What are your percentages of hatch with incubators?

[Tilhana]

My first time using an incubator I got just under 80% (19 out of 24 eggs that went into the incubator).

This was with eggs from a local farm, bought not shipped. I did candle but didn't trust my judgement since it was my first time hatching, so I ended up keeping all the eggs in until the end. Most of the eggs were fertile, but 3 or 4 quit somewhere in the middle, and one started hatching but didn't make it out.

Incidentally, I would add that all 19 chicks made it nearly to adulthood; I did lost quite a few to predators as they got older and started spending more time outside. But there were none of those early unexplained chick deaths that are considered unavoidable with chicks bought through the mail.

I used a HovaBator 2370, which I think worked out pretty well. Price was about $185 which I think is on the low end for incubators that actually get the job done. I did have secondary temp and humidity meters inside and really babied it. I don't think the temp meter on the bator was as accurate as it could have been. But that's true with a lot of incubators.

From what I've read/heard, really low hatch rates (like below 50%) may well be due to shipped eggs, which can be a total bust if you buy from someone who doesn't know what they're doing or if they're in transit a long time, or the really cheap tiny plastic incubators you can find on Amazon, which are too small and poorly insulated to maintain a constant temperature and humidity. Those would be the first 2 things I'd try to avoid. But obviously, as others have said, there are many other factors that can contribute to a low hatch rate.

 

[CoBeeChicks]

Just curious because my neighbor has had his running quite a while and finally gave up. He even bought a few different incubators. Also throw in the make of your incubator. Please.

Made my own for less than $50 with manual egg turner, 28 maximum eggs, 96% hatch from my own flock.

 

[wilwingswaterfowl]

I use a hova-bator and hatch only my own duck eggs. The last batch I did was 60% including infertile. I've had o% and 100% I've used a turner and currently do manual turning 4 times a day. For me it depends on what species Khaki Campbells have high Hatch rate. My wild breeds are 30 to 40% but my ducks sitting their own do no better. This year 2 nests of Green wing teal 16 eggs total only 4 hatched, I think because the weather was so hot this year. The Cinnamon teal nests hatch 100% ,the 6 Cinnamons I incubated hatched 50% but 3 were infertile.

 

[Wendyschickies]

I made an incubator off of plans I found online, basically it is an ice chest with a light bulb connected to a water heater thermostat. I have a fan in it also. And I lift up one side of the ice chest, a few times a day. I have above 95% hatch rate with this. I also keep a little dish with a sponge in it, filled with water.
Hatching eggs was SO MUCH FUN!!!!! We loved it. We hatched eggs from our chickens.

 

[chickencoop57]

I bought one of these Chinese fully Automatic Incubators which I'm about to try out, however, and not meaning to change the subject but, I literally have no place to put it in my lil efficiency home, to put it. I live 35 miles NW of San Antonio, Tx and though our Winters are mild, a lot of nights can be in the 30's but then we warm up during the day to 60+. With that in mind, I do have a Green House, that even with 2 small heaters in it, the temp will stay at around 45-50 at night. During the day, with heaters off, the temp can get to 100 degree's, in there. So my question is, do yall think the temp variance would harm the egg's in the Incubator, if I put it on a shelf in the Green House?

 

[spartacus_63]

I bought one of these Chinese fully Automatic Incubators which I'm about to try out, however, and not meaning to change the subject but, I literally have no place to put it in my lil efficiency home, to put it. I live 35 miles NW of San Antonio, Tx and though our Winters are mild, a lot of nights can be in the 30's but then we warm up during the day to 60+. With that in mind, I do have a Green House, that even with 2 small heaters in it, the temp will stay at around 45-50 at night. During the day, with heaters off, the temp can get to 100 degree's, in there. So my question is, do yall think the temp variance would harm the egg's in the Incubator, if I put it on a shelf in the Green House?

Yes.

 

[Jmpridge]

Close to 100% in my brinsea 56 ex. Usually only infertility problems on mine yet rare. The bator is super stable on temp and humidity, caveat it is always run in my house in stable condition. Occasionally I get stuck hatchers if I catch em sometimes I help sometimes I don't catch em if they come overnight. Can't say enough good about the brinsea products.

 

[Abu Al Amin]

Chicken 60%
Quale 30%
Geese 0%

 

[Offshoreorca]

Brinsea Mini Advance II and all have been 100% (fertile eggs making it to hatch) except one

 

[Hssnider73]

I hatch quail.
I use the nr-360, and the brinsea ovation 56 ex (I think, the one that does everything for you). The brinsea is amazing, because I hatch quail and set so many, I don’t generally candle first, and still I get probably 90+% hatch rate. If I candled and stored the eggs properly it would probably be 99%, but with my own eggs I’m lazy. If I’m collecting them for someone else I store them properly, but for myself, it’s like 5 small bowls of eggs left on the counter haha. The NR 360 is a bit more fussy, especially at lockdown, you need to be vigilant about humidity, but from my first hatch until now, I’ve hatched probably close to 1000 chicks and never had below 74%, and I’ve had 100% several times. I just 3D printed a quail egg sized turner for the nr360 and the first batch are hatching now, 4 so far, out of about 40 that went to lockdown.

In your Ovation 56 do
You use the egg carriers that come with it or did you buy the large sized ones.