Incubator info wanted-one annoyed mama

[silky ma]

Ok guys, i am truly ticked off!! Im not a newbie, ive hatched eggs since 1998-
And ive just about had enough of incubators that do not perform.
I always prefer to let my broodie silkies do the job- so dependable - but i have been trying to hatch sweetgrass turkey poults and i am on my 4/5 batch of eggs- lost count.

This last incubator has been giving me fits! It will not keep moisture levels steady and i just tried to add more water- by syringe and hose thru a small hole- and it started to pee water onto my table from underneath thru a tiny hole i did not know was there!

So far out of my tries to hatch- i got 4 poults- those were by my silkie hens- 2
Each. Yes my eggs came by mail- texas- im in california- yes turkey eggs can be hard to hatch- expected that-and yes while i got 4 poults- 2 died- one just croaked- no apparent reason and the other decided to hop/ leap/ flutter into. My koi pond- yes wing was clipped-they are not the smartest birds!
I def have one tom- almost 3 months and the second is almost 2 months and so far im praying real real hard its a hen!

So now i have always used a hovabator- mixed results but at least i got chicks- did not use it this time because it died and the one in pic is new and it was too late to use it for the 7 eggs i am trying to hatch and broody silkie is ready for babes but she cannot hsndle all 7 babies!

So is there an incubator out there or plans to build one that i can DEFINATELY DEPEND ON??????????
This yellow one is crap!!!! I cant even find a name on it!!

 

[Pyxis]

Yep, that's one of those cheap knock off ones that pretty much suck. Unfortunately with incubators, if you want good quality you do have to pay for it. A good one is going to cost you over $100.

Your cheapest option would be another Hovabator. Many people swear by them. However, I've never been a big fan of Styrofoam incubators myself. They are more touchy and sensitive to outside temperatures than incubators made out of better materials.

The step up would be something like an Incuview, which I have heard from those who have them are very nice and reliable.

And then there's Brinsea incubators. I have two and love them. I have the older Octagon models and really like them. They have recently upgraded to a new style called the Ovation style, which I would think are just as reliable and nice.

Or you could try making your own.

 

[silky ma]

I will check the incuview!! Thanks! I dont mind paying more for something that works, there just isnt a site to go too that tells the truth about all of them. And i didnt see condumer reports do any testing!

 

[Chicken Chat]

As Pyxis stated, you get what you pay for. If you want a good one, it's gonna cost you. I have a Brinsea Mini II EX and have excellent hatch results for shipped eggs in it but it's over $200 and only holds 6 eggs. I've had it for 5 years. I was going to get another one but decided for the cost and how few eggs fit in it that I would try the Incuview this spring. 11 out of 12 shipped eggs hatched in the Incuview so I am very happy with it so I would recommend it. It held temp perfectly.

 

[silky ma]

Thank you all. The incuview will be my next step after we move

 

[varidgerunner]

I've had every kind of incubator from the styrofoam to big cabinet types and I've even got a brisnea somewhere. When hatching turkey eggs, I never found anything as good as a broody hen. Something about the way they turn them, the body oils, the way they kick out the bad ones, but you will get better hatch rates with a hen. Don't use a turkey hen, they are too stupid, they might hatch decent, but they will figure out a way to kill them shortly after. Ditch the silkies and get something reliable that can cover a decent amount of eggs. Shipped turkey eggs are going to have a low hatch rate anyway, so you need to do several under each hen.

 

[junebuggena]

I love my Incuview. Rock solid dependability. It's completely programmable for a range of incubating conditions. And once you've got your settings figured out (takes a few batches of eggs to get everything just right), it's literally set and forget. I've even forget to check the humidity for a few days in a row, and I still get 80% hatch rates.

 

[K.Riggs]

Covina incubators seem very good quality $550 for 24 egg automatic. Should be good! I will know more in a few weeks but I have 9 very good duck embryos at day 10 out of 10 fertilised eggs.

 

[silky ma]

Thank you all! I love my silkies! They always do the hatching but i was lucky to find out that i have a turkey pair! So will see how they do next year.