Which incubator do you recommend to others??? and why???

[kyeschicks]

Which incubator do you recommend to others??? and why???

 

[tiki244]

For a small styrofoam incubator I have heard the Genesis1588 works very well because it has a preset electronic thermostat. But the room temp needs to be stable.

 

[magikchick]

I love my hova-bator with forced air. I have had no temp problems with it. I keep it in my back bedroom and there are some temp shifts in there but it has held steady. My first hatch is due this weekend and looks like a good one.

Plus it was under $90, I didn't get the egg turner.

 

[lovemychicns]

I recommend you build your own. It's so easy and I have had the best hatches ever in mine. I originally bought a LG9200. Hate it. I was always up all night fussing with temps and humidity. Now the temps stay steady and my humidity is perfect all the time with little effort.

Hugs

 

[jvls1942]

For your first one a hovabator or a little giant is fine. I have 3 of each and see no difference in them.

I line them up on a shelf in my shop and run them all at once.
Once the temps are set they all go through the complete 21 days with no further adjustment..

I believe that the people who have trouble with their bators are not running them long enough before putting the eggs in. I run mine for 2 days prior.. You have to stabilize your temp.. no way around it..

after you add 42 eggs, the temp will dip.. ignore it for 24 hours..
once the eggs warm up it will come bak up.. that is a lot of mass to heat up..

this is what I do.. others do it differently.. do what works for you

 

[reallemons1]

I use 2 of the LG 9200 with forced air, 1 with a turner for incubating the other for hatching. They are in the spare bathroom. The temp stays fairley steady in there and the incubators hold their temps and humidity well. I have been getting good hatches (better than 95%) with my own eggs. Haven't tried any others...yet.

 

[Smoky73]

I recommend Lyon incubators. Yep, they are pricey but you can usually find then 1/2 price on Ebay.

The reasons I recommend them is:
1) The accuracy in temp is amazing. recovery time to get it back to temp once you take the lid off is SOOO much better than the styrofoam. It is reliable enough that many zoo's use them for hatching their reptile eggs. I saw one set up in a room off the Komodo dragon exhibit.

2)No reason to open the bator once eggs are in. everything is controlled from the outside of the incubator, turning even manually is done from the outside, even humidity control is done from the outside.



I supposed that a con would be they do not hold many eggs, but, they also make a larger square roll-x for that purpose.
They are slightly hard to clean but, once you get the hang of it, not so much!

 

[jimnjay]

I agree with Smokey 73, The TX-6 or 7 is an amazing unit. I have had the HovaBator basic unit, the Brower Top Hatch as well as my TX6 which I did buy on ebay at about half price.

The Top Hatch offers some nice features not found in the styrofoam units. It is VERY east to clean. It like most operate best in a room with stable temps. It is improved simply by wrapping the tub with bubble wrap. It has an electronic thermostat, which I feel are more accurate than the wafer type found in the styrofoam. You do not remove the heat element when you open it but a clear hard plastic top. Wate is easily added by using a straw through the top vent. It is durable and I believe that it will last much loner than the styrofoam unit. Downside is the light flashing that is the heat source and it makes some noise. I kept mine in a closet and it was not trouble.

Smokey explained the Lyon TX units

Hovabator and Little Giant have several models to choose from and if you spend time reading this forum you will be able to tell the issues with the styrofoam units. Once you get a GOOD thermometer and Hygrometer and a stable place to put them they work fine. Though I have never been particularly happy with the results I have had. I just bought a new one to hatch the last eggs from my flock after I had to depopulate. I have the forced air unit with turner. I ordered the Top Hatch to get a unit that would hold more eggs but it arrived broken and I am very sorry I had to settle for the HovaBator.

I recommend getting one with a fan and turner, not matter the brand you buy. Most people want to upgrade shortly after using the basic model the first or second time. It depends how much you think you will be using your incubator as to which one is the best for you. If you feel you will be raising chickens for sometime to come, I would save my money and check out Ebay and Eggbid weekly for a good used Lyon TX-6 or Tx-7, they just can't be beat for accuracy and reliability

 

[sandspoultry]

The GQF Sportsman is as good as it gets. It holds temp and humidity rock solid, the heating element is big enough that you can add a tray of fresh eggs and it's back to temp in no time flat. Also, spare parts are easy to get and not that expensive (not that we have ever needed to use any)

Some people complain about the price but when we got our first one it payed for itself totally in less than 6 months for selling the chicks it hatched.

Steve in NC

 

[minna]

Quote:
If you check into Dickey Incubators, they are made better and basically the same set up, and a little cheaper. I hope to get one within the year.