Which Incubator?

[Burton Wyandotte 601]

Hey, We really want to start raising our own babbies instead of ordering them form the hatcherys. So we've been looking all around at the different incubators, and have seen all different shapes and sizes. We would love to get one that can do most of the work for us, and our price range is up to $500 so can anybody give me any suggestions on what works best or is their favorite ... Thanks

 

[tackyrama]

I don't know which is the best but I do know which is the worst. I posted a critique early this year about my brower bator. I hate it so bad I really took a lot of time on this critique:

We purchased a Brower top hatch incubator last summer new for about $130.00. Stay away from these folks. We have had nothing but trouble! We have used it exactly three (3) times and now the motor has burned out.

I am a former tool maker and I know something about how equipment is supposed to work. This incubator is very temperamental and will work only if adjusted precisley and is prone to break and/or go out of adjustment. They are supposed to work by blowing the air up through a center tower where it is heated by a 60 watt bulb. The air is then circulated back down around the outside of the tower. The bed is rotated by the same tiny motor with plastic gears. This system works OK only if everything is adjusted and working properly.

There are two major problems are the motor and the circulation system:

First - as the air is circulated back down the small space (about 1/4 inch) around the outside of the tower it tends to become fouled with lint, litter and/or chick down. Circulation is gradually cut off and quickly throws the temperature out of adjustment.

Second - The space around the outside of the tower allows litter (bits of egg shell etc.) to fall down into the motor/gear box area. What happens is the gears become jambed with bits of shell and the motor burns out. To have any chance or working properly this incubator has to be completely dissasembled and thoroughly cleaned after every hatch. OK, evey bator needs to be cleaned but in addition to sanitary concerns this model needs extraordinary cleaning and care.

I has taken me three very unsatisfactory hatches and many hours of tinkering with this piece of overpriced junk to draw the above conclusions. I have completely dissasembled the bator at least 8 times, cleaning and examining it closely every time. I am not one to give up on anything very easily but I am done with this piece of junk!

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

I posted a similar thread recently, and here's the link....


https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=219884

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Do a search (see button above on the blue bar) and you will get pages and pages of info. Someone on here actually has made a thread that indexes all the other threads about incubators. It was very, very useful! It popped up pretty high on the search list.

Good luck!

 

[Tad]

just finished our first hatch in a hovabator genesis, very pleased, 12 outta 17 of our eggs were fertile and hatched, it couldnt have been any easier, just set 24 eggs in it this evening for round 2!!

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

For over a year I used a homemade "Miss Prissy" bator and had some great hatches. But I did have issues with temp swings and couldn't fit a turner in it.

I recently purchased a HovaBator Genesis (forced air) and the turner and I've been very pleased.

Geez...just get the temp to 100 degrees, put the eggs in the turner and walk away. I wondered why I didn't do it sooner.

 

[walkswithdog]

If you've got up to 500.00 I'd buy a Dickey in a screaming heartbeat.

I hatched in this, https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=214772

and made enough money to buy this from folks tearing down a barn...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=211843

The antique redwood bator is as close to a Dickey as I'm likely to come for a few more years - but they have a LOT in common. The solid wood cabinet, the rock stable temps, the size that allows for any size hatch you'd like.

Dickeys have all the nice modern conveniences but you know the old one suits me.

Sure I have to use the egg turners by hand instead of the bator doing it, and add water but it's simple enough and I'm very comfortable with hands on. I've been hand turning since I started hatching. The antique one's turners allow for turning an entire tray at once so a lot easier but still involved.

It's not plug and play and you know, that would be nice eventually, but incubation is about what you find that you can do comfortably. Lots of folks love auto everything and a Dickey certainly allows for that and is my goal but until then I'll hatch a LOT of eggs in lesser beasts and save up for one.

Good luck choosing. Lots of people don't think they'd use the bigger bators and buy the smaller ones, only to buy larger later. And some folks stick with 2 or 3 of the good small ones like Brinsea, Lyon, and Hovabators. But the biggest brinsea allows for 40 eggs max. Not a limit I wanted to set for myself.

In the end you'll find you have preferences. Good luck.

 

[Junkmanme]

You MIGHT want to take a look at this:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=219930