So many incubators, which to choose?

[cupman]

Hello, I'm still in my research stage of getting quail with a projection date of either early summer or possibly closer to early fall. From everything I've read and been told it looks like I'll need an incubator for these guys but my problem is I have absolutely zero incubator experience. I guess my biggest question is which incubator do I need and what is over-doing it? I have seen the prices range from $100 to as much as $5000 for the commercial grade ones. I am looking to get one capable of holding a fair amount, maybe 30-50 eggs at a time. Are there certain brands or websites I should avoid when purchasing an incubator? I'm looking for one that's cheap but not so cheap it doesn't do a good job. Also lastly, I see these automatic egg turners, do they work pretty well? I know many like the personal hands on approach but I'm just looking for some suggestions, thank you.

 

[Riffecreek]

any of the available incubators does a fine job other than the little giant brands.. The Auto egg turners work good and the hovabator type incubators with an auto turner for them hold 120 eggs.

 

[jimmythechicken]

we have used lg with the quail turner last year an hatched about 85% on shipped eggs they say quail are some of the easier bird to hatch.you can get a little giant for 40$ at tsc.next step up would be a hovabators little more money around 60-120 depending on what one you want.where do you live if you are close to us i can let you borrow our egg turner an quail racks for your hatch the turner for the l.g is 40-50$ an the quail racks another 10$.we just hatch with our lg now anincubat with a sportsman so we do not need the turner for now.you can fit like 120 eggs in either one of those bators.hope this helps.it just depends on what you want to spend with the lg it will take time to get your temp an hum there but we have done well with them alot of people hate them.her is a link to a great mid range bator.
http://www.surehatch.com/GQF-hovabator-styrene-incubator-model-1588.htm

 

[Whitehouse Quail]

In my opinion, I like the Hovabator Genesis. The thermostat is pre-set, it never EVER wavers, and is more accurate than most thermometers. Pair that with an auto turner, which I HIGHLY reccomend, and you'll get very high hatch rates! GQF really did outstanding with this incubator. Some will say Brinseas, which I have never owned, but I've always had good results with the Genesis. https://www.gqfmfg.com/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=77

 

[cupman]

Thanks for those links, those are pretty nice and not too spendy at all. I'm glad to hear that quail are some of the easier birds to hatch seeing as this will be my first try and all. Reading all this stuff is getting exciting.

 

[jimmythechicken]

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goodluck an they will pop like popcorn when they start to hatch it is a ton of fun.

 

[gamebirdboy]

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Quail are not easy to hatch compared to most kinds of poultry. They are really sensitive to humidity unlike chicken eggs. They are also more prone to shrink-wrapping.

 

[jimmythechicken]

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Quail are not easy to hatch compared to most kinds of poultry. They are really sensitive to humidity unlike chicken eggs. They are also more prone to shrink-wrapping.

for us they were much easier try to hatch peas now they are hard lol we did not have any problems with the quail alot of people told us to start with them because they are the easiest birds just going off what i have incubated.we have done quail,chickens,peacocks,an turkeys.

 

[gamebirdboy]

Quote:
Quail are not easy to hatch compared to most kinds of poultry. They are really sensitive to humidity unlike chicken eggs. They are also more prone to shrink-wrapping.

for us they were much easier try to hatch peas now they are hard we did not have any problems with the quail alot of people told us to start with them because they are the easiest birds just going off what i have incubated.we have done quail,chickens,peacocks,an turkeys.

Quail are easy to hatch as long as the humidity and temp are fine, the same as any other bird. I just find it harder to keep good humidity levels in most incubators...

 

[jimmythechicken]

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for us they were much easier try to hatch peas now they are hard we did not have any problems with the quail alot of people told us to start with them because they are the easiest birds just going off what i have incubated.we have done quail,chickens,peacocks,an turkeys.

Quail are easy to hatch as long as the humidity and temp are fine, the same as any other bird. I just find it harder to keep good humidity levels in most incubators...

very well put we have found on most birds at hatch the higher the better.we incubate with a sportsman then last 3 days hatch in lg's our last hatch we tried something diff in one hatcher we put the humidity at 70% that is what we have had the best luck with then in the other bator put it at 55%what is what alot of people have told us to do for chickens.in the 70% we hatched 16 of 20 with 2 not fertile an in the one at 55% we hatched 4 of 20 with 2 not fertile the other 14 had fully deveolped chicks in them i guess you know what we will be setting our bator at from know on.lol the thing i liked about quail is how fast they hatch compared to other birds.