The Moonshiner's Bootleg Incubator Reviews And Discussions

[Courtney Farms]

Willhi Thermostat. The simplest most accurate I've used!

 

[KF0002]

I candled the last batch of Painted turkey eggs I sat and 17 out of 18 are developing. Good development on the red x brown leghorn eggs and other assorted breeds of chickens we have set. My next hatch is due next Sunday. The Sportsman surely outdoes herself, and it will forever be my favorite incubator of all time. I just hatched 13 out of 17 chicks for my friend as a bday gift for her daughter.

The 76% hatch rate was with a dryer incubation method I'm using for turkey eggs, since I incubate turkeys and chickens in the same incubator right now, then hatch in the Genesis. So the jury is out if I prefer the dry incubation method for chickens verses keeping humidity around 40% like I used to keep it. The turkey eggs definitely hatch better, hands down with a dryer incubation method though for sure (humidity 20-30%, then up to 65-70% during lockdown). With the dryer incubation method (not completely dry, as I do add some water to keep humidity where I want it), there were no eggs that pipped and failed to hatch. Any eggs that didn't hatch quit late in development but before internally pipping so I don't contribute that to a humidity issue. I will hatch more eggs before I decide if I like the dryer incubation method for chicken eggs better.

On the topic of MaticoopX, it looks like I will have to wait until next year to order one as I am ordering some Buff Leghorn hatching eggs from the Curtis Oakes bloodline and don't want to push my luck with my husband spending more money on incubators. lol @The Moonshiner

 

[HatchCraft]

I built two with 3/4 plywood based on gqf specs but about 2 inches wider and 4 inches taller and lined it with 1 inch foiled backed styrofoam insulation. foil taped all seams on the inside and wood glued all plywood. ordered fan and heat coils from gqf and installed digital thermostat. Door is built with plexi-glass and 3 snap hinges. weather stripping is on cabinet where door closes against and on the top where access to coil and fan are. Thermostat is flawless. Have another I built using incubator warehouse fans and heat built in one. Also digital thermostat . Bought 4 gqf plastic turners I install on slide out trays.View attachment 4080084View attachment 4080085

Very nice homebuilt units.

 

[speckledhen]

Stopping in to say, for those who are not following my hatch thread "The Omega Rocks", the hatch is done and I want to give kudos to the MatiCoopX incubator for a lot of the success of it.
Started with 15 shipped eggs from the breeder (Jamie Duckworth, NC). On Day 10, four from one of his pens were infertile, which means a 73% hatch rate (younger cockerel) but all other 11 eggs developing fine. On Day 18, same.
Today, I have 11 bouncing baby BRs in the brooder, or will have when this last egg finishes zipping, a 100% hatch rate. I'm stunned. I've had good hatch rates with shipped eggs, but did not expect this at all. Now, I hope I have enough pullets to get this new breeding group off the ground.
Naturally, there are many factors that play into this, health of the parent stock, excellent packing method, no abuse of the box by the Post Office and, finally, this new incubator. Very clean hatch until the last chick where all the blood vessels took awhile to retract so that's why it took so long to pip and hatch. It's fine and resting in the incubator drying off.
Thanks for all the advice and the reviews for the incubator on this thread!

 

[The Moonshiner]

Stopping in to say, for those who are not following my hatch thread "The Omega Rocks", the hatch is done and I want to give kudos to the MatiCoopX incubator for a lot of the success of it.
Started with 15 shipped eggs from the breeder (Jamie Duckworth, NC). On Day 10, four from one of his pens were infertile, which means a 73% hatch rate (younger cockerel) but all other 11 eggs developing fine. On Day 18, same.
Today, I have 11 bouncing baby BRs in the brooder, or will have when this last egg finishes zipping, a 100% hatch rate. I'm stunned. I've had good hatch rates with shipped eggs, but did not expect this at all. Now, I hope I have enough pullets to get this new breeding group off the ground.
Naturally, there are many factors that play into this, health of the parent stock, excellent packing method, no abuse of the box by the Post Office and, finally, this new incubator. Very clean hatch until the last chick where all the blood vessels took awhile to retract so that's why it took so long to pip and hatch. It's fine and resting in the incubator drying off.
Thanks for all the advice and the reviews for the incubator on this thread!

That's awesome. Hatching is so much more fun when you get great hatch rates.
So anything you absolutely love about the MaticoopX?
Any cons?

 

[speckledhen]

So anything you absolutely love about the Maricopa?
Any cons?

Not much that I don't love about it. I love the turner trays being separate from each other, which makes it easier to candle the eggs one tray at a time without opening the incubator so much. The candling light is awesome, bright and super easy to use. It keeps great temperature. It's quieter than the Hovabator while running. I like that the top curves over so the chicks can see us outside the incubator through the side wall and not just see giants looming directly over them. There is not as much volume inside so it's more compact which causes temps and humidity come up faster and hold more steady, yet it holds plenty of eggs anyway. I like that you can add water easily from outside the incubator. And the price is more than fair for all the features.

For what I wish was different....I wish the bottom could be submerged for cleaning, but it can't because the turner motor is on the bottom. The top is awkward to lift off because there is nowhere to really grip. With a styrobator, you can dig your fingernails into the edges of the top so it can't slip out of your hands. Those two things are really are my only complaints. If I think of anything else, I will add it here. I would highly recommend the MatiCoopX.

 

[NanaK]

The top is awkward to lift off because there is nowhere to really grip.

I had the same problem with my NR360 so I added one of these to the top. It gives me a place to grab to lift the top. I think I used the large size.

 

[speckledhen]

I had the same problem with my NR360 so I added one of these to the top. It gives me a place to grab to lift the top. I think I used the large size.

Thank you! Next time, I'll try that!

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

I have a question someone here may know the answer to, or maybe it is in the owners manual of my Maticoopx 20... Well asking here is easier because I would have to get the box that is hidden in the basement out and then well, it would not be hidden anymore.... So what happens if the power goes out briefly? Does it reset itself, forget what day it is on? I am fortunate to have a backup generator that comes on about 20 seconds after the power goes out. My concern is those 20 seconds, I have a water heater I had to reset every time because it loses its settings. I solved that with a upc battery backup.
Will I need to do the same thing with the incubator? Has anybody tested this by unplugging briefly? Thanks

 

[Island Coppers]

IdyllwildAcres,​

The manual doesn't directly answer your question, however I've had the power go out for quite a bit longer than a minute and didn't have to reset the Maticoopx 30.