Peeps in Europe!

[LoreWalker]

Hello fellow European peeps! It's been a minute.

I started the adventure of attempting to hatch eggs in an incubator, and failed. Low fertility rate and inaccurate temp and humidity. Live and learn. But yesterday, barely 24 hours after I put the 2nd batch of 24 eggs in (bought from a breeder this time), our 1 month old incubator died. So, I guess don't buy a Wiltec.
This morning we dropped the eggs off to a guy whom has a side job of hatching eggs for other people, hopefully at least a few of the 23 eggs I bought survived... It'll be a long wait til next Tuesday!

I was looking around on this forum for a better incubator for next year, but most threads are from US-based peeps, obviously. Anyone got any recommendations on lower budget brands and types easily available in Europe?
One that automatically turns the eggs and has a stable and accurate thermometer and hygrometer.
Assuming we can get our money back for the broken one. I wouldn't trust one from the same brand after all this. Paid more for it than a Puisor Exotic with automatic turner costs too.

And since you peeps were talking dogs, here's my 2 as tax

 

[chickengr]

hi you all, I just wanted to introduce my new babies (they hatched on april 24):View attachment 2637649
and this is my dog. she runs after everything wild around here, but leaves the chickens in peace, I guess she understands they are family, but I know that this hasn't much to do with my training, she just has a strong protection instinct and I love it. there are a lot of predators around here and I couldn't let the chickens free-range without her watching for them.
View attachment 2637648

lucky you! I wish I had a dog that can be around chickens.

what breed are your chickens? they are beautiful!

 

[chickengr]

Hello fellow European peeps! It's been a minute.

I started the adventure of attempting to hatch eggs in an incubator, and failed. Low fertility rate and inaccurate temp and humidity. Live and learn. But yesterday, barely 24 hours after I put the 2nd batch of 24 eggs in (bought from a breeder this time), our 1 month old incubator died. So, I guess don't buy a Wiltec.
This morning we dropped the eggs off to a guy whom has a side job of hatching eggs for other people, hopefully at least a few of the 23 eggs I bought survived... It'll be a long wait til next Tuesday!

I was looking around on this forum for a better incubator for next year, but most threads are from US-based peeps, obviously. Anyone got any recommendations on lower budget brands and types easily available in Europe?
One that automatically turns the eggs and has a stable and accurate thermometer and hygrometer.
Assuming we can get our money back for the broken one. I wouldn't trust one from the same brand after all this. Paid more for it than a Puisor Exotic with automatic turner costs too.

And since you peeps were talking dogs, here's my 2 as tax
View attachment 2638293

welcome! where do you live?
here is the link:
https://www.borotto.com/main_page/category_tree,2

 

[LoreWalker]

welcome! where do you live?
here is the link:
https://www.borotto.com/main_page/category_tree,2

I'm from the Netherlands.
I think I've seen a few borotto machines over here. Thanks for the website!

 

[maceleneo]

lucky you! I wish I had a dog that can be around chickens.

what breed are your chickens? they are beautiful!

I have 5 black and blue copper marans, 2 araucana, the rooster is an olive egger... and now also 2 little blue copper maransXolive egger, my newborns!
marans are my favorite and I seem to recall that you are trying to get some, do you?

 

[Erba]

Anyone got any recommendations on lower budget brands and types easily available in Europe?

Brinsea Maxi II Eco is cheap on ebay at the moment https://www.ebay.de/itm/324368678250?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=707-134425-41852-0&mkcid=2&itemid=324368678250&targetid=1112187753816&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9041717&poi=&campaignid=10203814539&mkgroupid=101937407957&rlsatarget=pla-1112187753816&abcId=1145990&merchantid=115516511&gclid=CjwKCAjwj6SEBhAOEiwAvFRuKFcmRx_bs6I-gMTPM18kJ0gaqo6IJltS2Saee4j7R1otzCRuplL3bRoC9uoQAvD_BwE​

takes 30 eggs and people rave about that make​

 

[Erba]

oops just saw it's manual turning so that sucks...also check out the brand covatutto.

 

[abpatchy]

Brinsea Maxi II Eco is cheap on ebay at the moment https://www.ebay.de/itm/324368678250?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=707-134425-41852-0&mkcid=2&itemid=324368678250&targetid=1112187753816&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9041717&poi=&campaignid=10203814539&mkgroupid=101937407957&rlsatarget=pla-1112187753816&abcId=1145990&merchantid=115516511&gclid=CjwKCAjwj6SEBhAOEiwAvFRuKFcmRx_bs6I-gMTPM18kJ0gaqo6IJltS2Saee4j7R1otzCRuplL3bRoC9uoQAvD_BwE​

takes 30 eggs and people rave about that make​

Brinsea can be bought in Germany. So I assume in the Netherlands as well. They do come in 3 qualities... from the "eco" model all the way to the "ex" model that does turning and humidity automatically.
From a few eggs all the way to 56 eggs or the extra large models even more.

I would suggest you invest in something a little better... nothing too cheap. You will get better results. But of course not everybody can or is willing to do so. But sometimes you buy twice...once cheap and then better.

I do hope you will get your money back.

 

[LoreWalker]

Brinsea Maxi II Eco is cheap on ebay at the moment

Thanks, I've bookmarked it!

Brinsea can be bought in Germany. So I assume in the Netherlands as well. They do come in 3 qualities... from the "eco" model all the way to the "ex" model that does turning and humidity automatically.
From a few eggs all the way to 56 eggs or the extra large models even more.

I would suggest you invest in something a little better... nothing too cheap. You will get better results. But of course not everybody can or is willing to do so. But sometimes you buy twice...once cheap and then better.

I do hope you will get your money back.

Latest news is, we can return the machine and will get a full refund. Thankfully!

We want to hatch and raise chicks for meat (no antibiotics unless necessary, free range, happy chickens) and a few for eggs, but aren't sure yet what quantities we want to raise for those purposes.
And so I'm still not entirely sure about what kind of incubator to get. I like the brinsea and puisor because they have smaller size incubators (up to 24 eggs). Most of the higher end machines like MS and Hemel do seem to be for larger numbers of eggs. I don't mind spending the money if I'm sure I'll make use of a bigger machine, but they're also considerably more expensive too, of course.

 

[chickengr]

I have 5 black and blue copper marans, 2 araucana, the rooster is an olive egger... and now also 2 little blue copper maransXolive egger, my newborns!
marans are my favorite and I seem to recall that you are trying to get some, do you?

I want marans but it is very difficult to find good marans in greece. I also don't have room for more chickens at the moment. I hope to sell my house soon and move to my new place where I will have plenty room for chicken math, lol.