What is a good incubator for around $150? Newbie!

[Fiddlehead]

Hi, I would like to try hatching some chicks. I would like to spend around $150 and should probably have a incubator with auto turn since I work and have a busy lifestyle. I searched the posts and found some older posts, so I was hoping to get up to date reviews of incubators. Thanks for your opinions!

 

[BorderKelpie]

I've done well enough with my Little Giant still air with turner. I think one with turner cost me about $80 at TSC. I did end up buying another (w/o turner for about $40) to use as a hatcher.

 

[Pumpkinpup]

How many eggs were you intending to hatch at a time?

 

[Fiddlehead]

I don't think I would want to hatch more than 12, I noticed the bators I seem to be looking at hold 24 which would work for me. I plan on doing lots of research and learning before I begin, so pardon me for the stupid question, but what is the difference between a bator and a hatcher? I thought after they hatched I could just put them in a bin with a heat lamp until they are ready to go in the coop.

 

[HHandbasket]

I use an LG forced air bator. They run about $90, and the turners run about $45. I don't have a turner--I don't mind turning them manually but will likely eventually get a turner for it. This is the first hatch we have done in this type of incubator & we go into lockdown tomorrow night at midnight. So far, so good.

 

[Mahonri]

$150 is a tad low for a good bator but you can find sales from time to time from GQF for their 1588 Genesis Hovabator.

other than watching humidity, it's plug and play. I've gotten some great hatches...

 

[TNBarnQueen]

I just ordered a Hovabator with a full view clear top, and has a fan. Shipping and all was 110.06 at Southern Agriculture. The turner came from TSC for 44.95. I have a LG still air that does OK. but really like the full view top. A friend of mine got her Hova from them and had her first hatch...87% which is pretty good for the first one. She followed the directions filling what had to be filled and at 18 days we candled...she filled up the channels that it said to fill and in 3 days had an incubator full of chicks! Of course I would love to have one of the big nice fully automated ones...but...these are a lot of fun to use!!

 

[rebel yell]

I would say a hova bator, they have been around a long time & have a good rep. I have one & it works good, for $150 you can get the works from them or maybe a little more, on the other hand you could build a very nice bator for that price, thats what I did, it holds about 50 eggs.

 

[Trojanchicken]

I just bought a Brinsea Eco 20 directly from Brinsea on sale for $99, the automatic turner is on sale for $49. I used a discount code (FBEG0211) for 10% off I found here on BYC which resulted in a price of about $135 before shipping. I already have the Brinsea mini advance which holds 7 chicken eggs and I'm very happy with it.

 

[bakerjw]

I just bought a Brinsea ECO 20 with turner yesterday to compliment/replace my Top Hatch. It was $170.00 delivered.