Please Help

[thechickgal]

I'm a beginner when it comes to hatching. I have a Styro incubator that I've hatched chicks twice in. I currently have eggs in it again and they all have died but I think one. The temperature kept fluctuating no matter how hard I tried to keep it constant. I'm looking for a new incubator but don't know which to get. I want something reliable but not huge, the most I wanna do in a hatch is around a dozen. Please does any one have suggestions of good incubators. I'm trying to get one asap to try and save the one egg I have left.

 

[Pork Pie]

Everybody seems to have their preference. Here's a link to a search that I've just done - hope it helps

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threadloom/search?query=small incubator reviews&tab=618

 

[CapricornFarm]

Incubators with fans for air circulation are best. Brinsea makes good incubators. But you can't beat a good broody hen. Sorry for the loss of your eggs.

 

[thechickgal]

Incubators with fans for air circulation are best. Brinsea makes good incubators. But you can't beat a good broody hen. Sorry for the loss of your eggs.

Are the brinsea incubators less prone to temp fluctuations? And thank you, I was really hoping I could get them to hatch.

 

[sylviethecochin]

I've heard people get good results modifying their incubators with these:

WILLHI WH1436A Temperature Controller 110V Digital Thermostat Switch Sous Vide Controller NTC 10K Sensor, Improved Version

For $27.00 with Prime, it can't hurt.

 

[Pork Pie]

Are the brinsea incubators less prone to temp fluctuations? And thank you, I was really hoping I could get them to hatch.

Brinsea are kinda like the Rolls Royce of incubators - they are very good (I have one) at both holding and regaining temp / humidity (when the lid is removed, for example). They are costly and there are others that are equally as good out there.

 

[Snoozeys]

While i have a brinsea octogon ... for the money i think an rcom is a very good incubator and would serve you well !!!

 

[CapricornFarm]

You also might consider where your bator is located to help keep temperatures steady. And do not, for any reason open the incubator when it is on lockdown. Hands off for 48 hours.

 

[Snoozeys]

I was reading last nite in relation to dry incubator to not open the incubator from lockdown till day 23 to keep the temp and humidity as constant as possible !!!
I have my incubator sitting in a cupboard away from direct sunlight and drafts of wind ... minimal fluctuations of room temperature is what you want !!

 

[HCB]

Is the incubator in a climate controlled area? That could affect your temps if it's not. There may be other factors. Call it beginners luck but I just hatched (Monday into Tuesday) 6 out of 7 eggs. This was my first attempt ever to incubate any type of eggs. Mixed breed chickens in a homemade Styrofoam cooler incubator with a dimmer and an incandescent bulb. I didn't turn them more than twice a day. Sometimes only once per day. Twice the light bulb burned out including Saturday morning, right before they hatched, when I found the incubator was at 70 degrees and the eggs felt like ice cubes. But they survived, thank God and an answer to prayer. My humidity was all over but basically low to 60% for first 18 days and 50 to 75% until they hatched after that. It was a sloppy job for sure, but it worked out fine, thank God.

The points are: temp variations could be external. Occasional wide temp variations didn't kill my hatch. Humidity wasn't as critical as I'd feared it would be.

Finally, I ordered last week a Hova-Bator 1583 (? It has the digital temp and humidity) and the egg turner 1611. I've been setting eggs in it while my homemade incubator was approaching hatch. The Hova-Bator is nice. No turning by hand, steady temp, no bulb to burn out, fan-circulated, humidity fairly easy to control. FYI. YMMV. But it cost about $190 delivered. My homemade incubator cost me about $30.

Best of luck and said a prayer.

--HC