Once again I would like to know from the larger breeders what is the best incubator for peafowl eggs

[Huntmaster]

Together the two Hatching Times hold 192 Peafowl eggs.

From what I researched the CT60 will hold 24 pea eggs and the CT180 will hold 72 for a total of 96 pea eggs for the two together?

 

[Huntmaster]

Welcome to BYC @GulfstreamGal1

 

[Huntmaster]

That is interesting. My incubators and instruction manuals are put away and I got those numbers directly from Hatching Time customer Service.

I looked at their website and those are their #s. for capacity. And I also read some of the reviews on the turning racks for geese and peafowl sold separately not much on pea eggs, but many said had trouble fitting the # of goose eggs they said would fit the turning racks.

 

[Huntmaster]

CT60 Capacity​

To set then hatch eggs, replace the egg turners with your hatching baskets during the last few days.
____
Quail: 108 - 156*
Partridge: 84
Pheasant: 72
Chicken: 60
Turkey: 40
Duck: 40
Goose: 24**
Peacock: 24**

 

[Huntmaster]

CT180 Capacity​

To set then hatch eggs, replace the egg turners with your hatching baskets during the last few days.
____
Quail: 324 - 468*
Partridge: 252
Pheasant: 216
Chicken: 180
Turkey: 120
Duck: 120
Goose: 72**
Peacock: 72**

 

[GulfstreamGal1]

We have an RCOM Maru
https://www.strombergschickens.com/...rs-for-eggs/cabinet/rcom-maru-deluxe-max-380/
View attachment 3733621

Hi there @casportpony! if you dont mind a couple of questions... How many peafowl eggs does this hold? Also does it have automatic humidity control? and last, how is your hatch rate with this one? Thank you for responding!!

 

[casportpony]

https://incubatorwarehouse.com/prod...ncubator-egg-tray?_pos=2&_sid=e2a7bc0b6&_ss=r

 

[KsKingBee]

Each rack holds 66 pea eggs, so 198 eggs. We do not put eggs on the bottom and we move eggs to a hatcher

You need two of these per rack, with one row cut off.
https://www.strombergschickens.com/...mbo-egg-incubator-rack-for-turkey-goose-duck/
View attachment 3733748

https://www.gqfmfg.com/item/0248-3-extra-large-egg-trays/
Or three of these:
View attachment 3733754
I do not use

I do.

 

[GulfstreamGal1]

The thing is to figure out how many eggs are you going to be setting per week. I typically set 198 eggs per week in incubators and the rest go under chickens. That means I set one machine per week plus I use separate hatchers. We move the eggs to the hatchers on day 23. The Brinsea 380 has been increasing in price so the Rcom would save you some money and probably work just as good.

I can not recommend the GQF because it does not control the humidity, for just a little more money you can have better hatch rates with Brinsea or Rcom.

I use the egg trays that Kathy posted above. The green 36 egg tray cut down to 32 is a little flimsy and weak, you should use care on how you pick them up so you don't crack any eggs. The 66 egg tray is very sturdy but heavy and awkward.View attachment 3733974

Thank you KsKingBee for your input now and a few months ago as well. I just had the same issue with the GQF in my mind. Most of the breeders I purchased mine from use them, but I knew they didn't control humidity, and the same breeders also tell me their hatch rate is about 40%. So that is exactly why I am not investing in one. I looked hard at all the Brinseas when you posted about yours when I first asked about incubators. But for the capacity the price is really a lot. I do have a Brinsea Ovation 56 EX as a backup for the cabinet incubators, but that was also I think extremely expensive for the capacity.

Also KsKingBee -- while I have your attention -- what do you use and recommend for a brooder? Again the five stack GQF seems to be what most use.

Right now it is difficult for me to know how many eggs I will be setting a week because of all the age as well as health variables. If you remember back in August I lost quite a few babies and one adult to definitely coccid and probably Blackhead. The 2023 babies who did recover may never be healthy enough to produce. No vet in SC would give me Flagyl or Baytril because the woman in charge of poultry at Clemson -- the one that did my necropsy -- considers all peas to be "meat birds" and has instructed all avian/poultry vets in the state not to prescribe either drug to me. I am thankful I only lost some of my own hatched with the exception of the one "juvenile" adult that I have replaced. I have a good number of adults as well as some who will be turning two in the spring/summer. I have 16 birds from 2023, and the remaining are older. So the long and the short of it is that I am not sure how many I will be setting but I would like to not have to worry about running out of space. Mine did lay enough last year that I got into the routine and had the experience of setting them once a week, candling on the appropriate days, and eliminating the ones that either weren't fertile or died during incubation. Regarding the egg trays -- I myself am awkward and clumsy and inadvertently cracked a few eggs last year. so I have rather have the heavy trays.

 

[KsKingBee]

Your confusion is the hatching baskets I use in the hatchers to keep all the different eggs separate.