I've been thinking....

[EggsForIHOP]

which often gets me into trouble!

I know, I've been gone from here for WAY too long, which maybe why I am getting the chicken fever again! Plus, they had cute little fluffy butts at TSC yesterday, and I found myself longing for some of my own again

The grown hens just don't satisfy my need for fluffy cuteness!

Here's the deal though...DH said NO MORE NEW CHICKENS this year...I am however allowed to hatch my own (he I am sure thinks it won't work or it will work poorly). SOOOO......tell me about incubating

I've read all I can online, and here's my dilemmas......

1) Do I buy an incubator OR make my own?

2) For those that have purchased (think medium-ish batch sized - a dozen to 3 dozen max at one time) WHICH WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?

3) For those who have made their own FOLLOWING PLANS FROM THIS SITE, what worked for you? I've got a couple I am eye balling in each group, but figured I'd at least ask.....keep in mind I am relatively crafty and clever (if I do say so myself) but want the easiest, yet reliable set up, I can make.

4) Any pointers you can give help a bunch! I'm nervous that I will botch something and end up with exploding eggs or a 'bator full of duds....I've got the "first time jitters" a little bit...all shaky and excited just thinking about it!

 

[Baralak]

Well.... Since you might hatch up to 3 doz... I would go with the Hova-Bator... Depending on your budget, you can go from a good solid incubator, to one that has all the bells and whistles..

I have the 1602n with the auto turner.. You can get that one for under 100 bucks on Ebay, and just about any other store..

I wish I had one with the completely see through lid, and for it to be forced air. After this hatch, I will be adding a fan!

What ever you get I would get one with the auto-turner.

Home built... Well I like those as well, but If I'm gonna build a home-made bator, it's gonna be a big mamma Jamma!!!! like an upright freezer!!

Pros with purchased...

Buy everything ready to go once, comes with Warranty, if it breaks, they will fix it..
Tried and true, no dinking, figuring out how to make this 1/3 hp motor slow enough to turn eggs, not chunk em.

Pros with built....
You get bragging rights..
Build based on your needs.
You can control every aspect of what it does.

 

[debilorrah]

Good info from Baralak. Go with it.

 

[Munkeesmama]

I would buy one, it makes life so much simpler. I LOVE my R-Com King Suro, it's a bit cheaper than the brinsea's but works just as well. I've had AWESOME hatches in it. Set it and forget it! It says it holds 24 max, but i set 40 in it this last batch (it WAS crowded though and some eggs laid on top of others until i did my candling), but 30 made it to lockdown, and they're in their hatching. Here's a link to the cheapest place I could find it online right now. http://dblrsupply.pinnaclecart.com/products/R_Com_King_Suro_Incubator-4911-11.html

 

[raimnel]

I love bragging rights!

I ur we built 1 last year and now made 3 more! each one holds about 3 dz! I have 133 eggs between the 4 egg-u-bators! u can check out the 1st one we built on my page, egg-u-bator! man I can't wait till March 19th! Good luck! oh and btw last year my DH told me that I could hatch some eggs..... he told me to fill it up (2dz) cause he figured I was gonna FAIL!

NOT! we had chicks everywhere!

and this year we're gonna have them coming out of the wood work! lol

 

[EggsForIHOP]

Thank you all! I think I might try making one...the bragging rights are awesome EITHER way ( as in "Look, I hatched these" AND "Look what I could make!") I have studied yours raimnel....thinking I'm gonna go for it this coming week! Be ready for some questions - I always seem to have plenty

The bargain I have made with myself is this: I make one, and nothing hatches...THEN I'll buy one (still undecided on which one, since I am shooting for making an awesome one that works, but...just in case my homemade one doesn't work, I've got a back up plan) ....I buy one and nothing hatches...THEN I'm ordering more chicks! Figure either way, no matter how you cut it, I'll have fluffy butts again this year! I am SO SO SO SO SO excited! I really think I might can do this