Good Incubators?

[ottbjumper06]

Hi all,
I want to eventually incubate my own eggs and would like to know what everyone prefers? I have a budget of around $150 and can't go higher than $200. Thank you! Looking forward to seeing everyone's opinions!

 

[ozexpat]

Hi all,
I want to eventually incubate my own eggs and would like to know what everyone prefers? I have a budget of around $100, and can't go higher than $150. Thank you! Looking forward to seeing everyone's opinions!

get a hovabator 1602n, fan kit and a turner. spend the change on an accurite hygrometer and a strong single led flashlight. thats about 150 and its all you will need unless the eggs are shipped - then get a cheap gram scale for 10 bucks on amazon

 

[ottbjumper06]

Ok, I am new to incubating, why do I need a gram scale? I was at my local Fleet Farm last night and I saw this incubator package for $110, Is this a good incubator for the money?

Anyways, I would love to see more opinions!

 

[ozexpat]

my suggestion would to read sally sunshine's hatching 101 article linked in my thread.

lots of people have had success with the Farm Innovators styrobator. I do own one but I overide the thermostat with a digital one (stc-1000) I got from ebay for $17.00.

That incubator is still air. Without a fan kit it can be a longer learning curve for stability.

With shipped eggs its hard to judge air cell development so its easier to weigh the eggs and monitor weight loss.

All is revealed in the article linked - jump on sally's thread and say hi. loads of help there.

Good luck

 

[tcmstalcup]

Unless. you can afford to lose a lot of eggs in the learning curve avoid the farm innovator mess. Ozpat is giving you good advice-take it. If you can come up with more money, I love my brinseas. Unless you go homemade, you get exactly what you pay for. My brinseas are an investment but I have them running all spring and summer with eggs I pay for so its worth the money for me.

 

[ottbjumper06]

my suggestion would to read sally sunshine's hatching 101 article linked in my thread.

lots of people have had success with the Farm Innovators styrobator. I do own one but I overide the thermostat with a digital one (stc-1000) I got from ebay for $17.00. 

That incubator is still air. Without a fan kit it can be a longer learning curve for stability.

With shipped eggs its hard to judge air cell development so its easier to weigh the eggs and monitor weight loss.

All is revealed in the article linked - jump on sally's thread and say hi. loads of help there.

Good luck

That's great to know that this incubator might be ok for my needs! I am a hobbyist so I won't pay a lot of money for something I will use 5 times a year. I don't seem to see the link though, would you mind relinking it?

 

[ozexpat]

That's great to know that this incubator might be ok for my needs! I am a hobbyist so I won't pay a lot of money for something I will use 5 times a year. I don't seem to see the link though, would you mind relinking it?

its in the sinature portion of my posting - near bordeaux bator and egg shipping article links

if you are buying expensive eggs, you may be better off with a upgraded bator

good luck

 

[ottbjumper06]

Ok, I will see if my computer shows it as I am on my iPad. I am getting my start in Iowa Blues, a breed that is trying to get approved by the APA, and as the eggs can be quite expensive I might end up having to go higher than my first intended budget. Of course I will be hatching eggs from my own Americanas first so I'm not wasting expensive eggs during my learning curve. What is an incubator I can fit a decent amount of eggs in (20-40) under or around $200?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GQF-Manufac...231?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item23289766b7

2363 forced air hovabator on ebay. $88

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hovabator-F...700?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51a783e82c

Forced air with auto turner- $133

A good quality thermometer with calabratible hygrometer- $20

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Xikar-Calib...794?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d0d5b6b1a


I don't use an auto turner, it's quite easy to do without one unless your gone for a weekend. Incubate in egg cartoons and turn the incubator, prop side on dictionary, twice a day or more. The cigar thermometer/hygrometer unit is the one I use. It only measures temp to the degree but is accurate and a moderate price. You can spot check with a mouth thermometer to calibrate it then know if your going to incubate at 98.99 or 100F with the unit. Note the 2463 hovabator is the same as 1602 but with installed fan. These wafer thermostat incubators are very user friendly and stable temp.

 

[ottbjumper06]

I'm seeing that there are a lot of hovabators out there in my price range, how is quality with them? Are you happy with them, what is something you wished they had, and what is your average hatch rate with them? I am gone for most of the day and lots of weekends so I am looking into this model http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hovabator-F...700?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51a783e82c
Is the hovabator better than the Farm Innovator or are they about the same?