I have the Genesis Hovabator 1588, an older Styrofoam model. It is quite a bit different than a LG still air. The factory preset temperature was a little warm, but once I got it adjusted it is now basically a set it an add water when you need it incubator. I set it up in a room where there is not a great temperature fluctuation, air vents do not blow on it, and sunlight does not hit it through a window. The temperature has not varied for several years. I just have to add water every four to five days when the reservoirs run dry. It took a few hatches to get it right though.
One issue, and this can happen with any incubator where you control humidity with reservoirs, is that the humidity inside the incubator can vary with the difference in temperature and humidity of the air going in. Some times of the year if I run it with no water in any reservoir I might get a humidity inside of 15%, others as much as 35%. If I fill one reservoir, I might get 30% or 45%. It does not vary much day to day but it certainly does with the season. Both the temperature and the moisture content of the air going in has an effect. That’s the only difficult part of it for me now that I have stabilized the temperature. I can see a big advantage to an incubator that controls the humidity for you.
I understand
Brinsea sets the temperature before it leaves the factory, but I strongly suggest you verify it is working right where you set it up.
Brinsea makes a good incubator and is a good company, but there have been stories where they are not always perfect. Trust but verify.
My 1588 has a plastic reservoir insert at the bottom that catches most of the filth from hatching and makes cleanup a lot easier, but the Styrofoam will stain and can be a problem to clean. Hard plastic would be easier. I only use mine once or twice a year so it’s not a big issue with me, but if I were using it much more often, I’d probably switch to a hard plastic one because of the cleanup
I recommend getting a turner, even if you are a stay at home Mom. Emergencies happen. You sometimes go to funerals, graduations, reunions, or weddings. Relatives visit. Kids get sick. You might want to go away for a day or even overnight. To me it is worth it to have the flexibility to not schedule my life around turning the eggs. A lot of people do hatch a lot of chicks hand-turning, but to me a turner is well worth it.
I based my decision on how many times a year I planned to use it. I can put up with a little inconvenience since I don’t hatch all that much and save the money, but I fully agree the
Brinsea is a better incubator on different fronts.
I’ve had 100% hatch rate with shipped eggs. I’ve had absolutely horrible hatch rates with shipped eggs. My overall average is pretty close to 50% but each hatch is unique. I’ve had some swings with my own eggs too, but not that big. Each hatch is unique whether the eggs are shipped or not, but there are a lot of things not in your control with shipped eggs, either from the person shipping them or the post office.
I can’t tell you how many shipped eggs to get. If you get twice as many eggs as you want chicks, you could wind up with a lot more chicks than you want or a lot less. You have to be ready for either result. You are dealing with life. Life is not a yes or no answer, but an “it depends”.
