What incubator to choose?

[Stephoney]

I need to read up on exactly what dry incubation is. I get that you don’t add any moisture, but I thought that was a problem? This is all very new to me so I’ve still got some learning to do around all of the strategies that work.

Ours works great! I keep it simple and get great results with a dry incubation and only add water for lockdown.

What humidity level do you watch for? I read an article where they keep the humidity between 15-30% until day 18. Is that what you do?

 

[Ridgeback825]

What humidity level do you watch for? I read an article where they keep the humidity between 15-30% until day 18. Is that what you do?

Yes, we live in humid sw Florida, so our humidity inside the incubator stays around 30% with zero interaction. I then add water when I go to lockdown to help them hatch at over 55%. It has worked great thus far.

 

[SourRoses]

What humidity level do you watch for? I read an article where they keep the humidity between 15-30% until day 18. Is that what you do?

I do dry incubation too, I don't let it fall (far) below 30. On our occasional less humid days in Florida, if it drops below 28, I add just a little bit of water. Most of the time it keeps 30% on its own. Up to 40% is fine.

Really it should have been called Drier incubation, but maybe everyone would have thought it had something to do with laundry.

 

[Stephoney]

Thanks! I’m in Washington state where it’s pretty cold and rainy right now. We keep our house around 67 and the air is definitely drier than Florida. I think I’ll give it a try. I’ve got 6 Swedish Flower and 6 Ice Cream Bar eggs coming in a few weeks and really hope to have a good hatch rate.

 

[24greenthumb]

I can’t really answer your question other than I bought the 3rd incubator and it is terrible- first time I used it it was fine after that the temps went crazy, it’s also very hard to regulate the humidity in it. I lost everything in this incubator because it could not keep stable temps.
I’d honestly advise against all the above unless you find people here with good reviews on any of them.
It’s worth paying the extra bit of money to get a reliable incubator.
After Amazon fails I bought the cheapest brinsea (manual) for not much more. It was way better and I had really good hatch rates even though I was hand turning.
I wanted a bigger and automatic turning incubator so I bought a borotto and there’s no real issues with it but I do regret not paying the extra money for another brinsea. They’re just very reliable and easier to use in my opinion.
It might be worth seeing if you can get a better brand incubator second hand if you really don’t want to pay the extra cash. Saying that buying them new means they come with a warranty.

Amazon incubators are the pits either they do not turn and kill eggs, or they are a steam room
Or they fluctuate their temps 2-6 degrees