It's amazing how far incubators have evolved. Back in the '80's when I started it was the styrofoam box that you had to turn the eggs yourself. Whoo-hoo! Actually, I still have it and used it a couple of years ago when I had an influx of eggs and not enough incubator space. Probably built back when things were solid-state and built to last.
At present I have a
Brinsea Octo 20 Advanced which is kind of a set-and-forget model that turns (well rocks) the eggs and maintains the humidity and temp at whatever set at. It's been great for up to 24-28 eggs and for incubating the quail nests that the dog find and decimate. Now
Brinsea has a new(er) model as I guess the turner on the Octo was problematic. Cannot justify the price as still attempting to justify the price on the last one. The main complaint on my
Brinsea model is a very limited hatching space with no headroom, so I hatch out in a Genesis 1588 with a great picture window top.
Love the roller turners on that one pictured.
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Hubby likes the chickens, but only in a conversational way...as in he'll talk to them when in the garden and occasionally fetch eggs if I'm busy...and he's invaluable in hauling feed sacks. But that's about it. No actual maintenance of birds. He does help round up the chicks in the brooder pen, though. Actually, I think he's pretending he's Godzilla or some such.
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Enjoying my second cup of coffee now. It, too, has evolved. Used to be loads of half-and-half and a shot of Coffee-Mate Italian Sweet Cream. Then had to cut down on the fat and swapped out the half-and-half for goat milk. Now trying to cut down on dairy (but --darn-- I love cheese!) and have substitued nut milk AND am slowly cutting out the Coffee-Mate as the mix of nuts I make it with (yes, I have an Almond Cow Nut Milk machine) is pretty close to the flavor of Italian Sweet Cream. Hard to get that creaminess, though, of luscious dairy. Sigh...
I see the big trend these days is whipped coffee over milk. It's basically 2 T. instant coffee (espresso preferred), 2 T sugar and 2 T water beaten to a whipped cream consistency to then top a glass of ice and milk. Haven't tried it yet as cold coffee isn't my thing.... Something about a nice warm mug in the morning to start the day is such a creature comfort habit.
