Please Help Me Choose An Incubator!

[Xouie]

It’s so variable dependent on what’s most important to you: ease of use, price, idiotproof, etc. Each of the models in you poll has its own best points. For what you said in the first post, I’d think the Nurture right would be a good fit.

 

[ButtonHoarder]

Some people say that cleaning styrofoam incubators is hard, but I disagree. I just got some water and a rag and gave it a good wipe down. And if you wanted a better clean, you could easily mix bleach into the water, I think 1/10 bleach to water would work well. What else have you heard? I'm curious

I don't remember everything, but I had asked around on here a while ago about the genesis Hovabator, and most said it wouldn't hold temperature well. But I've heard so many great things about it too, so I dunno what to do

 

[ButtonHoarder]

From last hatch they did good, i think i got like 18 of the 22 to hatch?

That's pretty good sounding to me!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Yeah, I thought I had decided on a Hovabator, but then I started getting unsure with all the negative-ness towards styrofoam ones. And I've never successfully hatched anything so I'm clueless

So here's the thing, your list to vote on consists of all of my favorite incubators so you've been doing good research. My personal preference is in this order, NR360, IncuView, Brinsea, Hovabator. BUT I have varying reasons as to why they fall into those categories.
- Of the 3 types of styrofoam incubators I have experience with Hovabator was my favorite.
- NR360 has offered ease of use, good price point, and has remained reliable through MANY hatches over a couple of years for me.
- IncuView is a little bit touchier but it offers great flexibility in what you can hatch without needing to hand turn. It's also the easiest incubator I've ever cleaned.
- Brinsea is a great incubator though I did struggle with the humidity a bit more and I had to supply my own hygrometer because there isn't one built-in (I always use a secondary calibrated thermometer/hygrometer anyway) but I don't see a reason for the high price tag when I can get the same results from other incubators.

 

[ButtonHoarder]

It’s so variable dependent on what’s most important to you: ease of use, price, idiotproof, etc. Each of the models in you poll has its own best points. For what you said in the first post, I’d think the Nurture right would be a good fit.

Yeah, I'm really just looking for something that works really well, not too crazy expensive, and will last a little while. Have you had good experiences with it?
Thanks!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Here is my most recent update on hatch rates in my NR360s over the past couple of years with details on over 20 hatches.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...60-incubator-is-amazing.1294466/post-23799248

 

[ButtonHoarder]

So here's the thing, your list to vote on consists of all of my favorite incubators so you've been doing good research. My personal preference is in this order, NR360, IncuView, Brinsea, Hovabator. BUT I have varying reasons as to why they fall into those categories.
- Of the 3 types of styrofoam incubators I have experience with Hovabator was my favorite.
- NR360 has offered ease of use, good price point, and has remained reliable through MANY hatches over a couple of years for me.
- IncuView is a little bit touchier but it offers great flexibility in what you can hatch without needing to hand turn. It's also the easiest incubator I've ever cleaned.
- Brinsea is a great incubator though I did struggle with the humidity a bit more and I had to supply my own hygrometer because there isn't one built-in (I always use a secondary calibrated thermometer/hygrometer anyway) but I don't see a reason for the high price tag when I can get the same results from other incubators.

Sounds like you have lots if incubator experience! I'm now kinda thinking of taking the Brinsea off the options list because of the things you have said, and also because it's a little out of the price range.

 

[ButtonHoarder]

Here is my most recent update on hatch rates in my NR360s over the past couple of years with details on over 20 hatches.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...60-incubator-is-amazing.1294466/post-23799248

Those numbers look good!
- Me who has no incubating experience

 

[PioneerChicks]

I don't remember everything, but I had asked around on here a while ago about the genesis Hovabator, and most said it wouldn't hold temperature well. But I've heard so many great things about it too, so I dunno what to do

Interesting. Mine has done well, but I'm not a super experienced hatcher.

 

[MGG]

I have had very nice results with Hovabators. I heard that styrofoam incubators work better than plastic ones, but I know others have different opinions.

I haven't ever heard that, but I am not a big fan of styrofoam incubators. I've tried a number of them, but they're very finicky and are pretty tough to get to stay steady imo. My Nurture Right 360 is my all time favorite incubator. I have not tried the Incuview, and I'd maybe like to someday, but my NR works fine for big eggs too. I just have to manually turn them because they're too big for the turner. Quail eggs don't tend to work well in the turner though. I had problems with them getting turned pointy end up after a while. But I had 20 quail eggs in there and it's some work to hand turn them, so I just left the turner unplugged, and came downstairs (to the basement, where I keep my incubator) a few times a day to plug in the turner and then watch the turner turn them. There's a button on top that you can push and it will turn them. Then I just fixed any that got turned weird and unplugged the turner again. That way it didn't turn them while I wasn't watching. It worked fine and I got an 100% hath rate with all 20 hatching. I sold some of them and kept my favorites. It works perfectly for chicken eggs and duck eggs, but geese/turkeys/peacocks are too big.