I've become obsessed!!!!!! (and its your fault)

Are you my twin? That is my story too. I NEVER wanted chickens, EVER. Now, I love having them and enjoy the fresh eggs SO much. Glad you are addicted and your DH wants to get an incubator, OH NO. You have an enabler right in the house with you. RUN AWAY, or not and hatch the cutest little things ever.

About the incubator thing, I don't have one YET. Ask someone that hatch ALL the time like Speckledhen or MissPrissy, or any of the moderators.

 

you sound like my GF...she was happy with getting chickens but didnt make a big deal about it either way,...then the babies arrived and shes turned into mother hen

 

We have another one....


Edited to Add: A couple of years ago, I only wanted a few guineas to eat ticks. Then, since they are only seasonal layers, I decided that maybe 4 chickens would be nice to add their eggs for part of the winter when the guineas didn't lay. When I got them, I bought 8. Then the feedstore owner thrust a deformed BR pullet chick into my hand, saying she couldnt' sell her and handed me one to keep her company. I elected to put that poor thing down after a few days, but had to buy a pal for the one who would be left. That last little BR pullet was Lexie. Since then, with all the hatching and plans changing, I'll soon be up to about 50 chickens, three of those being roosters.

Now, what makes you think chickens are addicting????

 

Well, I am no help in stopping you from hatching!!!

I think you should get the biggest incubator you can afford, and hatch all the eggs you can find!!!

Seriously though, figure out how many chicks you can handle at one time, and how many eggs you can gather up at one time to hatch. This will dictate the size incubator you will need.
There is no sense in getting a big cabinet incubator that will hold about 300 eggs if you don't have any way of getting that many eggs to hatch at one time.

There are several incubators that will hold about 48 eggs, that is usually a good place to start. I have the big incubators, so I can't give you any good advice on which brands, but I have tried the styrofoam ones, when I first started and had good luck with them, but they have so many nice ones now, it would be hard to choose.
I would get one with a large window, so you can see what's going on, it is very addicting, even after years of continually hatching, I still get excited every 3 weeks when the new chicks start popping out!

Jean

 

I like my Hova bator Genesis 1588 with a turner. I've got 2 of them. It has an electronic thermostat so you don't have to mess with setting the temp right. It also has a fan which is better than a still air model. I've got the turners just because I hate turning eggs 3 times a day!!

 

I also have the genesis - my first batch of eggs is on day 5

Its a super incubator - I don't have to do anything but turn and add water... and stare into it.........

 

Oh, and listen to this....starting on or about April 4, I will begin the Mother of All Hatches (at least for me, about 52-56 eggs or so). I will have an entire Hova turner full plus for the very first time, I will be incubating in the Fridge-a-Bator and hand turning in there. I'll be hand turning because the Fridge-a-Bator can't take a Hova turner. The chicks will have to hatch in the one they incubate in because the Fridge-a-Bator will not hold 42 eggs, much less more than that, even though I'd much, much rather hatch in the Fridge-a-Bator!!! It's easier to clean, easier to watch the hatch, etc. Dang it!
I'm doing this humongous hatch because I want to get all these done at one time then both bators go into the bsmt the rest of the year, AT LEAST. If I need fertility tested on eggs, I'll offer them up to you good people to do that for me, if you would be so kind.

Can you say "CANDLING NIGHTMARE"?

 

Quote:I just bought one yesterday. **blushing**

It's a Hovabator Genesis 1588.