Using a separate incubator once they start hatchin?

[Crazy4Fowl]

After 11 ducklings hatched there was a huge mess in the incubator. On top of this once they hatched the were banging all the other eggs around. I was thinking of buying a separate cheap little incubator so once the duckling breaks through and can see its bill I would move it into the other incubator to hatch. I'm thinking of getting the Little Giant still air incubator. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/little-giant-still-air-incubator
The one I use now is farm innovators circulated air. Is the still air a big difference? Will moving the eggs into a non circulated air incubator have any bad effects?

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

I use an incubator + hatcher combination. Eggs go from the incubator to the hatcher at lockdown. It works great for me and helps keep my dedicated incubators cleaner.

You may want to search this site for reviews of the LG 9300 before you buy it. I bought one as a hatcher and it performed so poorly I returned it. The extreme temperature fluctuations were crazy-making. Based on my experience, I would not recommend it - as a hatcher or incubator.

Another still air incubator worth considering is the Hova-Bator 1602N. I also had one of these early in my incubating journey and found it problematic to get the temperature stabilized, but other BYC users swear by it. Again, search for this model here and you'll find lots of threads.

I use Brinseas and Hova-Bator 1588s as incubators and Hova-Bator 2370s as hatchers. The 2370s have the ability to operate as still air incubators, but I run them as circulated and have been very pleased with them. They don't cost that much more than the LG 9300, either. I recommend the 2370 as either an incubator or hatcher, and if I were looking for a solid, higher capacity, budget incubator now, this is the model I'd choose.

Some people prefer still air to circulated during the hatching process, but I find that it can take a very long time for temperatures to recover after opening a still air unit. I sometimes candle during lockdown or need to remove hatchlings, so quick temperature recovery is important to me.

Best of luck with your decision.

 

[Mountain Roost]

I made a hatcher out of a cooler and I really like it. I am doing continuous hatching and I like to clean up the mess between locking down batches. Here is a link to the tread with pictures.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-diy-incubator-and-hatcher.1449865/#post-24165898

I recently had to build a bigger incubator to accommodate a new 56 egg turner and it has left me missing the perks I had with the styrofoam cooler box. But I will not give up the styrofoam hatcher because it is easy to clean and maintain humidity. I have not done a still air hatch and agree with @FoodFreedomNow that temperature recovery is important.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

I made a hatcher out of a cooler and I really like it. I am doing continuous hatching and I like to clean up the mess between locking down batches. Here is a link to the tread with pictures.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-diy-incubator-and-hatcher.1449865/#post-24165898

I recently had to build a bigger incubator to accommodate a new 56 egg turner and it has left me missing the perks I had with the styrofoam cooler box. But I will not give up the styrofoam hatcher because it is easy to clean and maintain humidity. I have not done a still air hatch and agree with @FoodFreedomNow that temperature recovery is important.

I've been considering building a hatcher that's easier to clean than the styro ones - thanks for the link!

 

[Crazy4Fowl]

So since I'm only using the incubator to hatch, what incubators are inexpensive and easiest to clean?

How is this one? https://www.amazon.com/Incubator-Di...ld=1&keywords=incubator&qid=1618881668&sr=8-6

or this one https://www.amazon.com/Homdox-Autom...d=1&keywords=incubator&qid=1618882550&sr=8-16

https://www.amazon.com/Hatching-Inc...d=1&keywords=incubator&qid=1618882550&sr=8-18

 

[Mama_in_the_Dell]

I’m not hatching ducks but I do this just because I already had the smaller incubator and I’ve been doing a staggered hatch. I figured why dirty both incubators and the smaller Brinsea is easy enough to clean.

 

[Crazy4Fowl]

I’m not hatching ducks but I do this just because I already had the smaller incubator and I’ve been doing a staggered hatch. I figured why dirty both incubators and the smaller Brinsea is easy enough to clean.

Which incubator do you use to hatch eggs?

 

[Crazy4Fowl]

Ok I'm thinking of buying this one https://www.amazon.com/Hatching-Inc...incubator&qid=1618882550&sr=8-18&tag=backy-20

Anyone have any thoughts? It doesn't seem to have a hydrometer to read humidity, which is important during hatching. Again I'm only putting the eggs in this incubator once they really start to hatch so I can have a designated cleaning incubator.

On a side note that second picture with the family is very weird and obviously edited. They literally took a photo of a family playing twister and put an incubator in front of it.

 

[Mountain Roost]

An extra hydrometer like this can be used: Thermpro

I checked the reviews and they aren't too good on the incubator you linked.

A lot of the 'affordable' incubators will need to be watched and tweaked to make them right. If you are willing to do that, maybe adding a fan to a still air incubator would be a good start.

The parts of an incubator that make them expensive are the egg turner, the heat source, and the temperature controller, fan, and the actual box.

Temp Controller
Fixture + Heat Source
Fan
Big Cooler box or Smaller Cooler Box
and the backup temp/humidity probe I linked to above.

Making a raised floor in the styrofoam cooler box allows you to put the water right in the box with no extra dish.

When I clean my styrofoam box between hatches, I scrub it down with dish soap and then use Chlorhexidine spray that kills all biologics. If the sun is out I also like to put it out for some solar radiation for a few hours. I have been using the same box for while now.

 

[Crazy4Fowl]

I use an incubator + hatcher combination. Eggs go from the incubator to the hatcher at lockdown. It works great for me and helps keep my dedicated incubators cleaner.

You may want to search this site for reviews of the LG 9300 before you buy it. I bought one as a hatcher and it performed so poorly I returned it. The extreme temperature fluctuations were crazy-making. Based on my experience, I would not recommend it - as a hatcher or incubator.

Another still air incubator worth considering is the Hova-Bator 1602N. I also had one of these early in my incubating journey and found it problematic to get the temperature stabilized, but other BYC users swear by it. Again, search for this model here and you'll find lots of threads.

I use Brinseas and Hova-Bator 1588s as incubators and Hova-Bator 2370s as hatchers. The 2370s have the ability to operate as still air incubators, but I run them as circulated and have been very pleased with them. They don't cost that much more than the LG 9300, either. I recommend the 2370 as either an incubator or hatcher, and if I were looking for a solid, higher capacity, budget incubator now, this is the model I'd choose.

Some people prefer still air to circulated during the hatching process, but I find that it can take a very long time for temperatures to recover after opening a still air unit. I sometimes candle during lockdown or need to remove hatchlings, so quick temperature recovery is important to me.

Best of luck with your decision.

I found a 2370 hova Bator from strombergs and I almost bought it but it’s just too big. I want a small incubator for hatching. One that’s easy to clean and can hold 10 or so eggs. Any other suggestions? The problem is I’m also a little pressed for time. I need to have one arrive within 5 days