Hovabator now or Brinsea in 3days?

[featheredmom]

My daughter wants a Brinsea for Christmas, we have 24 assorted hatching eggs that should be here any day now from MPC(were told they would arrive Wed-Fri, its Fri and no eggs-so truly any day). We finally settled on the Oct 20 Adv(w/digital temp & humidity display), from reviews the 20 seems to keep a more accurate temperature and humidity than the 40, so we figured that 24 would be sufficient and if she outgrows it, she can get a second which would allow for staggered hatches.

We have no problems ordering the Brinsea early so she can use it now, but it would take 3days to arrive(Tuesday is the guesstimate according to Amazon who seems to offer the best pricing, at $295).

So do we use the borrowed Hovabator and start incubating ASAP or do we order the Brinsea now & start them on Tuesday(even if they arrive tomorrow-if they arrive Monday its a no brainer, I think)??? Once we start them, we can't move them, correct(like start in the Hovabator and then move to the Brinsea after a few days)?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

 

[midwest]

It may just be me but I would start them in the Hovabator and when the Brinsea arrives I would set it up and let it run for a day then move them.

 

[featheredmom]

If I can move them, that would be the ideal situation, no need to wait and take a chance that the eggs get "old," but my daughter could still use her bator.

BTW- Is the Brinsea Oct 20Adv a good incubator? The reviews seem good and it looks easy enough to use for my kiddos(they will likely be doing most of the hatching). I just want to make sure I don't spend $300 and find out that if I would've spent $400, I could've gotten "the best" or that I could've gotten a "better" bator for $200...the hatching thing is new to us, so any advice is very welcomed!!

 

[Dasp]

Hello,

I would suggest to start them asap if you want a better hatch rate. All though I have incubated eggs as old as 11 days with a successful hatch.

I really hate moving all the eggs during incubation until day 19, But if you have too it won't hurt at all as long as it's quick so your eggs don't chill.

Regards!
Dasp

 

[featheredmom]

So basically we are better off just sticking with the hovabator until we hatch again? I was thinking this would likely be the "right" choice. Although I know there is no definite right and wrong, I also know that everything you do that isn't "standard procedure" can affect hatch rate. Since these are mailed eggs to start, we are probably best off just going with the borrowed bator for now, we don't need anything else to lower our hatch rate(the 4H project partially judges based on hatch rate, but they do take into consideration whether they were mailed eggs or not).

It also means I can wait and get the Brinsea for my daughter to open on Christmas. We often do gifts early with her though, her birthday is 12/28 so it seems to get lost with Christmas, there have been many years that she gets a gift a month early or a gift certificate to use in January just to separate them a bit.

I really do appreciate all the advice!

 

[stevetone]

I agree with the advice to start them now and move them if you really think it is necessary. Be sure to have the Brinsea up and running for 24 hours or so before the move, just to make sure it is operating within your specifications.