Exactly this -- having decent equipment and having sourced your eggs well makes all the difference. My first batch was with a borrowed styrofoam bator with wicked hotspots, with eggs I bought from My Pet Chicken. NEVER AGAIN, on either front. After that, I splurged on an Incuview, and buy from either local sources or reputable breeders. I did try Meyer Hatchery eggs once, and while it was a little better than MPC, they don't send extras unless you buy a lot, and several of their eggs were either cracked, clears/early quitters, or already-growing-but-dead (!!). My best shipped rates so far have come from a breeder in California (I'm in NJ) - his stock is good, and his shipping practices are top notch.