Cabinet incubators and brooders ?

[fowlman33]

need some "broad" advice on this subject....I am going to look at a couple this weekend and don't want to get cheated.....any help at all would be beneficial !!

thanks,

 

[rittert3]

What kind of brooders? I think brooders of the homemade variety work just as well or better and tend to be much cheaper, unless you are trying to run a commercial operation and raise tons of birds in a small area.

 

[bfrancis]

Quote:
I have to agree with Rittert this time. Definitely need more info though....What species? Home Hobbyist only doing a few eggs birds at a time, mid-size breeder that will have 100-500 eggs/birds or Commercial breeder doing 1000's?

To help give you good information on incubators and brooders, will have to know how big an operation you're planning on. Don't want to recommend a cabinet 'bator when you're only hatching under 20 and so forth.

 

[fowlman33]

the issue is...I am a small time Bobwhite hobbyist. I am looking for a decent incubator to sustain my flock. I have been fortunate to get a few tips over the last week on some breeders that are looking to downsize their operations, both have some cabinet incubators and brooders for decent prices. I am comparing to some incubators like the Brinsea Eco Advance, for a little more money I believ I can pick up a real good cabinet incubator just in case I ever want to increase my bird count.

Not real sure how specific I can be because I don't have specifics.....I will use for Bobwhites and maybe some pheasants. This is why I would like some "broad" advice !!

maybe a list of popular cabinet bator and brooder names with some approx values....that would be helpful ???

 

[TedJan92_in_Idaho]

I have a couple of GQF cabinet models and I would love to trade down in size. Shipping is the killer

 

[rittert3]

A sportsman (around $700 with all the extras) is plenty to sustain a covey of bobwhite but the hovabator will get the job done and is more practically priced. For ~$160 you can get a brand new hova bator (will hold 120 quail eggs) with all the bells and wissles, I do recommend the GQF version and not the miller knock off though.

 

[deerman]

Quote:
OR BUY A USED sportsman for about 200.00 ........ great that last for years ,i have some that are over 20 year old still work fine.

 

[rittert3]

I think most gqf products last for ever with an occaisional cheap repair. I have no idea when my hovabator was made but I got it used for christmas of '01 ( it has the old square style corners) with a new turner. My thermostat went out spring of last year but that's only a $20 fix and no problems with my turner.

 

[TedJan92_in_Idaho]

I have a box full of new repair parts for the cabinet models

 

[rittert3]

Ted if shipping wasn't a killer and I had room (for the bator and birds) right now I'd be shopping, deerman has a few that caught my attention too. I think the wafer assembly is the same for the sportsman and hovabator...do you have any for sale on the dirt cheap side? I need 1 or 2 of the red plastic plugs also.