What is the best small incubator to buy??

[princess araucana]

Hello,

I am thinking of getting into hatching. Yes, seems like the stage 3 of chicken addiction!!

Who and what make is the best small incubator? Maybe for 5 to 10 eggs?

apologies if this gets asked often...

Thanks!


Ok, someone posted similar question on page 2 I did not see earlier! not sure how to remove....

 

[Rootball]

Not sure that they have many 5-10 egg incubators.... there are those small ones for kids that look like flying saucers..



IMO you have a few choices at the entry level if money is no object.


basically go with either the Hovabator genesis

or

The brinsea Eco Advanced.

the hovabator is the top of the line hovabator, it holds about 48 eggs it has digital temperature control which means you wont have to adjust it and it will keep its temp steady. it costs about $160 plus $60 for a turner.

The brinsea is the next step up it has digital temp readout and digital humidity readout, and you can upgrade it with an automatic humidity module. It holds about 24 eggs (these listings are for standard LF chicken eggs) and it will cost about $350 with the turner. This is what I would suggest

 

[thedoors5to1]

i use the thermal air flow hovabator incubator by GQF. its a small incubator prolly could hold 30 eggs max im not really sure, its lightwieght styrofoam based so its low cost to you and also cheap for easy shipping, i got mine off ebay with shipping for about 50 dollars. i've hatched out three different batches of eggs, all under 10 eggs each time. i dont use a auto turner, as long as you invest in a humidity gauge you should have no problems. just read the directions and make sure you turn 3 times a day.

 

[camalianus]

Try the Brinsea they have one which holds 3 eggs and the Brinsea 20 which holds 24 eggs. Check their website.

 

[Andora]

I'm really happy with the incubator I made with a cooler from the Miss Prissy instructions on here. It was cheap and effective. Mine can hold around 20 eggs. Last hatch I put in 14 eggs and hatched 10 babies. Of the others, 3 quit after day 18 and the fourth pipped but didn't zip, I think because I screwed up the humidity by opening it so much to check on the other newly hatched chicks. The incubator holds the temps so well, the humidity too! I just turn it on, let it get acclimated, put the eggs in, and only look in it when it's time to turn them...

 

[Akane]

You don't want a bator that only hatches 5 eggs. With few exceptions they are too small to maintain a stable temp and humidity. Overall the larger the bator the more stable it is. The major exception is the rcom mini that hatches about 3 eggs and is very expensive. Brinsea does have incubators that hold 10 and 24 eggs but you'll end up spending the same as a styrofoam bator that holds 42 eggs like the hovabator genesis 1588 so you have to decide if it's worth it. For really cheap the hovabator 1402n with no turner or fan is about $40 or basic little giant bators can be found at most feed stores but I much prefer my hova for various reasons. The design is just better and for me it works better even if the electronic thermostat on the little giant is supposedly more accurate than the wafer on a hova 1602.

 

[princess araucana]

Great responses thanks!

In those larger bators, is it OK to only put in 5 - 10 eggs? Even though capacity is 40 or so, can you do less?

and hello thedoors! I am in RI also!!

 

[princess araucana]

by the way... Rootball- what is your avatar pic???? that looks horrifying!!!

 

[Rootball]

Yes its definitely ok to only put in 5 or 10.


Addressing your initial question I kind of explained what the best small incubator was. I will say that you will notice much higher success if you use a forced air incubator over a thermal air or still incubator. So if money is an issue I would save for one with a fan in it.

Additionally, incubators like the brinsea might seem expensive, however when you take into account that the cost of thermometers, and hygrometers that you wont have to buy, it might change the picture.

 

[Rootball]

Quote:
I believe the attached article spoke about a chicken that the Israelis were developing which had no feathers. Apparently they felt it would do well in hot climates and would save plucking time....Go figure