Never hatched eggs before

[tigger27]

Hi, everybody. I'm very new to chickens and never hatched eggs before, but I would like to try my hand at it mainly due to the cost of buying chicks. What would you recommend for a beginner? What incubator should I get?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You'll get lots of suggestions on what incubator to buy. I just want to say, avoid the temptation to buy the cheapest one. This is an area where you really get what you pay for.
If you are going to hatch your own birds' eggs long term, it is a good endeavor.
If just doing it a couple times, it is cheaper to buy chicks. Often, hatching eggs are the same price or more than chicks and live chicks are just that - alive.
Yet an egg, especially a shipped egg, is a pig in a poke.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

Cheap incubators DO work, ChickenCanoe.... and work well they do. So before you start recommending thousand dollar incubators to someone who might be on a tight budget or doesn't really need a million eggs....... you should think twice about it! I just hate it when people recommended expensive stuff that is not practical for someone who is new and just started getting into the hobby who may just want something cheap and simple (but effective)! Plus, I'm tired of these incubator companies eye-gouging consumers with their ridiculous prices when these Chinese incubators do the same damn thing! ENOUGH!!!! OK. Rant over.

To the OP, get this Janoel 12 incubator.... tons of folks in here have used it and it works really well. You can check out the Amazon link that I will provide, you can find it cheaper on Ebay if you decide to buy it. But you don't have to take my word for it, you can look on this very site for those who have used it and were successful at it or read all those positive reviews on Amazon! All you need to do is buy a separate thermometer/hygrometer that you can get at Walmart for like an additional $10 and calibrate it to your incubator. Like I said, search on this site and you will find others who have used it before and were successful, experienced and beginner people!

HERE : https://www.amazon.com/Incubator-Di...036514&sr=8-1&keywords=janoel12+egg+incubator

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

You'll get lots of suggestions on what incubator to buy. I just want to say, avoid the temptation to buy the cheapest one. This is an area where you really get what you pay for.
If you are going to hatch your own birds eggs long term, it is a good endeavor.
If just doing it a couple times, it is cheaper to buy chicks. Often, hatching eggs are the same price or more than chicks and live chicks are just that alive.
Yet an egg, especially a shipped egg, is a pig in a poke.

X2

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Cheap incubators DO work, ChickenCanoe.... and work well they do. So before you start recommending thousand dollar incubators to someone who might be on a tight budget or doesn't really need a million eggs....... you should think twice about it! I just hate it when people recommended expensive stuff that is not practical for someone who is new and just started getting into the hobby who may just want something cheap and simple (but effective)! Plus, I'm tired of these incubator companies eye-gouging consumers with their ridiculous prices when these Chinese incubators do the same damn thing! ENOUGH!!!! OK. Rant over.

...

Huh? I'm still confused. Who recommended thousand dollar incubators? Did you read my post? I said, "avoid the temptation to buy the cheapest one". I didn't want to name it but I will to clarify. The cheapest one is the Little Giant. Or as I call it, the embryo executioner. I hate to admit it but I've used 3 of them and they will kill far more eggs than it will hatch.
Cheap incubators work, the cheapest one doesn't.

I have a feeling you have something against me that I can't understand. You do seem to be stalking me.

 

[aart]

My best advice for a new hatcher is...
...test/calibrate your thermometers and hygrometers for accuracy!!!
I have read many, and experienced a couple, disastrous hatches due to inaccurate measuring devices.
This works well for me:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...incubator-thermometers-and-hygrometers.73634/