Which incubator to buy?

[RS]

I am looking for an incubator. I will be hatching cochin, silkie and maybe some delawares. We have a cheapy incubator from TSC, and have had rotten luck.
I want it to be as automatic as possible.
Quality, ease of use and best hatching rate is more important than cost.( you only turn 40 once and I am sure an incubator is more practical than a tennis bracelet!)
Brands I have looked at:
Dickey, Rcom, Sportsman

Pros and cons of each? Do I really need a hatching tray? I would like to be able to do a couple of batches.
New to this, so any advice is welcome!

 

[CrestedGirl]

I have a R-com mini. It is a great incubator, Have had an excellent hatch rate with it! I just wish it could hold more than just 3 eggs. All you have to do is poor in some water, put in the eggs and go. It makes hatching easy and simple if you are wanting to do a small batch

 

[gryeyes]

Goodness, take a look at http://www.brinsea.com to see Brinsea incubators. If you find something you like, when you check-out, use coupon code "halloween" - as long as you purchase before 11/13. It's good for a 10% discount. All lower case, no quotation marks.

Oh, and I have 7 Brinsea incubators: a Mini Advance (7 eggs), two Mini Advance EX units (have the humidity pump), and four Octagon20 Advance EX models (20 eggs each), with auto-turn cradle and humidity pump.

I got the MiniAdvance first and had a great hatch.... which got me addicted to it.

 

[jrobertson]

Without a doubt, I would buy another dickey without thinking twice. And I will probably have to this spring. The quality is as good or better than a gqf but for a lot less $. I can hatch 96 eggs each week. Check them out.

 

[cva34]

Quote:
Brinsea is probably #1 but shipping from England is out of sight...cva34

 

[stephanie1992]

this ones only 100 bucks. everthings automatic except u have to turn the eggs. i have one and i can put 40 eggs in it. u can buy extra shelfs. i do dry incubation so i dont put any water in it. and i use that cheep TSC one for hatching. u need to get a digital themometer/ humidity reader from wallmart for the hatcher. the hatcher is all i put water in. so far ive had 100% hatches with it. and they all` hatch on day 21 without problems.

the incubator is simalar to the exo terra reptile incubator

but its an off brand and its red

found it on ebay asl A mini fridge. it heats up and cools. i love it. works great!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-25L-Red...74713476?pt=Refrigerators&hash=item2c5f235a84

 

[Gypsy07]

I can totally recommend Brinsea incubators. Top quality, well made, easy to use, good instruction booklets with advice on incubating, lots of downloads with more info available free on their website, they offer a two year guarantee on everything they sell, and if by some remote chance you have any problems with your bator, their customer service and returns policy is excellent.

 

[quintinp]

For a starter, I would recommend a hovabator. I have heard of brilliant hatches with the Genesis hovabator. But if you like you could get a regular hovabator, with a fan, and an egg turner, and you have got yourself a GREAT start. The Brinsea products are expensive if you buy them new. They also don't hold very many eggs. I also think, that you need to experience taking care of the eggs, having to adjust the temperature to meet your needs, maybe (if you have time) you could turn the eggs, which would save some money not buying an egg turner. I just think that to appreciate something a lot, you don't need to start out at the top. I started out with a Little Giant incubator, and an egg turner, that cost me 25 dollars. I had such a hard time with that incubator. But when I got my chicks hatching, I was so excited. It was worth every bit of headache when they started hatching. Now, I am not recommending getting a Chick-U-bator, or getting a Little Giant incubator. But a Hovabator, (with a fan) is something I recommend to any beginner.

 

[cmom]

You ask a dozen people you will get a dozen different answers. I started out with an LG then Hova-Bators and have had many successful hatches. Now I have and older Sportsman. The only things I have done to it is to put a see through door on it and an digital thermostat in it. I love it. I incubate in it and hatch in my styrofoam incubators. I have hatched in the Sportsman but now I do staggered hatches so I just incubate in it now and hatch in the styrofoams. Works for me. Check Craigslist and you may be able to find a good used incubator.

 

[cva34]

Quote:
Yes its kind of like the FORD/Chevy thing.With a YUGO throwed in now and then.The real Key is get it up and running with a few eggs just from the grocery store.Get the temp where you want it and guite stable.Humidity get it where you want it and guite stable and then practice raising it those 10/20 points points for lockdown.May take a week or so But its TIME WELL SPENT . You will not regret it....cva34