Here’s my review on my incubators
First up my 32 egg incubator.
Pros
-Keeps temp and humidity good as long as it has a light blanket on top.
See through lid
-Can actually fit 50 eggs if I stack eggs. (Can post a pic of that if anyone wants to see)
-Don’t have to open lid to add water
-Aromatic turner
Mid
-66% hatch rate
-Beeps when it need water
Cons
-The tray for the chicks to hatch on doesn’t reach any of the four walls, it leaves a 1/2 in - 1 in gap around. Chicks fall down under the great and some drowned in the water tray. I had to make a border out of cardboard so the chicks wouldn’t fall underneath.
-The screen that tells you the temp(in Celsius), humidity, day, when it will turn, and to tell u if the candling light is on, the blue screen it’s very bright when it’s in your room while your trying to sleep. The words also don’t always work.
-The great holes are a little to big for bantams. Some of my chicks get their legs stuck. Have to lay paper towels on the great so their legs don’t get stuck.
-Very had to clean
-Have to tape one side of the lid down so it will hold temp and humidity, had to start doing this last year after I used it all year. Have had this incubator for 5 years
- this incubator has candleing lights in each of the egg holders but you can’t see in side the eggs even though it a very bright light, maybe it’s just cause I use bantam eggs. I like to hand candle me my eggs anyway.
-kinda loud humming noise all the time
Over all it was a good idea but bad engineering.
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Second, my 42 little giant incubator.
Pros
-keeps temp and humidity
- aromatic turner
-hatching great is on the bottom of the incubator and bantams can’t get their legs stuck in the holes.
Mid
- have to open lid to add water
- can get humidity above 55% when chicks are hatching
Cons
- 0% hatch rate. I’ve had this Incubator sense I was little. I know it did hatch chicks at one time. I’ve had it for about 12 years.
- I have more chicks that form their organs on the out side over my other incubator or under a hen.
- can get a few chicks all the way to piping then they die.
-needs two pug ins (one for motor, on for turner)
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I’ve never used this 42 egg still air incubator before. If anyone knows the best way to use it please share. I’m testing it out this weekend for the BYC hatch along. I don’t even know if mine holds temp or humidity, found it in an old building. I do know that it does turn on.
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Over all I like broody hens better but I’ll take my plastic incubator anyday over my little giant.
In the future I’d like to make my own incubator out of a mini fridge or get a large incubator that can incubator/hatch 300+ chicks/or other birds.
