Is this a good incubator?

[EggSighted4Life]

I and really excited to incubate and down want to take it back. I am a bit disappointed it is made of styrofoam but not that big of a deal! Thanks for any info!

I haven't used the little giant brand.. but styrofoam is a superior insulator.. and using the other brand Hova bator I got excellent hatches.. in both the 1602N hand turning, still air, gave my HIGHEST hatch rates and Genesis 1588 was practically set it and forget it. And I mean WORK horses! Week in and week out for more than a year straight.. Consider using a clear coat or something like that to help protect the outside of the foam if needed.. Mine was fine until I had it stored down low and my indoor pig took a bite out of it. It was still fine, just missing a chomp.

I did buy the nurture right, and using it currently for the first time.. I dislike the .5 degree readout change on it.. and it constantly turns the same way over and over.. the opposite of what I'm familiar with.. maybe just so slowly it won't matter??!

It was a very hard choice though between the nurture right and another Genesis 1588.. for not much more and almost double the egg capacity. I wouldn't have BOUGHT the Little Giant one as acquaintances have had less than stellar longevity.. BUT.. as a gift.. watch me dial it in and hatch it up!

My personal suggestions.. to MAXIMIZE hatch rate and TIGHTEN hatch window,, presuming nothing drops or catastrophe.. even with a turner AND a fan.. temperature variations are common.. I move each egg to a new spot in the bator daily.. making certain none stay close to the turner motor long term..

If you don't use it I would raise the temp a little because it is meant for the turner.

Incorrect.. temperature is changed whether using forced air or still air and should not be effected by turning.. Forced air.. 99.5 or still air 101.5 measured at the top of the but not touching the shell.

Some turners are upright while others are sideways.. I now prefer sideways.. but had no issue with upright.. as long as the egg whole next to the motor stayed empty. Still mark your eggs and pay attention to your auto turner.. things do happen sometimes.. but they are usually reliable.. just always take a peek and take note of what you see and try to see it in another position at another time.. if it's staying still.. take action. The turners do come in various sizes and using the correct size for the species being incubated is preferred.

@Weeg what are you hatching first? Do you have a hatch date in mind already? It's so much fun to plan hatch dates!

 

[FortCluck]

Thank you! I really want a good, suitable incubator for my first hatch! I down want any flaws, or emergencies. I will need a tutorial on how to use it and get a successful hatch as well, but will look at the manual too to see what it says!

I have 2 4250 farm innovator incubators. I love them. I get a 95%+ hatch rate every time unless I use other people’s eggs (it’s not the incubator it’s usually the breeding stock or how the eggs were stored before I got them). The Styrofoam incubators are really easy to get used to, but I would do a test run with no eggs in it for a week just to make sure that everything is good. Make sure that you have a spare thermometer inside and a spare hygrometer inside because the one on most incubators are not correct or 100% accurate. They’re easy to clean as well. I let the bottom of mine soak in hot soapy water then I scrub it then rinse. I have never had issues with my incubators especially with temp fluctuations, I have never had them with a styrofoam incubator.

 

[Weeg]

@Weeg what are you hatching first? Do you have a hatch date in mind already? It's so much fun to plan hatch dates!

I down have a hatch date, or start date planned yet, since I need to disperse of a few older birds first, which I down want to cull, so I will have to come up with a solution for my old bird problem first. I am gonna hatch chickens, will try to get some Ayam Cemani eggs from a friend of mine, and some other fun breeds! Thanks for all the help!

 

[Weeg]

I have 2 4250 farm innovator incubators. I love them. I get a 95%+ hatch rate every time unless I use other people’s eggs (it’s not the incubator it’s usually the breeding stock or how the eggs were stored before I got them). The Styrofoam incubators are really easy to get used to, but I would do a test run with no eggs in it for a week just to make sure that everything is good. Make sure that you have a spare thermometer inside and a spare hygrometer inside because the one on most incubators are not correct or 100% accurate. They’re easy to clean as well. I let the bottom of mine soak in hot soapy water then I scrub it then rinse. I have never had issues with my incubators especially with temp fluctuations, I have never had them with a styrofoam incubator.

Okay! This is so exciting! I am gonna need the whole incubating run down before hand, because I have never done this, and really down want to fail. Thanks for all the help!

 

[Xouie]

my first incubator, about 20 years ago (pre-digital). It required a fair bit more attention than what I have now, but was reasonably temperature stable. It had decent hatch rates. We still have it and have recently been tempted to haul it out as a hatcher.

 

[Weeg]

my first incubator, about 20 years ago (pre-digital). It required a fair bit more attention than what I have now, but was reasonably temperature stable. It had decent hatch rates. We still have it and have recently been tempted to haul it out as a hatcher.

This incubator?

 

[Xouie]

This incubator?

Yes sorry. I guess my phone cut off the “This was...” in the first sentence!

 

[Weeg]

I am gonna start another thread about how to use this, and the best way to incubate. I will need the whole run through!

 

[FortCluck]

I am gonna start another thread about how to use this, and the best way to incubate. I will need the whole run through!

You don’t need to make a new thread. Go to the articles they have everything already in them that you need to know.