The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: BenBhoy on February 26, 2024, 10:36:03 am
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Hi all
My daughter & I would like to hatch some eggs in an incubator. Can anyone recommend a make model for beginners?
Thanks
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My kids use a Brinsea octogen and it works well not the cheepist but we have had it years
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It's a great thing for kids to learn from - I lent my incubator to a local primary, but I added a word of warning which I'm sure you'll have thought of - make sure you can find good homes for any chicks that hatch, especially males.
It was a Brinsea Octogen I had too,
Then I lent it to someone amd never got it back
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I use an R Com 20 Pro - not cheap but has a lovely clear lid that acts as a viewing window.
As others have said, have a plan for the males you hatch (approx 50% of each hatch). No-one will want them unless they are good quality pure breeds and even then don't assume you can rehome or sell. Best to hatch either a breed that you can ultimately eat eg one of the table bird breeds or an auto sexing breed eg cream legbar where you can tell males from females as soon as they have hatched. You then have the option to despatch all males straightaway so you only spend money rearing females. This may sound gruesome to a beginner but you do have a responsibility for anything you hatch. If you choose to hatch and rear table birds it's also a good way of teaching children where their food comes from.