How hard is it really to incubate eggs?

[Lynn Manes]

We just bought a farm grade pro Little Giant for $130 that has a built in fan and one thermometer. We had to buy the egg turner for this unit separately for $70. This unit holds quail to duck size eggs. We didn't get it from Tractor Supply but from another local feed store here that carried a couple different brands. This was the one the clerk suggested for our needs which will be small. We've not tried it out yet.

 

[scflock]

We just bought a farm grade pro Little Giant for $130 that has a built in fan and one thermometer. We had to buy the egg turner for this unit separately for $70. This unit holds quail to duck size eggs. We didn't get it from Tractor Supply but from another local feed store here that carried a couple different brands. This was the one the clerk suggested for our needs which will be small. We've not tried it out yet.

I'm really looking forward to the review on that model

 

[dretd]

I am sitting on the fence as to whether or not to buy an incubator. All the talk about temp, humidity, turning and all the stuff is pretty intimidating. So here is my question, how hard is it really for a first timer

Hi csaiz! It can be easy or hard--depends on many, many factors, but its super fun!

I would recommend to stay away from shipped eggs until you get a handle on the incubation process. After so many disastrous hatches with shipped eggs, I have low expectations for any shipped eggs; I expect that I will not hatch anything and and feel I have a good hatch if 20% hatch.

First I made my own Coleman incubator with a light bulb, computer fan and water heater--I actually think it worked better than a styrobator I borrowed after I had poor hatches with shipped eggs with the home made. I decided to buy my own and got a Farm Innovators--and promptly sent it back upon opening it. Why? It had a Limited 30 day warranty. That means that Farm Innovators thinks that the incubator is good for one hatch cycle and that's it. It had a digital sensor/board in the lid of the 'bator as the thermostat and as you will find out at lockdown, you can get quite a lot of condensation on the lid when chicks hatch. No Bueno to put an exposed board in a humid environment. Plus I tried to call them and they never answered the phone and it looks like the unit was made in China. 'Nuf said.

I went ahead and upgraded to the cheap model of the Brinsea line--Eco 20 with no turner. It comes with a full 2 year warranty. When I got it in and calibrated, it turned out the reference bulb thermometer in the unit was off by 4 degrees! I called the number, left a message and got an immediate call back. They sent out a replacement thermometer (and a spare) lickity-split. Excellent customer service--based out of Florida. Easy to turn by hand cuz the whole unit gets rotated. Much easier than hand turning each egg. I got the unit on sale and it was $157 that day. The current price is I think a smidge under $200. If you are not in a rush and keep your eyes peeled, you can sometimes get screaming deals. I went ahead and bought an Eco Mini this year on Black Friday--normally its around $100 and I got it shipped for about $55 NIB with full warranty. So deals can be had, you just have to be patient!

 

[hot wings]

try www.incubatowarehouse.com very nice people and ship all over.

 

[islasunflower]

I have a Dickey Cabinet type incubator. I have great luck with chickens but I get my ducks all the way to pipping and then lose them. I know it's my humidity. I thought that I was supposed to keep my humidity high all thru the hatch ...74% it seems like. But then I read somewhere else that you shouldn't raise the humidity until the last few days. If I missed that lately with all the talk about incubation, could someone please point me in the right direction.

Thanks

 

[coachYania]

I builded my own incubator, not even $20 bucks, day 10 today, I can see some movement when I candle, no bad for a girl

 

[ACLV]

Got an incubator off ebay.
20 eggs. 2 hatched.
1 chick perfect
1 chick could not walk. Had to put him down.

guess I will try again.

 

[HG2705]

Got a automatic forced air (brinsea) and follow the instructions easy!

 

[Cajunlady163]

I bought 2 incubators after finding one Araucana hen with 26 eggs in her nest in grass. One I also got the egg turner and one I turned each twice a day after marking one side with pencil "X". 13 hatched into roosters, 6 did not hatch and the rest are now great layers. It was no problem as far as the temp. There is a thermometer with each incubator. There is a knob to turn gently until the temp gets to correct one and it will hold it with no problems. Make sure the little ridges on the bottom have water to keep the humidity up. If you get the egg turner, you will have to keep closer track of the days so you can move the eggs off the turner so they can right themselves getting ready to hatch. Good Luck!!
Ann

 

[Lynn Manes]

We just finally after all day yesterday got our quail eggs in the Little Giant. Only reason it took so long was bc first we were not told we had to buy the quail rails separately. Luckily the store had one last set. Go5 back home to discover the clerk had sold us the wrong turner. Grrr. Called store and they said they were out of the correct one but Tuesday a new shipment would be in. Luckily we did find one at another place. So once again back to the first store to return the first turner then a 30 mile drive to buy the correct one.it took the rest of the day to get the incubator regulated to the correct temp. We did buy a second thermometer as suggest. Glad we did bc the one that comes with the unit is small and hard to read. So any rate, the quail eggs are in-all 5 of themSo if this proves to be a futile attempt we're only losing 5.About the water for humidity. Did we goof up bc we didn't put any in ours?