What is the best incubator? Suggestions Please!!

[autumn_g]

Ok so my blind Muscovy hen is trying to be broody. Has the temperament and making the same noises as my other broody hen but she is not making and sitting on the nest properly and the nest keeps getting bigger, have had to take 8 eggs out of the nest, there's been a total 30 eggs laid. So I am seriously considering getting an incubator. Which one is best below $200?

 

[Thornflower_gal]

I use a still air Little Giant. It cost me about 40 dollars, and it holds well over 20 duck eggs.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hovabator Genesis 1588.. in that price range has been a fantastic incubator for me. Incubator warehouse was cheapest when I was shopping for mine.

I can't help but wonder if laying hormone is light sensitive... how do blind birds receive any que to lay?

Good luck!

ETA: I also have a still air 1602N (similar to the little giant mentioned), that works great but requires a tad more effort on my part. I think it was $72 delivered.

 

[autumn_g]

I will check those out. Is there really a big difference between still air and ones with fans in it?

My blind duck does lay eggs, but not at a specific time. Ive seen her lay at morning and evening. On another note, the most amazing thing about her is she uses echo location to maneuver around. She coos while moving her head slowing and methodically to learn her surroundings. Anytime there is a change in surroundings you see her do that a lot until she has committed it to her memory. Amazing.

 

[autumn_g]

I use a still air Little Giant. It cost me about 40 dollars, and it holds well over 20 duck eggs.

Is that at TSC?

 

[Thornflower_gal]

Yeah I got mine at TSC.

 

[Thornflower_gal]

The only difference between the still air and forced air is ventilation and heat circulation I think, but I've never had a forced air before.

 

[CyndiD]

I use a still air Little Giant. It cost me about 40 dollars, and it holds well over 20 duck eggs.

what is your hatch rate with this incubator? also, is this a styrofoam bator? Thanks

 

[Alaskan]

The only difference between the still air and forced air is ventilation and heat circulation I think, but I've never had a forced air before.

The problem with still air incubators is that the heat can vary greatly from one spot in the incubator to another. The corners might be 95 and the middle right under the heat might be 102. No joke.

If you use a still air incubator take a week with a max/min thermometer and stick it in a different spot, 2 days in each spot to track spikes and dips... and figure out if there are spots in the incubator that just shouldn't have eggs.

 

[Thornflower_gal]

what is your hatch rate with this incubator? also, is this a styrofoam bator? Thanks

I've hatched ducklings twice, the first time I put in 20 eggs and one was not fertile, so out of 19 fertile eggs I ended up with 15 ducklings. The second time I put in 18 eggs and only 3 were fertile, I guess because it was only early March, and all three hatched. It is a styrofoam incubator. I have hatched a few chicks before but I have way less luck with chicken eggs, and I can't seem to figure out why