What would you pay for??

[walkswithdog]

I like it. I couldn't -- even wouldn't -- buy one of Chris's incubators with it pre-installed. It would make my "buy in" cost too high.

I want Chris's bator because it's still cheaper than a large cabinet unit, and pretty, and a good size.

I don't want to pay cabinet bator prices.

It would have to be optional for some people.

If Chris makes the base unit so it can be added simply at a later date for those people who choose to spend less initially then you'll have a broader sales base.

Chris's units, people up-grading their own good cabinet style builds or refurbishing older ones.

The beauty of the start Chris has is at his base price line he can interest people who want to hatch more eggs but not charge a great deal more than the Brinsea models.

If too many bells and whistles go on - then that's not true any more and the market dries up.

It'd be a good add on. And certainly an option to offer. But if he builds them all with it and the addition to the price tag, I bet possible sales get cut in half or more.

While it would be an awesome incubator and good technology for the price - some people will not and cannot justify that price for a hobby, or for themselves, or just at one time.

Good and a huge market base of small hobby farmers.

Or best and a much much smaller market. Because if I'm spending 600 or more, then the big cabinet bators look good again for the money.

 

[call ducks]

does any one have a link to to the bator that chris made plesl

 

[muddstopper]

Quote:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=244700

 

[muddstopper]

Walkswithdog,
I understand your concerns about price. I know what it cost for Chris to build one of his incubators, I bought all the parts for the first one. That is exactly why I am looking at my current design. I think, dont know for certain yet, but believe Chris and I can build a better incubator, with all the fancy controls, for LESS than what a comparable Dickey or Sportsman incubator will cost. Or at least in the same neighborhood price wise. And just because the electronic controller would be available, it doesnt mean you would have to buy it when you purchase an incubator. You can always order one as it is currently designed.

At any ways, this is all a mute point until I actually have a controller in hand, know that it works, and know what it cost.That might take a month or two. A preset dollar threshold has already been set that would enable us to compete under the current price of a Dickey or Sportsman. If that threshold is met, Would I have a market?

 

[FenDruadin]

muddstopper--your description is literally making me drool. This is exactly the kind of automation I have wanted to see. If you came in around your target price, and combined with Chris's gorgeous just-right-sized bators, I would probably find it impossible to live without one. What would you expect the *total* price, for the 96-egg bator, fully automated, to be (in what range, anyway)?

Considering how much more folks are willing to pay for the ease and reliability of the Brinsea, I think there would be a market. We live in such a technologically automated world, many folks expect the ease with which they obtain information (Internet), communicate (cell phones), and maintain home comfort (central HVAC) to translate into other aspects of their lives too. And most who expect it are also willing to pay for it--consider the extreme success of Apple's iphone--not because it makes calls any better than any other cell phone does, but because it makes so many other aspects of communication so much easier (oh, and I suppose because it does so many other really super cool things...)--it's much more expensive than the "free" phone you can get with activation, but not only are people willing to pay extra for it, they are also willing to switch providers & then *also* pay extra for it. Likewise, people who could go to the library and use the Internet for free nevertheless will shell out upwards of $50 a month for the convenience of using it--in high speed--from home.

Obviously, not everyone behaves that way. Many hobby farmers try to cut costs and make their hobby as affordable--or even profitable--as possible, and might be perfectly happy to fill water pans, fiddle with wafer dials, and adjust for uncalibrated instruments if it means they can shave their cost. I have nothing but admiration for those who do that.

But you don't have to sell to *everyone.* And I think there are enough folks who (like me) will pay extra for convenience.

Note that I am not saying I will definitely buy the incubator. I don't like to get into debt, not even verbal debt. But I am saying that I will find it extremely difficult to resist, even though I technically have no need for extra incubating space, and even though I am THIS close to having my wafer thermostat, instruments, and humidity all worked out satisfactorily in my little Hovabator. I just really think you'll have a market. I can't wait to hear your results after testing.

 

[walkswithdog]

Yeah I think you would have market. And depending on the "buy in" and Chris's lovely work, I think a fairly big one.

It could work out well for both of you. Keep at it and tell him HI.

 

[muddstopper]

I think I would have a market, otherwise I wouldnt be doing this. Chris did most of the work on that first incubator, I just hung around watching and making suggestions. While it was being put together and we where sourceing parts, something just kept knawing at me asking why is this being done this way and wouldnt this work much better. I got to looking at electronic controller and asking questions and then ran across this guy from Thialand. He had actually designed some incubators (not chicken), that where being used in Africa. He seemed convinced the controller he used on that project would be ideal for what I was wanting. Best part is the design is already proven, it just needs to be adapted to my paticular situation. His current controller provides for cooling as well as heating. For my project, he has to remove some parts and tweek the software.

As for adding it to one of Chris's incubators, why does it have to increase the cost of the incubator. when you take out all the outdated pieces and replace them with newer more mordern parts, the cost remains about the same. When you factor in the time involved making the old parts work together like they should and go to a plug and play system, you save tons of build time. I think ther would be a slight price increase simply because of haveing to purchase the controller a few at a time. With electronics, buying in bulk can mean pretty good price breaks. I get the prototye for material cost + shipping. I then must purchase 10 more and I get the schematics so as to be able to build them here, but I would still have to buy the programmed control chip from overseas. The source code for the chip is $500 which would allow me to programm my own chips. If I can sell enough of the controllers, I'll purchase the software source code, but it will also mean purchaseing another piece of hardware to connect the chip to a computer for programing. Making any profit would mean selling a lot of controllers.

 

[walkswithdog]

If it wouldn't raise the target price range we were talking about with Chris - then that works totally, you are right.

If you both can stay under the entry priced larger cabinet bators for the 96 egg unit - then yeah the whole package ROCKS. I think about anyone even slightly competitive in the show world and most people who breed extra chicks for sale but don't want 300-700 batches would beat down the doors. As would any semi-serious hobbyist.

20-40 eggs is such a low limit. And the others so high.

If you could come in in that middle range at a middle price I think you could nail the market.

Easier is better. And Chris's bators are gorgeous. Pair efficiency, ease and pretty and lots of folks will beat a path to your door.

LG, Hovabator,Lyons and Brinsea are butt ugly.

People who have built nice pre-made cabinet bators would use your controller. People rehabilitating old units would as well if you keep it down. That's a big market swath really.

There are some LARGE poultry shows in TN - silkies and I think one in GA or NC coming up. If not now - when the shows run again. If you or Chris can get a PROTOTYPE to a show and show it off, you could make some friends, and probably have people hanging off you waiting for it. And like I said, here, poultry press, the COOP, feathersite, anywhere you can link to what he's doing and you're doing and I think you'll have interest.

 

[muddstopper]

I have another wrinkle to throw in the mix. Multiple heating sources for a more even heating of the cabinet. My guy overseas suggested it and I was totaly shocked by how inexpensive it would be to do. We're talking about 5bucks to place several low wattage heating elements in different parts of the incubator to insure a nice even temperature in every corner of the incubator. The heat is still circulated by a fan, but instead of super hot air coming off one large heating element, you have a low heat evenly distributed inside the cabinet. No more cold/hot spots.

 

[walkswithdog]

I did that with reptile heating mats in my mini fridge and wine cooler bators. LOVE it.