Incubator recommendations please

[jessmorris]

Hello,
I know we've had this question before, but can we update it? I'm looking for a 6-12 egg incubator, fully automatic, and would welcome any recommendations as to brands and models. I live in the damp and cold northwest UK so would particularlly welcome comments from other folk in this or a similar zone!

Its mostly for incubating extra poultry eggs (I only have banties who can't cover much but who will happily care for more) and in case of disasters with broodies.

Any comments on the 'to add water or not' conundrum also gratefully received.

Many thanks,

JM

[Suechooks]

I've got the RCom 20 Pro. LOVE it! Holds 20 hens eggs. Programmed to stop turning, reduce temp and increase humidity on 18th day. Gives digital display of whatever its doing. Has automatic pre-set progs for lots of other birds and manual prog. You fill water chamber from outside so no need to lift lid at all thus maintaining humidity. Had good results so far - all fertile eggs have hatched so no DIS.
Oh yes it plays a little tune each time it turns the eggs

[its hilly]

M-I-L has a little Brinsea for her duck eggs, does it all and works fine. Has a reservoir which you top up and it takes what is needed itself, so no fretting.
I've got my 50 egg (never filled yet) maino. Again automatic. Except water, you have to put it in yourself. I've added a hygrometer (digital) but for the first time this last hatch I did what an old fella recommended and let humidity sit at 25%, which is basically background humidity, until day 18, then upped it to 60%. Best hatch ever and no hatching problems. I'm used to it now so wouldn't swop.

[jessmorris]

Thanks both. That's interesting IH, I've not had huge success with my e-rom incubator which is only a 3 egg one - large chicks with yolks still to absorb by day 23. Yesterdays (dead) chick measured from the end of my middle finger nearly to the bottom of my palm, stretched out! I've heard from others that where we live there's no need to add water until near hatching as background humidity is so high....

[Suechooks]

Does background humidity matter with one which controls the humidity? My old one was still air and I was getting some of the problems you describe. I used to have no water in till 18th day but really made no difference. The RCom drops it to 45% then raises to 60% (or it might be 65 can't remember) for hatching, and drops temperature slightly.

[its hilly]

JM, Willie had a similar thing with his inci (cant remember make but was a good un) but when he stuck an ordinary thermometer in it he found that it was running cool, despite it saying that it wasn't. The makers offered to take it back to recalibrate the thermostat, but he just upped the temp using a thermometer 'till it was right. His next hatch was fine. Worth a try, does sound like too cool if they are late hatching, although I believe some breeds are slower than others. Mind you I think you said that the last amrocks you did were not good..maybe it's the breed.
Sue, logic says it shouldn't matter as the machine is in charge. However my brain is reminding me that humidity can vary hugely with the weather, and maybe the inci can't respond fast enough? With my meter I've noticed that humidity shoots up when you add water, but takes forever to come down again. If it's gone too high (as in oops I sploshed) I've had to resort to lifting off the lid and drying the air with a hairdryer, and mine is forced air.

[Suechooks]

I know what you mean Hilly. However not having much experience with incubators I went for this all-singing all-dancing job and must say it does seem to respond very quickly when I take the lid off and recovers equally fast when its replaced. Not noticed any change when I add water but its done through an outer chamber which then draws it through to the humidity chamber so shouldn't have any effect.
In theory I never need to remove the lid during first 18 days - but I do because I just LOVE candling! Just seeing the changes each time is so exciting! I really do need to get a life!!!

[jessmorris]

...but would the humidity be high in the incy just because its raining OUTSIDE? Its much drier indoors.....Hilly - the temp says 37, and it won't go any higher. I really need to check it don't I? Does a big incy work as well with just a feweggs in it?

[its hilly]

I haven't got a candler and a lamp doesn't work as well, bother it.
Mine is set at 37.5, if its not chickens it needs to be even higher. I think quail are 38.5 so I would have thought your inci should go higher. I'd definately check it. Bog standard thermometer will do. Let inci hit full temp first though

[jessmorris]

Hmm, how odd that it stops at 37. The lady who had it before me used it for parrots (yes!). I wonder what temp they need? I've had a lovely trawl through some incubator pages and tried to find as many reviews as poss, but there aren't many from punters. The chap who hatched my first Amrocks had a very primitive looking box in his lounge - a tray covered in hessian, with a clear plastic lid. Did the job though. And yes, you probably are correct about the Amrocks, Ruth could only find 3 breeders in the UK with hatching eggs, so not a massive gene pool. Maybe we should have tried 'utility' Plymouth Rock, cos i think these are the same thing!