Incubaor Suggestions?

[KaliChick]

Hello!

I will preface this with I am a preschool owner. This is our second season of hatching chicken eggs. We receive our eggs from a known source (one of our adjunct teachers has property where they have chickens, horses, pigs, cows, etc). The eggs come directly from their property and into our incubator. Once hatched, they are returned to the "farm." I know this is a touchy subject with teachers hatching in classrooms, but we are essentially hatching for a "farm."

Last year we used a still air incubator from a teacher friend of mine and had about a 75% hatch rate. This year we borrowed from a different teacher friend and I'm having a hard time holding the temperature in it (it is a still air and we had it at 99.5-100 but it's now creeping to about 102). I have candled and we have 4 out of 7, so not horrible. I can see movement inside the eggs so I know the increase in temperature isn't harming the chicks. However, it's stressing me out!

Anyway, I think it's time for us to own our own incubator. I would like something user friendly with an automatic egg turner so I'm not having to come turn the eggs from 30 minutes away multiple times on the weekends.

Is there a reputable source you recommend purchasing from and also what incubator would you recommend?

Thank you!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Hello!

I will preface this with I am a preschool owner. This is our second season of hatching chicken eggs. We receive our eggs from a known source (one of our adjunct teachers has property where they have chickens, horses, pigs, cows, etc). The eggs come directly from their property and into our incubator. Once hatched, they are returned to the "farm." I know this is a touchy subject with teachers hatching in classrooms, but we are essentially hatching for a "farm."

Last year we used a still air incubator from a teacher friend of mine and had about a 75% hatch rate. This year we borrowed from a different teacher friend and I'm having a hard time holding the temperature in it (it is a still air and we had it at 99.5-100 but it's now creeping to about 102). I have candled and we have 4 out of 7, so not horrible. I can see movement inside the eggs so I know the increase in temperature isn't harming the chicks. However, it's stressing me out!

Anyway, I think it's time for us to own our own incubator. I would like something user friendly with an automatic egg turner so I'm not having to come turn the eggs from 30 minutes away multiple times on the weekends.

Is there a reputable source you recommend purchasing from and also what incubator would you recommend?

Thank you!

Hi!!

We see lots of classroom hatches around here. It's a great experience for the kids, just a little harder sometimes for good hatch rates. First let me address the incubator that you have now. You said it's a still air. Still air incubators should be ran with the temps 101-102 (measured near the tops of the eggs). So if you are running up to 102 that's actually better than 99.5 which is the recommended for forced air.
Now, as for incubators, I'm assuming your budget is not going to cover a brinsea (the best you can get especially for busy people and can't be there to monitor constantly.) They do have a mini advanced that has the turner, but it's still expensive. If I had to recommend one other than Brinsea, I would most likely say Hovabator line. They have a model-the 1588 that has a great viewing window. It's one of the better stryofoam incubators. I highly recommend AGAINST the Little Giant line as those are very much harder to get good hatches especially w/o monitoring regularly.

 

[KaliChick]

Thank you, Amy! I was looking at a Brinsea. The micro one is great (and I think I saw it for $99), but only holds 10 eggs. We only have 7 in the incubator now, so that might be an option. However, I know when I've purchased eggs in the past I have to buy 12 at a time so the micro Brinsea would be a bust for that.

The 1588 is the genesis? I was just looking at that and looks like I can do that for about $150 with an automatic egg turner.

 

[KaliChick]

Amy, you seem to be pretty knowledgeable, so maybe you can help me with brooder thoughts too. Last time I had a big plastic storage container. We used a heat lamp and placed paper towels along the bottom. Then I used chick starter (medicated) in a feeder as well as along the paper. We had to change very frequently. I'm wondering if there is a better solution. We are thinking we will only have 2-3 chicks this time so it doesn't need to be a big brooder. Other ideas? And what should I be using on the bottom and how do I clean it?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thank you, Amy! I was looking at a Brinsea. The micro one is great (and I think I saw it for $99), but only holds 10 eggs. We only have 7 in the incubator now, so that might be an option. However, I know when I've purchased eggs in the past I have to buy 12 at a time so the micro Brinsea would be a bust for that.

The 1588 is the genesis? I was just looking at that and looks like I can do that for about $150 with an automatic egg turner.

$150 is usually what I find them at. They do have one with the "picture window" that's a bit cheaper, but it isn't digital. As for the Brinsea, the couple extra eggs could be breakfast...lol

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Amy, you seem to be pretty knowledgeable, so maybe you can help me with brooder thoughts too. Last time I had a big plastic storage container. We used a heat lamp and placed paper towels along the bottom. Then I used chick starter (medicated) in a feeder as well as along the paper. We had to change very frequently. I'm wondering if there is a better solution. We are thinking we will only have 2-3 chicks this time so it doesn't need to be a big brooder. Other ideas? And what should I be using on the bottom and how do I clean it?

Lots of people use the storage containers. I myself use an extra large (I usually hatch quite a few chicks) animal cage, like you'd use for guinea pigs or small pets of that nature. It's probably about the length, maybe a tad longer than a tote. I've seen people use cardboard boxes or make their own with wood and wire. What to use at the bottom, depends on who you ask. I use course pine shavings in the bottom of my brooder from day one. Right from the incubator to the brooder on pine. I would not recommend the fine pine shavings and not the cedar, cedar is bad. Lots of people claim the chicks will eat the shavings and die from choking on them, I've never had one do that. I've seen people use puppy pads too. When I clean mine I use a hand broom and dustpan and scoop out the dirty bedding, if I have a real yucky spot I'll use a paper towel to clean the bottom, but usually judt scooping and sweeping gets the job done and I add new bedding. When I need to do a complete wash and clean I use a little bleach water. I buy a small bag of the medicated starter as well and when that bag is gone I switch to regular starter crumble. Many people don't like medicated feed, but it's served me well. I also use the save a chick electrolyte in the chicks water the first couple of days as well.

 

[KaliChick]

Thank you again! I'm going to stop by the local feed store here this week (as I expect hatching next week) and see what they have. I've got a few spare containers as well as cardboard boxes, so either is handy. I generally only keep the chicks about 2 weeks and then they go out to the "farm."

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thank you, Amy! I was looking at a Brinsea. The micro one is great (and I think I saw it for $99), but only holds 10 eggs. We only have 7 in the incubator now, so that might be an option. However, I know when I've purchased eggs in the past I have to buy 12 at a time so the micro Brinsea would be a bust for that.

The 1588 is the genesis? I was just looking at that and looks like I can do that for about $150 with an automatic egg turner.

When you are looking at Brinsea, if you want one with a turner, you need The Brinsea Mini Advanced. The Mini Eco you have to hand turn, and I know those generally run around $99. Just wanted to point that out.