The "Mini-Bator" for $20.. waste of $$ or works??? SW Pa...

[kryptoniteqhs]

i bought mine before i knew anything about how bad it was.....and now ive got 3 rir eggs on the way and not enough money to buy the nice one until next pay check (next friday) so i have to give it a shot or my eggs will rot anyway....ill be sure and let you know when it doesnt work....i still keep hoping somebody will chime in with a success story.....

 

[deerman]

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Agree even the sytrofoams are not that great, but that the least one to start with for a dozen eggs. Worth the 40.00 if you dont plan on using it long, and have time to watch it. BE sure you keep in a room 70 degree and controlled. Myself would never own another sytrofoams, to much work for me.

 

[Sherris Backyard Beauties]

I had very little luck with the chick bator. They started to develop then dies around the 17th day!

 

[Suellyn]

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I've read it all & believed!!! That's why I said I'll get the LG Still Air... And the idea with the water bottles is a really good one; will do!!

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I do empathize with you... I looked at that stupid thing online, read all the reviews & "testimonies" about the educational value... even comes with a decent guidebook that is fairly detailed about hatching, chick care & housing, even a "BE KIND TO YOUR PET" section!!!! Looked pretty promising to me, too!! Good Marketing Team, I guess

Would you have time before the eggs get here to contact a Local 4-H like Chickens4jojo mentioned? And maybe you can get your $$ back on the "Mini-Bator" if it's still unused/new.. ?? And there WAS someone at the beginning of the thread that said it worked for them (very lucky??), and someone else that said STARTED developing but died (sad!!)...

If you absolutely CAN't get a "loaner 'bator" in time, maybe there is a way to tip the odds a LITTLE more in your favor????? Thoughts, anyone? I am new & you would know a WHOLE LOT MORE than I do!!! My initial thought before I decided to bail on the mini-bator (but I didn't have eggs on the way, and am in a fortunate enough position to be able to buy a more expensive one immediately) was.... set it down into a more insulated container, and add an additional water source for humidity

??
Would that help AT ALL??

 

[kryptoniteqhs]

ive never been involved in 4H and wouldnt they think that its sort of wierd that some random person they dont know is asking if they can use their expensive piece of equipment?

 

[Suellyn]

I don't know, maybe PM chickens4jojo for details, since she's done it before? I bet 4-H will be pretty nice about it, though, especially if you explain the situation... or maybe offer to leave a deposit, if that is possible for you to do?
BTW.. pretty quarter horses!! I used to do barrel racing (not cutting) still miss my little bucksin mare terribly!!

 

[kryptoniteqhs]

awww....ya gotta love them horses.....so i called 4h and the local ffa and cant seem to get anybody to answer!!! im getting frustrated ive called about 90 million different numbers and called my little sisters friend whos in 4h and said that they dont have an incubator, i hope shes wrong but she said to call the high schools ffa department and ive tried all that.....my bfs grandma said that she hatch anything i want her to for me but shes an hour and a half away and said that with my truck being such a rough ride they probably wouldnt survive the trip (i havent talked to her since i ordered the eggs tho)....idk what to do.....if i cant figure anything out ill have to give it a shot.....i guess

plus part of the point of me hatching them is for me to do it and for somebody an hour and a half away to do it....i want the experience!

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

My brother just called me all excited about how he just bought one for my kids... i didn't have the heart to tell him it is a POS... I will set it in a styrofoam container, with a little pan of water, and see how it goes.... any more suggestions for improvement?

 

[kryptoniteqhs]

how does the whole styrofoam thing work?? and the pan of water?? oh boy its nice to know theres someone in the same boat as me...ie: knows its a POS but has no choice lol

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

part of the problem with the POS is that it doesn't keep the eggs insulated real well. If i put it in a big styrofoam cooler, it should help regulate the temp. If i put water in the cooler also, like in an open jar, it will help keep it a little bit humid. Imagine being sat on by a chicken for 3 weeks... it would be warm, a bit humid, and the hen would turn the eggs periodically. so i guess the point is to mimic that as well as possible.