Hova-Bator Incubator QUESTION?

[heather454ss]

HAS ANYONE EVER USED ONE OF THESE INCUBATORS? I WAS THINKING OF PURCHASING IT BUT WANTED SOME FEEDBACK FIRST!

http://www.incubators.org/turbofan-hova-bator-picture-window-incubator-1583r.html

 

[crazy huhn]

Yes, I have had one of those with an automatic egg turner and it worked good (too good according to my husband) for me. It is a good beginner incubator and with the turner you can incubate up to 48 chicken eggs in there. If you do not plan on incubating that many eggs, search incubators here on BYC. Some incubators are more favorable than others.

 

[nurseshelly]

Quote:
I am using one right now!!! It holds temperature really well (and also heats up really fast - within an hour up to temp so you can fine tune it quickly). I do have to add water every day or two, but no biggie. Mine is a few years old, we had bought it for our Russian Tortoises ... but they haven't laid eggs so we decided to use it for chicken eggs now, and get a back up for just in case with the tortoises. Anyway, it has everything but the turner that their chicken egg incubators come with.
The only issues I have with mine (things I would change)
1) the instructions that came with mine are garbage ... but on the website for the company, it has great instructions - hopefully the ones it ships with now! The instructions I got do not tell you what to do with the vent holes, or what to do with the water tray (you fill center for incubation, then all channels for lockdown to increase humidity.
2) big pet peeve - the wire mesh they include for the eggs to sit on is garbage - it curls, you can't get it straight. Apparently it's supposed to come with owl clips to anchor the mesh - mine didn't have them and it's a pain getting the mesh evenly weighed down so the eggs don't roll all over. Next time I'm using plastic mesh for fluorescent lighting.

Wish it had
1) digital temp control - the turn thing with the wing nut is a pain to get adjusted. Once it does it's good though.
2) I'm enjoying turning the eggs by hand. Before I actually got eggs, I wished it had a turner, now I'm not so sure - I enjoy hand turning and candling one here and there while I do it.

Right now I have 22 out of 24 shipped eggs developing nicely!!!
So, can't complain!

 

[nurseshelly]

Forgot to mention, you may as well buy more than one, because once you see the babies moving in the eggs - you will be surfing the eggs for sale section and wishing you had another bator! Super addicting, way more fun than just buying chicks somewhere!

 

[heather454ss]

Does It Have A Setting To Keep The Temperature Steady?

 

[adrian]

I have one of those incubators. I also have a Genesis 1588. If you can spend extra, go for the Genesis! I think it's actually an awesome incubator for a "styrobator". It's good enough that, if you watch your humidity and have a good thermometer, you can hatch basically anything I'd say.

Edit: The 1588 is also sometimes known as the "electronic thermostat incubator". It comes "pre-set", but it may not be right. You can set it yourself using the instructions that come with it (or find online). Really good, really solid.

As for the regular picture window one... I liked it when I used it, and if you are willing to keep an eye on it, I'd say it's a good incubator as well.

 

[heather454ss]

Also What Would Be Better With Fan Or Without Fan?

 

[nurseshelly]

Quote:
With a fan is better because it keeps the temperatures more equal throughout. Oh, sorry I went to bed now am up for a few minutes. With the temperature control - it has a wafer thing as a thermostat. When you turn the adjustment screw one way, it increases the temp, the other way decreases it. When you get it just right, you tighten the wing nut down to help it to not move. There are also reference marks where you turn the adjustment screw - so you can tell about where it is good for you. These are the instructions.
https://www.gqfmfg.com/pdf/circ instructions.pdf

 

[ichoudhury]

I think different models has different options, like

1588 - Circular Air
1583 - Forced Air
1602 - No Air

(I could be wrong here and there)

Obviously, 1588 works the best and cost the most ...

But do consider purchasing the egg turner(s) (different one for Chicken and Quail Eggs I think).


Here's a review of the 1588 (

Disclaimer: I have no experience using any of the above incubators. I just ordered one myself after reading about it on the web and this forum.

Good Hatching