Tried my new Brinsea Eco 20 **Love it** Look at the new Wellies (pics)

[Over on Caney Creek]

After reading many reviews here, I decided to try the Brinsea Eco 20, especially when I found it for $99 on their site. I really love the design. So easy to clean! I didn't get the auto-turn cradle (can add for another $49), but I don't see needing it when turning the eggs by hand doesn't require anything more than rocking the whole bator forward, middle, or back in its octagon case - no opening required. The heat stayed dead on steady the entire time and humidity was very easy to maintain also. I did use an evaporating cloth.

I'd also like to thank and commend okiehen for some awesome Welsummer eggs. I received 14 beautiful brown eggs packed like they were Faberge eggs, and had what I think is an admirable hatch for shipped eggs (plus the 'maiden voyage' for the incubator). At 8 days I removed 3 clear eggs and 1 scrambled egg, so I had 10 viable eggs and 9 of them hatched, exactly on day 21.

Here are some pictures of the Brinsea ready to start up.

Sorry for the glare, but the clear cover is no nice - no opening up to peek.

The Where's Waldo of Welsummers-

In a few minutes they got warm and spread out-

And some individual shots of little fluff-bums - on the left is one
of the full size egg chicks, and on the right is a chick from one
of the 4 pullet eggs. BTW, all 4 pullet eggs hatched.

"Wow, what is that over there?"

"Does this fuzz make my butt look big?"

"Well, I'm not speaking to you either!"

So fun. It never gets old, does it?

 

[Hoosiermomma]

Congrats on your new furballs! And no it never gets old!

 

[debilorrah]

I am SOOOO happy to read this!!! I just ordered the same bator and it should be here next week - with the turner (we work full time). CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ChanceRider]

Awww, such cuties! Congratulations on your hatch. The Brinsea Eco 20 was my first incubator and I love it! My first hatch was with shipped turkey eggs and I was thrilled with the results.

Thanks for sharing your pics and hatching experience!

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Yes... Thanks for sharing. They are beautiful!

 

[okiehen]

Congrats on the hatch, great pictures. I would love to have a Brinsea Eco 20.
And I wish my last 3 hatches of shipped eggs was as good as you got.
I just hatched some of my Andalusian pullet eggs and got 100% hatch, the shipped eggs I got was 0% on 2 shipments and 2 of 14eggs on the other.

I hope you have lots of pullets.

 

[b.hromada]

Those are such cuties! congrats!

 

[Over on Caney Creek]

Thanks everyone. I am so pleased with this incubator and these chicks. We have a cabinet incubator, but this little thing is so handy and easy for a small hatch, and I keep telling myself I am not going to get into monster-size hatching anymore. Of course I also said I was only going to keep just 5-6 hens in a tiny coop for eggs this time, and now counting these new ones I'm up to, oh let's make it 80, and my husband had to move in a small building for a hen house, and now I can't keep my eyes from wandering over to the old milk barn that's just standing there empty.... hhhhmmmm. Quick, somebody slap me!

Okiehen, if you could only ship yourself eggs you'd probably have great hatches too. I've gotta brag on the packaging of eggs once again. Of course, we are only about 200 miles apart, so that may be a factor too. You mailed them Monday and I got them Wednesday (happened to be down at the road and the mail carrier handed them right to me). When I unwrapped them, the very last layer of paper towel under the individual bubble wraps was still moist, and I set them that night.

I do think I have a majority of pullets, judging by their eye makeup and head markings, but I was actually wanted 2-3 good roos to put with the 2-month-old WS pullets I already have when they all get to courtin' age, that is, so any combination is fine with me. I will also say they are lively, healthy stock. They had to be to get out of those thick brown eggshells, and boy did they..pip, zip, POP! One even hatched upside-down (from the big end)!

 

[ISSOLA]

Quote:
How did you control the humidity? You mentioned evaporator cloth- could you please elaborate. How often did you change and where did you put it? I have been looking at the Brinsea ECO 20 too since it has been on sale. Your Welsummers chicks are so beautiful.

Thanks

ISSOLA

 

[Over on Caney Creek]

Issola,

The Oct 20 instruction booklet has a 2-page section on humidity and ventilation that is very helpful. I found a .pdf of the instruction booklet online and am including the link in case you would like to read through it. It's got a lot of good information for incubating in general.

www.brinsea.com/pdffiles/Oct%2020%20Eco%20US%20User%20manual.pdf

I used both a hygrometer and the egg weight method. I found the egg weight method to work very well in the Oct 20, because you can just weigh the entire tray of eggs on Day 1 and then easily lift out the whole tray every 3rd day for weight checks, which only takes a few seconds. Since I didn't have to open the incubator to turn eggs, even without a turner, that meant very little opening of the lid. I kept water in 1 of the 2 channels for incubation, and usually had to refill it only on weight-check days, then I filled both channels for hatching. I used a rectangle of clean terrycloth for the evaporating cloth in 1 channel only and that maintained humidity at an average of 45-50% for incubation and 70% for hatching. The vent in the lid has a nice sliding door adjustment, so you can make minor adjustments to the humidity with that as well. I kept the vent only about 1/2 to 1/3 closed for incubation and 1/3 closed to all the way open for hatching.

I hope this helps. My Welsummer chicks are now almost 2 weeks old and still doing great.