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Author Topic: Which incubator?  (Read 3746 times)

Terri

  • Joined May 2012
Which incubator?
« on: March 10, 2013, 06:56:17 pm »
Hoping to hatch chicken eggs for the first time. Suggestions re the type of incubator I should go for?
 :excited:

Dan

  • The Accidental Smallholder
  • Administrator
  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Carnoustie, Angus
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Re: Which incubator?
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2013, 07:09:20 pm »
A bit more info would help please:

How many eggs will you be incubating?

Are you interested in being 'more involved' with the incubation, and having to turn the eggs manually, check humidity etc, or would you prefer something completely automated?

Do you prefer budget or quality?

We've got most Brinsea models listed here:

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/shop/poultry/incubators-brooders/

But a bit more info would help narrow it down.  :)

zarzar

  • Joined Jul 2012
  • kent
  • Z.Glenfield :)
Re: Which incubator?
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2013, 09:30:11 pm »
we brought a manual one off a lovely couple who make them on ebay they are home made so are cheaper to buy but easy to repair if goes wrong and they even send you a spare bulb and will help with anything you need info wise to.
1 cat,2 thoroughbred horses,1 dog, handfull of bird various types and hoping to get sheep again

Terri

  • Joined May 2012
Re: Which incubator?
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2013, 10:18:14 pm »
I've been keeping chickens for 4-5 years for eggs. Have 11 hens and 4 cockerels. I particularly want to breed my Ixworth hens (4) with the oldest cockerel.

I am looking to provide my own chickens for meat. In all I would prefer to go with an incubator that has a good success rate whatever type. I'm lucky enough not to work so could manually turn. Have read a lot about this so now need to take the plunge!

HesterF

  • Joined Jul 2012
  • Kent
  • HesterF
Re: Which incubator?
« Reply #4 on: March 10, 2013, 10:59:14 pm »
I've just bought one and I went for a Brinsea on the basis of the recommendations I read everywhere I researched (including here). I don't work but I'm not organised enough to remember to turn so I went for one that automatically turns and controls the humidity. I also want it initially for goose eggs so that limited my choice to one of their bigger models. If you look on their website, they have some tables which compare all their models, what they do automatically, capacity etc. which I found very helpful. Then google around for the best price you can on the model you've chosen - the Brinsea direct prices were not the best for mine. Amazon seemed to have a good price on some of the smaller models but didn't stock the one I wanted.

H

Terri

  • Joined May 2012
Re: Which incubator?
« Reply #5 on: March 11, 2013, 09:34:59 am »
 :thumbsup: Really helpful -thank you. I'll look at the comparison table and go from there.

Fowlman

  • Joined Apr 2012
  • Wiltshire
Re: Which incubator?
« Reply #6 on: March 11, 2013, 10:09:56 am »
Brinsea are a good British company with a proven track record with good after sales service with spares always available. Having had a few myself i can vouch for them, i still have an old Brinsea hatchmaker knocking about. Last year i bought an Rcom20 pro which is absolutely idiot proof and a breeze to use, not cheap to buy but i luckily got mine second hand very cheap off a friend.
Tucked away on the downs in wiltshire.

graham-j

  • Joined Jul 2012
  • Canterbury Kent
Re: Which incubator?
« Reply #7 on: March 11, 2013, 10:50:51 am »
Hi,the brinsea octagon 20 is pretty well fool prof,reliable,not much to go wrong + you can get all spares easily.They have been in production for years.They hold about 24 eggs and I have used mine for hatching everything from geese to quail.You can pick them up quite cheep on ebay.

Here is a picture of some geese I hatched last year as I took the lid of the incy,its amazing they all fitted in there.

Graham.

Graham.

Terri

  • Joined May 2012
Re: Which incubator?
« Reply #8 on: March 11, 2013, 03:14:14 pm »
Thanks everso much - gorgeous chicks. I'll see what I can find on ebay. I'm starting with chicken eggs this year but hope to progress to ducks and maybe geese.

zarzar

  • Joined Jul 2012
  • kent
  • Z.Glenfield :)
Re: Which incubator?
« Reply #9 on: March 11, 2013, 06:40:29 pm »
we got our manual for under 40 from sean195847 on ebay, they simple and very easy to use.
1 cat,2 thoroughbred horses,1 dog, handfull of bird various types and hoping to get sheep again

Terri

  • Joined May 2012
Re: Which incubator?
« Reply #10 on: March 12, 2013, 10:29:59 am »
Thank you - will have a look to see what he's selling.

 

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