap-o Chick-Bator. Now I'm thinking more like 10 eggs? I found a local farm that will sell me fertile hatching eggs $2 per egg.

Earlier when I wrote the post about Miss Prissy's incubator plan I thought her name was "Missy Pissy" LOL So so sorry! When I looked back I was cracking up, and quickly edited the post.

 

[Bettacreek]

Well, so, I exaggerated, but, yes, it would have cost $30 at the cheapest to have a wafer thermostat shipped to me (I can't get any locally, unless I order, and pay a special order fee, which would put me right at the same price). I instead opted to pay $45 for an LG forced air, after my dimmer fried the eggs. The $15 extra I paid for the whole incubator would not have covered costs of the rest of what I would have needed to build an incubator. IMHO, I think that if you're going to build your own incubator, you should go all out, make a nice huge one, use an electronic thermostat and give yourself all of the bells and whistles.

 

[LilDucky85]

You have the LG? How does it work?? Please share!

Hmm, I didnt think about that. I guess it's the same price either way if you don't have the parts at home. I'm hoping my Dad has most of the stuff already.