fertile button eggs/incubator Qs

[_lizzer_]

I am looking to buy about ten button eggs for hatching. I had very bad luck with a batch that I bought locally...only 2 of 20 eggs hatched, but only one chick survived...

It it so lonely! I see that a lot of people here are having very good luck hatching from fellow BYCers.

I used a homemade incubator...like I used to with chicken eggs. The heat/humidity was fine, I kept it well monitored. Since I will be hatching on such a small scale, I don't think I want to to go out and spend $40 on an incubator. I saw small "globe" chick-bators online for about $15 has anyone had luck with these?

Also, would anyone be willing to ship me such a small amount of button eggs? I have access to pay-pal, but I don't want to spend a fortune. Any suggestions/ideas?

 

[shelleyd2008]

Hi there, the incubators you are thinking of are not very good from what I've heard. I wouldn't waste any money on those. You could always get a regular bator and resell it after you are done with it, but incubating is so addictive I doubt you would ever be done!!

When you say the temps and humidity were fine, what were they at? I keep mine about 50% for humidity during hatch, with temps at 100. Then I up humidity to 65% and lower temps to 99 for the hatch. I have read that button eggs should be kept at 65% the whole time, but I haven't tried this. I get pretty decent hatches with how I do it.

I could send you 10 button eggs if you'd like. It would be $12 total with shipping

People have been getting very good hatches with my buttons' eggs

gabrielle1976 is complaining that she has too many buttons now!!

 

[kingmt]

I have never tried one of those small incubators but there is those on this board that say there great. There is a thread on here somewhere talking about them. Do a search & you might get lucky.

Keep in mind that it depends on what you are looking for. I'm sure you don't get the same bells & whistles a $100 bator cost for $15 but it may still hatch eggs & in the end that is the goal. You could also give the $15 one a try & move up later. If it will work I'm sure you could get your $15 back from someone else wanting to try or donate it to a school.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I believe the biggest problem with those incubators is that they have no thermostat. They are heated by a lightbulb. So there is no way to regulate the heat. I imagine it would have a type of dimmer switch in it, but still it would be very hard to regulate. I have heard of people having good hatches with those, but I've heard of more people not having any hatch from them. I would just spend the extra $25 on the bigger ones, or find someone in your area that would hatch the eggs for you.

 

[_lizzer_]

I think that I will stop by Tractor Supply on my way home from work Monday and pick up the Little Giant Incubator for $42. I could always sell it if I decide not to use it again... I liked laputa's idea for the manual egg turner, it seems pretty easy to make. I would feel better if I didn't have to open the incubator to turn the eggs.

Thanks for al the input, and shelleyd i sent you a pm.

 

[saddina]

The mini-dome ones are the easy-bake oven of the incubator world. If you have time to sit and fuss and bend the piece of tin foil that comes with them correctly you may be able to get a hatch.

You may want to see if your feed store offeres incubation services? for $20 a tray ours will do your eggs for you.

 

[citalk2much]

Buttons can be little on the fussy side you may do better just turning them by hand