Suggestions on purchasing first incubator

[remist17]

I would like to purchase my first incubator this year to try and hatch some eggs this coming year. I have never done this before and used broody hens for most of my hatching. Can you point me to any threads that explain what I need to do and also any suggestions for a incubator? I am looking to do maybe 12 eggs or so.

 

[Marthab1953]

Here is a post that you might like to look at.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/736899/the-incubator-thread

 

[SequoyahFarms]

I have a Brinsea mini advanced. I can't say enough about it. It takes most of the worry out of incubating. It's digital temp and auto turning. All you have to do is keep water in half the reservoir then both sides for lockdown. Can't get much more user friendly than that! Only down side is it only holds 7 standard sized eggs in the auto turning disk. You can fit 10 if you hand turn or there is a disk for bantam sized eggs that holds more.

 

[remist17]

Thank you for the comments. I will look into this one. It seems very favorable product. Is there anything I need to know prior going into putting eggs in? I understand from the limited reading that the incubator rotates the eggs, do I need to program the amount or frequency of the turns into the incubator? Do I need to set the run time?

Thanks

 

[SequoyahFarms]

Every time you set eggs it will ask you to go thru a list of standard setting. Duration, temp, rotation, rotation distance, low temp alarm, hight temp alarm, C/F, cooling option (I keep mine turned off) then you have to select ok. The manual that comes with it explain it all. It seems like a lot the first time then it doesn't take much thought after that. It has codes for a lot of different things like it will have a "P" displayed if the power had been disrupted and so on. I have 7 shipped eggs in mine right now and all 7 are developing! Good luck