Newbie Incubator Question

[LukeandAli]

I'm about to buy my first incubator and I wanted to make sure I'm getting a good brand/model. It's the Little Giant 9200. Is this one good/a good starter incubator? Also, what would you consider to be a "good deal" on this?

I think I can get one for less than $40 including shipping. Would you go for it or hold off?

 

[chadr7850]

i had a hovabator and absoultly hated it it was the worst money i have ever spen. I beleve the lg would be the same. i decided to get the brinsea eco. The best money I have eve spent. I would hold off for a while. there only like 120 bucks and they have a 10% off coupon right now to! Styrophome incubators are only good at killing chicks and waisting time money and breaking your heart!

 

[the4heathernsmom]

Well I couldn't afford the more expensive ones and I NEVER had luck with the still air little giant....maybe one or 2 chicks out of 20-30. I tried many times and have learned a lot since then. I recently purchased the cheaper model Hova bator and just did my first hatch in it which are still hatching as we speak and I am pleased. I use the old still air for a hatcher now. I didn't purchase an egg turner but I did get the air circulator fan kit and installed myself which was super easy especially for this mechanically challeged mom lol. I used egg cartons and "turned" my eggs by propping a large candle under one of the four sides daily. IT WORKED !!!! I didn't have to open the bator to turn eggs and my temps stayed really stable. I bought the bator and the kit off of ebay and wound up paying around 75.00 all together and really feel it was the best for me.


These are some of the first round of babies that hatched for me ......now I am up to 24 with the last 4 pipped and still trying.

 

[LukeandAli]

Wow! I'm glad I asked!!!!

Thank you and keep the advice/reviews coming!

 

[hdowden]

my first ever hatch was in an lg styrofoam i had 6 hatch. posted pics of the chicks that didnt hatch (7 of them) and everyone said i kept my humidity to high since the chicks were so wet. i also have a hova bator and all the developing eggs hatched just fine (5 developing). i havent had temp spikes or humidity problems, but with the lg i do occasianally have to add water for the humidity and to get the humidity up for hatching i had to use paper towels soaked in water but other than that everythings fine

 

[Pele]

I just finished my first ever attempt at hatching in a Hovabator. It was the most basic model (no turner, no fan) because I'm not the richest lady in town

I hatched at 50%, which I thought was fabulous with shipped eggs, a cold snap during shipping, and for a first timer.

While it was definitely an experience to hand-turn eggs and rotate them around to avoid temp pockets, if I had it all to do over again, I'd bust out the extra money for a turner and fan. They make life SO much easier.

I did a lot of research before buying, and there are TONS of bad reviews for Little Giants. Everyone has their own preferences on which brand they like, but everyone seems to share the same preference for not liking LG.

Hope that helps a bit!

 

[hdowden]

i do small hatches such as a 12-18 eggs and sometimes even fewer than that and do just fine with the lg

 

[Fly Fisher]

I have hatched with both LG and Hova-Bator foam incubators. The Hova-bators provide a more stable environment in my opinion. The LG foam top fits over the base with a small ridge keeping it on. Even in a new bator the fit is a little loose. The temp and humidity will drift. The Hove Bator top fits into the base and the two pieces have more overlap. Overall it is a much tighter fit and it is more stable. For a beginner the hova-bator genesis is hard to make mistakes with. It is however more pricey, closer to 200.00 with automatic turner.

 

[gryeyes]

Brinsea, Brinsea, Brinsea. I know they're more expensive, but they're wonderful, easy to clean & sanitize, hold temp and humidity GREAT, recover heat and humidity quickly, and are easy to see into as the chicks pip, zip, and hatch out of their eggs.

The "Mini" models hold 7 - 10 eggs, and you can get the least expensive one as mentioned above. The Octagon20 holds up to 24 eggs. The ECO version of either requires you to turn the eggs (or the whole incubator) and manage the humidity. The Advance version of both includes auto-turners, and the EX models include the turner AND a humidity pump. They're all plastic, not styrofoam.

 

[the4heathernsmom]

the rest of the hatch today we made a video for everyone to see them!!! I am very happy with the hovabator.