incubator

[suzyq53511]

I am looking for an affordable incubator!

 

[1sttimer]

omg me too lol i cant seem to find one anywear, not on craigslist or ebay. and if i do they are itty bitty and only hatch out like 5 at a time. grrrrrr

 

[NancyP]

Hi, The best deal I have found is $40.00 at the tractor supply store for a little giant incubator. A lot of people don't like them but they are actually decent for the price. The turner is extra.

 

[ChickFila]

For around $100, Genesis 1588 (without turner) and Brinsea octagon (with no turning frame) are the best value for your money.

 

[suzyq53511]

If I get an incubator next month I will literally have mass of chicks! I think i'll still get one...LOL

 

[Chickie Mamma]

Hello, for the $40.00 I would go with the Little Giant incubator from Tractor Supply. It holds temps much better than my Hovabator ever did. If you want to go a little over $100 then, you can get the "repti-pro" its like a little fridge. I got one and is very happy with it. There is no recovery for temps when opening to turn. It goes back to 99.5 - 100 degrees super fast (no guilt if you like to candle alot). It doesn't hold many eggs, I have 12 duck eggs in there... so maybe 15 chicken eggs

The Little Giant holds many more. Both are really good

 

[Penturner]

Broody Hen. Seriously now, What do you consider affordable. For me right now that means free. You can fairly easily make one for less than $50

Styrofoam box
Hot Water Heater thermostat $8.00
Bottle Lamp Kit at Home Depot $8.00
Thermometer/ Humidity meter Wal Mart $8.00
Picture frame from dollar store $1.00
Aquarium thermometer (glass type that floats in tank or is stuck to side with suction cup) $2.00
Light bulb (I use 60 watt)

Calibrate Humidity meter using salt method
Get thermometers as close to 99 degrees as you can and then calibrate them with a medical thermometer.
note how far off both Humidity metering and temperature metering really is. also note what temp the digital reads when the Aquarium thermometer reads 100 degrees or so.

there are a few specifics on how to get a Hot water heater thermostat to hold a steady temperature but they will work. For now I will just say keep the back (Metal side) of the thermostat toward the light bulb and as close as you can get it.

Styrofoam works best at keeping a steady temp.
Run all wiring through the side of the foam box (this saves aggravation later)
mount thermostat so you can adjust it without opening top of incubator (get creative)
Don't let the light bulb get to close to the foam.
place a shield (cardboard works fine) between eggs and light bulb so no eggs are exposed to radiated heat.
You can add a computer fan which is really nice at helping keep even temps but this will double the cost of your incubator if you cannot scavenge the parts.

Final note to save your sanity on temperature. 99.5 is the ideal temperature to shoot for. don't drive yourself crazy trying to though.
Any temp from 98 degrees to 102 degrees is acceptable. but those are you limits, the real limits anything above or below that for an extended period of time will result int he loss of the embryos.

Digital thermometers are not reliable. temperature effects them. the battery condition effects them. temperature effects how well the battery works and this effect hwo the thermometer works. they will waver in what they read even when the temperature has not changed. The digital is for at a glance checking of temperature. if that says there is a problem always check the Aquarium thermometer before deciding there really is a problem. In my case my digital will read anything from 101.1 degrees to 102 but the Aquarium thermometer has always stayed dead on 100 degrees for the past 4 weeks running the incubator non stop. The Aquarium thermometer is the final word on temperature.

I do not believe Humidity is nearly as much of an issue as most make it out to be. not for chickens anyway. I have humidity anywhere form 65% at times all the way down to %40. I prefer between 45 and 55% though being on the lower side for the first 18 days and then at the higher end for lockdown. But for the most part there are many many other things that will cause a hatch to fail long before humidity has a chance to become an issue. Do what you can to maintain your preferred level of humidity but don't get overly concerned with it.

One last final bit of advice from my personal experience. Candling is an unnecessary risk that in my case causes the needless loss of many embryos. Candling does not really show you much that you can do anything about anyway. My last hatch I candled at 18 days and had 11 of 21 eggs developing. I then moved them to a hatcher. on day 23 only 2 eggs had hatched. i opened the other 9 eggs. 2 had failed prior to being moved to the hatcher. the other 7 had failed within 24 hours after being moved to the hatcher. Due to other experiences I believe they failed do to the disturbance etc of being candled. condition in the hatcher could have been part of the problem but I do not think so. I have had many lost embryos associated with days I candled eggs. I now consider the minor benefits not worthy of the risk. For the most part it only serves to satisfy our curiosity and anxiety. It can help in making decisions in regard to humidity. But as I said before I don't think humidity is all that important in the first place. i now have 5 eggs in the incubator due to hatch in 7 days. they will not be candled, they will not be moved to lockdown. They will not even be moved to the hatcher until they pip. they may not be moved to the hatcher even then. I am coming to the point that my rules regarding eggs in incubators is turn em three times a day and leave them alone.

 

[suzyq53511]

anything under 50$ is affordable to me! but i could make a stretch to 100$ with some excuses LOL

 

[muddstopper]

Quote:
Good post!!

 

[homesteadingcowgirl]

I agree with making one. We made ours in a co. of hours and I have a pipper in it this morning!!
Of course finding one to go broody works great also!!