Which incubator is the best? 7 Choice with comparasion table. Brinsea,Bobmail,MATICOOPX...

[Ricky Jehen]

I have used several brands over the years and while some of the random off brands are garbage I think the biggest factor is the person running the incubator. I have heard people say an incubator is trash because of poor hatch rates and yet they obviously had no clue what they were doing with the hatch. I use a pre-calibrated analog thermometer and pre-calibrated analog cigar hygrometer inside the incubator. No digital. I also fully sterilize between each hatch and only use eggs from healthy parents. I don’t use dirty eggs, I don’t wash the eggs and only use eggs that at most require a quick dry brush. Here is the kicker…whether I dry hatch or not depends on the time of the year and the ambient humidity in the room I am hatching. That means if it’s been a rainy humid spring I dry hatch, but if it’s been a very dry spring I add humidity. It’s like baking nothing is 100% given 100% of the time. When I am baking I do the same thing. Certain times of year you will have to adjust your recipe for more moisture and other times less moisture which most people do not even think about.

Man, this is EXACTLY what I was thinking! You've nailed it about the human factor being more important than the brand name.
I totally agree that success isn't just about throwing money at expensive equipment - it's about understanding the whole process. Love how you mentioned the seasonal humidity changes - that's some next-level experience talking right there!

 

[Ricky Jehen]

The first two I purchased from the same lady on eBay and got so lucky - I don’t think she had a clue what they were worth as she was just selling off her mother’s old belongings. I believe I paid about $50 each for them (this was 4-5 years ago.)

Then I recently got one from a local lady who was a teacher and had used it for a class hatch. I think I got it for $75. I don’t think it’s a bad route to go. Stay away from the chickcozy incubator, it has been nothing but problems for me, especially with shipped eggs!

$50 each? That's insane value! Those kinds of deals are getting harder to find these days - everything's getting so expensive now.

Thanks for the heads up about the chickcozy! Always good to know what to avoid. Nothing worse than wasting money and time on equipment that gives you headaches, right?

$75 for a classroom incubator is usually a good deal since they tend to be well-maintained (teachers are usually pretty careful with their equipment).

Quick question though - what brands were those eBay scores? Always curious about which older models are worth keeping an eye out for!

BTW, for anyone else hunting for deals, I've noticed Facebook Marketplace sometimes has similar steals!

 

[Ricky Jehen]

I live in FL as well. When I dry hatch we do not put any water in the Maticcoopx the first 18 days. (We found the humidity stays around 25 - 30% without water and that is Spring and Summer hatching) At lock down we put a little water in but keep the humidity around 40% or lower. As the chicks hatch it will raise the humidity automatically. Have seen it go up as high as 70% but goes down once the chicks start to dry. In my opinion it is cleaner. I watched a guy in southern CA use dry hatch successfully. As you know that is a dryer climate. That being said we have not tried hatching in winter. Will not be trying it this year.

Have you noticed any difference in hatch rates between your dry method vs traditional? I'm thinking about giving it a shot with my next batch!

 

[Kiki]

No matter which incubator you decide on getting get a few of these too.
At least three so you will know the temp in 3 different spots at the same exact time.
https://www.amazon.com/Govee-Hygrom...54c63c327eb6c11a03e7c6ba30&tag=hyprod-20&th=1

 

[Ricky Jehen]

WELL, I'm back. This is one of my "books" - maybe because our daughter's rewritten YA fantasy book was published today (kindle). Get a cuppa (whatever u enjoy) - this is long...

**********
A fellow chicken hatcher recommended both the Brinsea (any) & Harris (NR360) ones in 2018. Recently, she had to scale down her breeding programs - she got good prices for those. She had gotten the Maticoopx & its 30 egg capacity fit her & she LOVES it. I didn't ask specifics.

Me, I couldn't justify the price of the Brinsea when I wanted to start. I got the Hovabator w/ turners, but forgot the fan. I did not have good hatches - struggled w/ candling too. I think part of the problem was too much humidity & spiking too hot when our AC struggling to cool our house. Had 12 eggs was saving to put into the incubator in a cardboard carton w/ one end raised - that I swapped ends w/ another egg carton - those eggs developed & 6 of 12 HATCHED ( i did not realize I'd kept them long enough to hatch) !! Sitting on a chair in the same room that incubator in, where 3 of 41 eggs hatched. The eggs in incubator - a couple not fertile, a couple of blood rings, most made it to lockdown but didn't hatch - fully developed. Some were pipped, most not. Drowned? I dunno...

I bought 2 NR 360s in 2021. Mine are finicky. Really glad I got hygrometer for each one. Have had family & health issues, cleaned up & stored in boxes...

To hold the temp @ 99.5°, one is set @ 100.5 & the other @ 102.0. Currently. It was same/similar 2 yrs ago. I'm waiting for GoVee hygrometers - will have on Friday. Currently started a dry hatch (my 1st time, was recommended), but didn't take into account the lower humidity right now. Eggs set on Sunday noon, debating adding water tonight... AND today our heat struggling to keep house warm. I've wrapped a minky blanket around the one & a big bath towel around base of other. They should hatch 12/22.

Want to get fans for the 2 Hovabators & set them up for hatching. Will do that later this spring? My personal goal is a cabinet incubator... I've heard good things about Brinsea, GQF's Sportsman 1500 series & Hatching Times.

I bought chicks from a guy 2 years ago that was hatching them in a Styrofoam cooler he built into incubator. It was fascinating talking w/ him but also frustrating after my 2 separate attempts w/ the Hovabators. He did purchase a digital "motor/readout" & a fan. Turned eggs by hand. Had a bowl of water in center of box. He was getting 85-95% hatch w/ barred rock chicks in that box.

**********
As to # of eggs - depends on 2 things. What you can afford & how many chicks you can brood/take care of.

Personally, 50% is low when hatching shipped eggs BUT my bad ones were my own eggs, no shipping... I can't imagine purchasing 6 shipped eggs & only having 3 hatch. However, it just hit me - i currently have 30 eggs in 2 incubators. If all hatch, w/ the cold/wet weather in Jan/Feb, I may be hardpressed to brood all of them. Am working on that, so HOPING I'll be fine. Not the way I should have done it though, LOL.

Wow, thanks for sharing all this - it's like a crash course in "Real World Hatching 101"!

Kinda humbling when eggs on a chair outperform our fancy equipment lol!

 

[Slothinc]

$50 each? That's insane value! Those kinds of deals are getting harder to find these days - everything's getting so expensive now.

Thanks for the heads up about the chickcozy! Always good to know what to avoid. Nothing worse than wasting money and time on equipment that gives you headaches, right?

$75 for a classroom incubator is usually a good deal since they tend to be well-maintained (teachers are usually pretty careful with their equipment).

Quick question though - what brands were those eBay scores? Always curious about which older models are worth keeping an eye out for!

BTW, for anyone else hunting for deals, I've noticed Facebook Marketplace sometimes has similar steals!

All three of the incubators (the ones from eBay and the local one from a teacher) were the 7 egg auto turn brinsea models. I recommend getting a larger brinsea if possible. But I think that they can be a good option when purchased used. I wouldn’t trust many of the other brands used. I agree fb marketplace can be a great place to find used things!!

 

[The Good Grumble]

Brinsea 28EX? Why?

There was just a lot of negativity, price, finickyness etc. I read a lot of reviews before I bought it…..I have 2 dozen preordered hatching eggs coming in March. I may hatch out 1/2 dozen from my girls. I have an Orp Roo and an Americauna that lays a gorgeous blue egg. Maybe can get an olive layer out of those two. At the very least I can test out the Brinsea before the others come.

 

[Eggs_Over_EZ]

Have you noticed any difference in hatch rates between your dry method vs traditional? I'm thinking about giving it a shot with my next batch!

My experience with the traditional method was in Delaware in fall and winter with two styrofoam incubators. My success hatch rate was good but not as good as ones using the Maticoopx with dry hatch. Like someone said I believe it is a combination of the incubator and human experience. One thing I also noted is the difference between hatching shipped eggs versus non-shipped. The latter is definitely ideal.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I haven't used any of those brands. I've heard good things about the first two, but the others don't ring a bell to me. I've hatched a lot and for a long time. I've used the worst and among the best of incubators as well as building my own DIY units. I haven't had the pleasure of using the commercial units that hatch thousands of eggs at a time
I'm sure some are better or even far better than others, so it is an important bit of research here.
That said, I think there isn't anything magic about it. One just has to look at all the parameters needed for successful hatching. For one, most species of birds need virtually the same parameters. The differences is duration, sometimes humidity, sometimes turning but for the most part, they all need about 99.5 F/37.5 C. For Galliformes, the closer to 99.5 and the less fluctuations, (other than those that want to embrace the technique of brief periodic cooling) the more reliable.
IMHO, what happens prior to incubation can be even more important than the process of incubation itself. I also believe turning is at least as important as humidity. Humidity isn't a set number for a multitude of reasons. Monitoring humidity, while still useful, is more accurately accomplished with a gram scale. When I said, humidity isn't a set number, (an expression I stole from another member), I meant that, as a number it isn't just not well defined, there are a multitude of variables. What you are trying to achieve with humidity, is to control the transpiration and evaporation of water from the egg. Every egg's porosity is different. Elevation impacts the movement of molecules. Ambient humidity is never a constant in nature.
If ideal weight loss is achieved, it doesn't matter what the humidity was on any given day or even for the duration. Ideally, whatever species is being incubated and the length of time till hatch, the percentage weight loss is the same.
I recommend an accurate thermometer that records data, like the Govee H5074. Thermometers like Accu-rite and similar may be accurate but only guaranteed to be ±2°F like most thermometers. You can incubate with them but not accurate enough for high hatch rates and vigorous hatchlings - especially if the thermostat doesn't control within a tight range.
What I mentioned at the beginning of this essay is what happens before incubation begins. Of course, egg handling. Clean nests, a single cooldown after egg is laid before bringing up to incubation temperature. Clean hands or gloves whenever handling. No washing of the eggs unless absolutely necessary. Turning the eggs at least 2 or 3 times a day during storage at a temp between 50 and 70F. Store a week or less before incubating. Disinfecting the incubator prior to use.
Before the egg is laid, breeder nutrition is very important. Regular layer feed is sufficient for egg production but perhaps not adequate enough for bringing embryos to term that hatch without intervention and chicks that are vigorous from the outset.

 

[casportpony]

Hello fellow chicken enthusiasts!

I'm trying to decide which incubator would be the best investment for my hatching journey. I've narrowed it down to 7 different models, and I'd love to get some input from experienced hatchers.

Here's a comparison of the models I'm considering:

Brand	Egg Capacity	Temperature Control	Humidity	Display	Price
Brinsea	24	±0.3°F	Outside Add water	Temp & Humidity	$249.99
Harris Farms	22	±0.5°F	Outside Add water	Temp, Humidity & Hatch day	$179.99
MATICOOPX	30	±0.5°F	Outside Add water	Temp, Humidity & Hatch day	$119.99
ZOHOKO	24	±0.6°F	Outside Add water	Temp, Humidity & Hatch day	$119.99
Bobmail	21	±0.4°F	Outside Add water	Temp, Humidity & Hatch day	$105.99
Kebonnix	12	±0.4°F	Outside Add water	Temp, Humidity & Hatch day	$89.99
Onsju	18	±0.8°F	Outside Add water	Temp & Humidity	$89.99

What I'm looking for help with:

1. Has anyone used any of these models? What was your experience?
2. Is the Brinsea worth the premium price?
3. The MATICOOPX seems to offer good value with 30-egg capacity and good temperature control - any experience with this brand?
4. Should I avoid the cheaper models (Onsju) due to their poor temperature control(But still in ±1°F)?
5. I noticed the Bobmail comes with a smartphone app for monitoring and control. As a beginner, this seems appealing - has anyone used this feature? Is it actually helpful for first-time hatchers?

My priorities are:

• Reliable temperature control
• Easy to use
• Good value for money
• For the new guy like me

I'm leaning towards either the MATICOOPX (best value?) or the Brinsea (best quality & it's the BYC sponser), but I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences!

Thank you in advance for any advice!

Have you considered RCOM?
https://rcom-incubator.com/collections/frontpage
We have an older RCOM 20 Max and love it.

We also have a Brinsea "Ovation 56 EX Connect app-controlled incubator.". I like it enough that I am thinking about getting an Ovation 28 EX or an Ovation 56 EX.