what is the best small incubator?

[LindsayB]

I have been looking for blue and splash silkies and finally found a breeder with fertile eggs. I only want to hatch 4-6 chicks. I don't really know a great deal about hatching eggs so this will be a learning experience. What is the best and most reliable small scale incubator?

 

[gryeyes]

I just bought a Brinsea Mini-Advance, which holds up to 7 eggs. Haven't used it yet, but got positive raves from other BYC members.

 

[LindsayB]

thats the one I was thinking about getting, but I was looking for something under $100. If that is even possible...

 

[Kedreeva]

A lot of people here seem to be able to make their own home-made incubators. I bet you could find a way to make one for under $100 if you were interested in trying. Maybe donate it to a school or something afterward if you don't think you'll use it again.

 

[chicken boy sam]

The chick-bator is about $20, but you have to turn the eggs, which it only holds 3 hen eggs. I'm building my own incubator that only holds 1 egg

 

[LindsayB]

okay heres another question...lol sorry! If I had 6 eggs shipped to me, how many do you think would hatch? I know shipping sometimes damages the eggs

 

[Kedreeva]

Well, for any hatch you can probably expect ~80% fertility (You should be able to expect 100% if the breeder and their chickens are all doing their jobs properly, but things happen). When shipped, that number more than likely goes down by another 20-40% depending on a variety of variables- treatment during shipping, temp during shipping, how long ago the eggs were laid vs. time taken shipping (the longer the time between laying and incubating, the less the hatch rate is), how long you let the eggs settle, incubation fluxes in temp and humidity.... Sometimes the stars align and if you order 6 eggs, you get all 6 to hatch. Sometimes the opposite stars align and nothing hatches at all.

I know this is completely unhelpful in determining what to do, so in the end I would say order 6 eggs and see what you get; at worst you have to order some more, at best you get the number of silkies you want and don't have to order again.