Favorite incubator?

[DaisyQ12]

Hiya! I'm new here to BYC but I've been 'stalkin' the quail forum for the past year or so. I have been studying and reading about them for so long that I can't handle not owning any lil ones! I've been wanting to get quail for the last two or so and my mum finally agreed to let me raise some! I'm so excited. I have yet to get my incubator but I do have my cage which should comfortably fit 4 Coturnix hens which is just to start. We agreed on that number so that we can decide wether they are manageable, etc or not. My parents won't let me get some roos until I make my coop (I am keeping them in a big guinea pig cage till next summer probably?) so when I hatch chicks I'll have to buy fertilized eggs. I hope you all don't mind me asking questions before I have gotten them but gahhh I am so impatient!

I was planning on getting a Hovabator 1602N with a fan and a quail egg turner from Incubator warehouse (Has anyone used this site before?) but if you guys had any input I'd love to hear. So a few questions! What's your favorite incubator? How long have you had it? Is it durable? What's your regular hatch rate?

Btw, I'll be getting Coturnix mainly but I am interested in different types as well!

 

[ChickenLegs13]

I got the same one from the same place. My only complaint is it aint big enough. hahaha I also got the turner with optional quail racks, fan and remote hydro/thermometer, they call it the Deluxe package on eBay, $164 to my door.
You gotta have the turner and the remote hydro/thermometer.
The turner eliminates having to mess with the bator several times a day and when you remove it for lockdown you can use it to store & turn your eggs for the next hatch.
The remote hydro/thermometer is a must have. It's memory stores the high & low temps which is helpful in spotting a deadly spike or dip in the temperature as it is developing.
I got it because I got tired of all the drama associated with broody chicken hens but I rarely hatch chickens now and mainly use it for quail. Honestly my hatch rate aint so hot but that's due to my management of the eggs & breeder cages and not the bator's fault.

Hope that helps.

 

[dc3085]

Don't trust the thermometer that comes with it. In fact don't trust any thermometer you haven't checked against 3 other thermometers for accuracy.

 

[Duane1966]

I would recommend that you go with a used marsh/ lyon tx6 or tx7 if you can find one. If you are lucky you might get one on eBay for $150 but they often go higher. You would likely have to add a quail egg grid for another $30 or so. They hold their value very well so if you get out of quail later you could get your money back minus the eBay fees.
Also if you are looking for hatching eggs I would get them from James Marie Farms or someone selling his line of quail. Quality birds can make a big difference.

 

[IncubatorWarehouse.com]

Incubator Warehouse is a GREAT place to buy from!

haha but as far as the 1602N I think it's a great choice, especially if this is your first time. This is the model I first hatched with and I loved it!

 

[StaticChaos]

I am personally a fan of the HovaBator Genesis 1588 with the automatic egg turner. I have 3 of these and they work fantastic. Shipped to the door NEW you can get the Genesis and egg turner for around $200. The Genesis has a fan and electronic temp control with digital readout of set temp, actual temp, and humidity %. If you are going to hatch 42 eggs or less, the chicken racks for the turner work fine. For an extra $15 you can get the quail racks if you want and hatch up to 120 eggs at a time. Just my $.02

 

[James the Bald]

If 20 members reply, you may get 10 different answers. If you conducted an Advanced Search looking for incubators, you will find many threads where this question has been asked.
James