I am going to buy an incubator. What kind please?

[Hotwings]

The best and cheapest incubator is a good ole Buff Orpington hen! Mama knows best and she does all the work. No worrying about turnings, temps or etc. Seeing the interaction between mom and babies is priceless.

 

[coopist]

That's true, Hotwings, but ole Buffy won't be likely set just when you want her to, and she won't raise 6 hatches in one summer, and her babies will be less tame than if you hand raised them. Incubating is a lot of trouble, but it's worth it in some respects. Of course, with a broody hen, you get to enjoy the natural process, the chicks are less likely to have problems like pasty butts, and they can sometimes be integrated into the flock more easily than hand-raised chicks, depending on mama's rank. They each have their ups and downs.