Mini Dome Incubator?

[yoie]

Has anyone used the little Mini Dome Incubator (holds 3 eggs)? Still new to chickens and just wanted to show my daughters how chicks hatch from the egg. They think they come from the post office

 

[HEChicken]

I considered starting with this one but my fear was: what if only one hatches? Then I have to raise a lone chick and I didn't want that if I could help it. I wound up making an incubator that can hold a couple of dozen eggs to increase the odds of having enough hatch to keep each other company.

 

[poultryrox11]

That is hillarious! I used one in school a while back, my teacher had wanted to hatch chicks in the school. If you have any questions I will try to help. I can't promise I'll remember anything.

 

[wsdareme]

I know those little dome incubators are inexpensive, but what I've found is the more simple the incubator, the harder it is to have a successful hatch. I feel sorry for people who are new that buy those or the LG bators and then have disasters. I wish I had enough money to buy a fully automatic bator. I have a Brinsea Mini Advance (auto turning) and it can be a challenge even with that to keep the humidity where it needs to be.

To be honest? Spend a little more money and at least get something like the Brinsea Mini. You'll have to monitor the humidity and turn the eggs by hand, but it holds 10 eggs and will keep your temperatures steady as a rock. You'll have a lot better chance of getting a few chicks.

 

[GlitterBug]

Perhaps you could borrow an incubator from your local 4-H club? That is what I did the first time I hatched some eggs for a homeschool project when we were studying birds. It was absolutely FREE...I often like "free!" It also came with a whole rubbermaid tub full with a brooder lamp, instructions, etc. I looked under "county extension" in the phone book.

My only expense was gas to pick it up and drop it off afterward.

Best wishes with your hatching!! It is just great fun.

 

[pdsavage]

You would be better off making one of these
https://www.backyardchickens.com/chicken-coop-incubator.html

 

[critterranch]

post office

 

[CammieSilkie]

shipped eggs only have a 50-75% hatch rate. (that's very low.) this is because, when a mother hen lays eggs out in the coop, she doesn't move them at all! they are hatched&raised right in the same spot they were layed. The chickens don't carry their eggs hundreds of miles in a cold cardboard box to find a new home

and the mini-dome incubator only holds 3 eggs, so even if it had a 100% hatch rate, (which it doesn't.) the most you could probably hatch out it 2. which can be very dissapointing/sad for children if you are trying to teach them.

the mini-dome is 20 bucks for a reason, of course! first off, it has no fan/vents. it is 100% still-air. second, the temperature is extremely hard to control. third, the humidity you have like, no control over it what-so-ever! and every time you open it everything gets all extremely messed up. it's very frustrating.

In my experiences using this incubator, I'd say, don't get it. it has been around for EVER! and does not work well at all, especially for shipped eggs. And, this being your first time of incubation, it will be extremely hard to use and i assume you'll be in way too deep monitoring the eggs, humidity, temperature, air, etc. 24/7 and I think the hatch would be not successful.

Don't buy hova-bator or Little giant incubators. or any Styrofoam incubators, for that matter. they are very cheap too! some only $50, and they hold like 30 eggs! but the problem is, they are harder to use than the mini-dome incubators. so I'd stay away from Styrofoam incubators unless you are an expert. LOL!

As someone else had said, get a brinsea mini. the brinsea mini eco is quite hard to use, although will have a higher hatch rate. It requires self-egg turning and controlling the temp/humidity is a little hard. the brinsea mini advance will be a whole lot easier, and as far as incubators go, it's not that expensive. (it has automatic turning for 7 regular-sized chicken eggs and better temp/humidity control.)

so, keep in mind, the cheaper the incubator the much harder to use and unsuccessful it will be. sorry to say, but if i were you, i wouldn't take your chances with the mini dome incubator.

 

[yoie]

Ok, been doing more research. I have found a Brinsea mini advance for $120 and a Brinsea Octagon 20 ECO w/turner for $150 plus shipping. What experience does everyone have on these? Not into making my own, just don't have that great of skill and I am accident prone.

 

[jvls1942]

I have one of those domes in my shed, somewhere,, I would not wish it upon my worst enemy..

If you have a choice between a brinsea with a turner vs without, take the one with the turner.. Hand turning is a novelty that soon wears out.. You will become hooked on hatching and soon you will be kicking yourself for not getting the larger bator..
and if you ever want to get rid of it, the bator with a turner holds a better resale price..