New to hatching

[dlamb82]

Hello All! I plan on breeding my GLW and BLRW this spring but I am new to breeding and hatching. I have done 1 hatch, which was a late hatch this past October but I did it under a broody hen. I will be breeding a trio of GLW and a trio of BLRW so I want to use incubators so I can hatch more chicks at a time. I have been trying to research incubators but there are so many out there. I need something that won’t break the bank...probably no more than $120 ish, I also need something simple and with an auto turner because I work full time and won’t be home during the day to turn anyone. I’m thinking plastic as they appear to be easier to clean and maintain as well. I figure I’d turn to the experts for advice! Any insight? Thanks!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

To stay closer to your budget and meet your requirements the egg capacity will be a little lower but with all of the table top incubators I have used the Nurture Right 360 and IncuView and my top 2 favorite incubators, they're both plastic, and both have a horizontal autoturner included in the design. It's also nice because they also both have a wonderful viewing window so you can see what's happening during the hatch even when you can't open them.

Now would actually be a great time to pick up a Nurture Right 360 at Tractor Supply because if you're part of their Neighbors Club they should have emailed you a 15% off coupon yesterday and they do carry them in most stores.

If you decide a higher capacity is more important to you, then I would suggest a Hovabator. It's a styrofoam incubator but it will hold twice as many eggs as the other 2 incubators I mentioned. An autoturner can be purchased to fit in them as well, I usually find that the Little Giant autoturner is less expensive than the Hovabator one and they both fit perfectly inside the Hovabator.

Everyone has their favorite incubators and with a little research you can even make your own incubator out of something like a cooler. Below are all of the incubators I have used or worked with closely in the order of favorite to not worth it.
1. Nurture Right 360
2. IncuView
3. Hovabator
4. Farm Innovators
5. Little Giant (hit or miss with these but I had an old hand dial model that worked well)
6. Yellow top China-bator (often no name brand and avilable very cheap, DO NOT BUY THESE, they're terrible)

Brinsea isn't on my list because I haven't used them personally but they also make very reliable incubators and if you want to make the $$$ investment they do have higher capacity plastic incubators.

Happy hatching!!

 

[Ted_Harrell]

Agree with CluckNDoodle on the NurtureRight, solid unit and available at Tractor Supply Company at close to your price point, maybe a few dollars over that unless you are one of their rewards members.

 

[dlamb82]

To stay closer to your budget and meet your requirements the egg capacity will be a little lower but with all of the table top incubators I have used the Nurture Right 360 and IncuView and my top 2 favorite incubators, they're both plastic, and both have a horizontal autoturner included in the design. It's also nice because they also both have a wonderful viewing window so you can see what's happening during the hatch even when you can't open them.

Now would actually be a great time to pick up a Nurture Right 360 at Tractor Supply because if you're part of their Neighbors Club they should have emailed you a 15% off coupon yesterday and they do carry them in most stores.

If you decide a higher capacity is more important to you, then I would suggest a Hovabator. It's a styrofoam incubator but it will hold twice as many eggs as the other 2 incubators I mentioned. An autoturner can be purchased to fit in them as well, I usually find that the Little Giant autoturner is less expensive than the Hovabator one and they both fit perfectly inside the Hovabator.

Everyone has their favorite incubators and with a little research you can even make your own incubator out of something like a cooler. Below are all of the incubators I have used or worked with closely in the order of favorite to not worth it.
1. Nurture Right 360
2. IncuView
3. Hovabator
4. Farm Innovators
5. Little Giant (hit or miss with these but I had an old hand dial model that worked well)
6. Yellow top China-bator (often no name brand and avilable very cheap, DO NOT BUY THESE, they're terrible)

Brinsea isn't on my list because I haven't used them personally but they also make very reliable incubators and if you want to make the $$$ investment they do have higher capacity plastic incubators.

Happy hatching!!

Thank you for the advice! I am a rewards member at TSC so I will have to check them out. I have 4 different ones relatively close to me so I’m sure one of them has it Instock! I’m gonna go look into the ones you suggested! I had looked at the Brinsea and got sticker shock, my husband is NOT going to let me spend that kind of money on a hobby that has already cost us a pretty penny!

 

[dlamb82]

Agree with CluckNDoodle on the NurtureRight, solid unit and available at Tractor Supply Company at close to your price point, maybe a few dollars over that unless you are one of their rewards members.

Perfect! Thank you!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Thank you for the advice! I am a rewards member at TSC so I will have to check them out. I have 4 different ones relatively close to me so I’m sure one of them has it Instock! I’m gonna go look into the ones you suggested! I had looked at the Brinsea and got sticker shock, my husband is NOT going to let me spend that kind of money on a hobby that has already cost us a pretty penny!

Even with me being a hatch-a-holic and definitely getting more than enough use out of my incubators to invest in a Brinsea, I just haven't seen a need to. I ended up buying a second Nurture Right instead actually. lol

 

[dlamb82]

I went to TSC today and picked up my new incubator! Got it for $127 after the 15% off coupon! Thanks so much for the advice and suggestion! I won’t be hatching for another month or two but I’m glad the bator is taken care of already!

 

[gimmie birdies]

I have a yellow top incubator, I am on my second hatch. They are called HHD I paid sixty. They work better than home made, and have an auto turner, I don't trust the digital, I have thermometers on the inside to keep track. I don't think I would buy this kind again, but I am "gunna ride it till it breaks!"

 

[Venturafarms]

I have a yellow top incubator, I am on my second hatch. They are called HHD I paid sixty. They work better than home made, and have an auto turner, I don't trust the digital, I have thermometers on the inside to keep track. I don't think I would buy this kind again, but I am "gunna ride it till it breaks!"

What was your hatch rate? I just bought a yellow top as well. Now hearing they are bad. ☹

 

[gimmie birdies]

My very last one last year was 16/20 eggs.