Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Fred's Hens]

If you go to Brinsea's website the manual turn Octagon 20 is on sale for 129.00 plus shipping. Seems a great deal to me.

AND.... don't forget to add the "code word" for a 10% additional discount when ordering. Never buy without that discount "code word".

 

[Pozees]

Fred, what kind of life might one expect from a Brinsea Octagon 20, would you guess? If someone plans to hatch eggs each spring, and have it in constant operation from January through May, can they be expected to last 5 years or more? If so, the comparative investment seems pretty reasonable, especially if it hatches a relatively high percentage of fertile eggs.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Fred, what kind of life might one expect from a Brinsea Octagon 20, would you guess? If someone plans to hatch eggs each spring, and have it in constant operation from January through May, can they be expected to last 5 years or more? If so, the comparative investment seems pretty reasonable, especially if it hatches a relatively high percentage of fertile eggs.

We'll be starting our 4th year with our original one. 5 batches per year. That's pretty good testimony I guess. I also know you can have them repaired, tuned up, by sending them in. Wynette, a moderator here, has done this. She too has hatched many, many batches over the years and has nothing but good things to say about her Brinsea.

For those who need to hatch 300 chicks per batch? Look to Brinsea's upper models, but also look at professional models elsewhere. That's a whole different league.

 

[kathyinmo]

I have a Sportsman, and I love it. However, I do not hatch in it. I hatch in the tabletop models, and am very happy with this. Another reason I don't hatch in the cabinet is because I don't feel I could get it clean enough between hatches. All that dander and egg goo is more easily cleaned in a tabletop, I believe. I hate Brinsea. I love the Hovabator Genesis models.

I dislike Brinsea..... very much. Their customer service is awful, too. Here are some examples:

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[NanaKat]

Oh gee wiz I haven't looked at bator brands in quite some time, but there are I am sure a ton of threads started about such, I will however say......... don't ever buy an LG, it's a chick killer.

On the Barrels................... I do have a roost in some, it's just a 2x2 mounted about 4" off the bottom and all the way in the back. Nest boxes also in some but they are only 3 sided no bottom type basic little things, they do the job as I want as much room in there as I can get, and it does work well.

Sand is the bedding it's the best in this situation.

You mentioned earlier that these barrels were set to get the best breeze...are there vent holes drilled on the other end opposite the door opening?

 

[Fred's Hens]

So........... I think that's a no on Brinsea from Kathy, if I understood her correctly.

 

[Pozees]

I have a Sportsman, and I love it. However, I do not hatch in it. I hatch in the tabletop models, and am very happy with this. Another reason I don't hatch in the cabinet is because I don't feel I could get it clean enough between hatches. All that dander and egg goo is more easily cleaned in a tabletop, I believe. I hate Brinsea. I love the Hovabator Genesis models.

I dislike Brinsea..... very much. Their customer service is awful, too. Here are some examples:

Thanks Kathy - seems to me you also didn't like the lack of head room for chicks in the Brinsea - at least I think it was you who said so

I was in Big R yesterday and saw a Farm Innovators Pro Series with circulated air and turner, says it holds "up to" 4 dozen chicken eggs, but a more careful reading makes it more like 41 - still a good number of eggs for a tabletop - retails for $150. Not styro. Is this similar to what you use to hatch?

 

[Pullet Surprise]

O.K., I'm going to put on my Big Girl pants, suck it up and ask: My roo....he's of unknown breeding. I do know that his father is still strutting his stuff at about age 5 or 6, looks just like mine, only a little bit taller. The father was a "feed store chick". My boy is not quite a year old yet. I am getting fertile eggs. He's a gentleman, not human agressive at all. My girls are for all intensive purposes mutt/hatchery birds. I am not out to breed fabulous birds, but would like to just let nature take its course and hatch a few if my suspected broody is serious this spring and if she is a good 'mom'.
What I want to know is, does this boy look o.k.? Is there anything that stands out as not being something really desireable for a mutt flock? I know that any chicks would also depend on the girls too...

 

[Pozees]

So........... I think that's a no on Brinsea from Kathy, if I understood her correctly.

As a friend of mine would say to Kathy, don't sugar-coat it, tell us how you really feel! LOL

I find it very helpful to have these discussions; it seems as in many other products, there are vastly different experiences with the same products. Knowing what those experiences have been is useful.

What would most people recommend as far as buying used? Totally not worth it, are there risks of contamination? Or can they be adequately cleaned and disinfected?

ETA: I personally appreciate Kathy's no-nonsense answers, and as so many others, her willingness to share personal experience to help those of us with no or little experience

 

[Fred's Hens]

As a friend of mine would say to Kathy, don't sugar-coat it, tell us how you really feel! LOL

I find it very helpful to have these discussions; it seems as in many other products, there are vastly different experiences with the *same products. Knowing what those experiences have been is useful.

Ain't it the truth. Yes, as is true of Cars, Trucks, or anything else. Lovers and haters. * Same? Lots of different models.

What would most people recommend as far as buying used? Totally not worth it, are there risks of contamination? Or can they be adequately cleaned and disinfected?

Not a fan, but again, see above. LOL. I look, but never find anything worth what people ask for them YMMV.