5 Best Egg Incubators for Chicken, Duck & Quail Hatching

Egg Incubators is a useful device as it allows you to incubate eggs simultaneously it will eliminate the external intimidation that might damage the eggs.  Many people use egg incubators, but most of them may not produce a large number of healthy chicks. That is why it is important to know about the incubators and find the best one that can help you produce a lot of chicks in a short time.

You can find incubator on the market that can hold a large number of eggs, and these incubators are very useful as they save time and energy, and also, produces a lot of chicks in a less time. You can use Egg Incubator for different types of eggs, and it allows you to hatch the eggs at any season. It is easy to plan when to hatch the chicks, but it is not that easy to plan the same with the hen because the hen only knows when to hatch the eggs. However, the incubator works same as the natural hen, and the hatching process is similar. Moreover, the incubator is much safer, and eggs can hatch safely, the chicks are free from diseases and parasite.  Also, the incubator protects eggs from spoilage and damage, which is not very easy to control the same with the broody hens.

Easy Egg Hatching with Incubators

The incubator is easy to manage when you want to hatch the eggs, but with the natural process, the hens can damage their eggs by pecking during the natural incubation. Not only that, controlling and monitoring the eggs in the incubator is a much easier process than the natural incubation. This analysis makes sure that the eggs are much protected inside the Incubator than the natural incubation.  In the incubator, the eggs get best hatching temperatures since there is 100 percent hatch rate assured.  Also, it’s a one-time investment on incubator so that you can save a lot of money on feeding the hens, which means you spend once but gain a lot in every season.

Buying the ideal egg incubator is important if you want to get a high hatching rate.  You should also consider several factors so that you can buy the incubator that serves your needs completely. The first thing you should consider is why you need an incubator? Suppose, if you are a professional, then you will need an incubator that comes with high-tech technology, and offers the best hatching rate. The top incubator should give higher results for the money spent on it.  In case, if you want an incubator just for your hobby, then you can go with the smaller scale incubator because it is not for your living, it’s just for a hobby so any normal incubator can work for you.

Egg Incubators for Commercial or Personal Use

Mostly, incubators are used for the commercial purpose; they use it for hatching and incubation of birds and other types of eggs. With the incubator, you can make more profits as it works similar to natural hen and it takes over the work of the hen. The Incubator allows you to keep the rotate the eggs and maintain the correct temperature. This process provides the perfect environment for the eggs and develops healthily until hatching. Also, it is the best device that incubates a larger quantity of eggs at one time.

Besides the incubators are used for fowls, the laboratory incubators are utilized for several other purposes like the experimental bacteria growth. However, these incubators cost more and give even more accurate hatching results than those used for poultry hatching.

The three essential elements for incubating eggs are

• Temperature
• Rotation
• Humidity

These three are the important elements, and without these three the egg will not hatch properly.  In the natural process, the broody hen intuitively provides the exact amount of all three elements that is why you need to find the incubator that can imitate the natural process with motors, timers and heating elements.

For an accurate development of the chick, egg rotation is very crucial.  The rotation, you can either perform automatically or manually. Several incubators place the egg standing position and rotate it through a ninety-degree arc. But, in the natural process, the egg is placed horizontally, and the mother hen rolls the eggs. Although the upright position does not affect on the chickens or any other birds, it does make a huge difference with some of the exotic fowls.

What Type of Egg Incubator Do You Need?

The best incubator is something that depends on the user, and their hatching experience.  Forced air or automatic incubators are the best option to incubate the large number of eggs. These incubators contain a fan to circulate the air.  In some incubator, you can find an auto-turning feature that helps you avoid the manual task and also helps you prevent the humidity disruption every time when you want to rotate manually.  If you want to hatch fewer eggs, then you can find incubators without any fan included.

To get a perfect incubator, you should always look for humidity and temperature controlling features. Before buying the incubator, check if it has a thermostat included in the incubator because it is one of the major elements that decide if the eggs will hatch or develop properly. Also, you should make sure that the humidity level is under control when you hatch the eggs.

Things That You Need to Consider – The Technology of the Egg Incubator

The agricultural or farming incubator technology is similar to the natural incubation process where the hens use to hatch the eggs. Since it is import to know how these various factors affect hatching and incubation rates.

Thermostat

If you are using the incubator for laboratory purpose or hatching chicks, then you must consider the most important function in any incubators is to control the temperature. It is important to maintain a constant temperature for eggs.  The Incubator includes a thermostat that turns the heat on and off to maintain a constant temperature. You can also adjust the temperature levels when you are using different types of eggs. The high-quality incubators allow you to adjust the thermostats.

You can also find incubators that come with the thermostat and a timer that turns off the heat for a certain time each day. This cooling period is required to simulate the time similar to the broody hen away from the nest to feed herself.

Still or Moving Air

The incubator that includes the fan can help you maintain a consistent temperature inside the incubator.  However, the heating elements of tabletop or single-level incubators are designed with circulating fan can help the incubator maintain the heat and if there is any inconsistency, then it can reduce completely. For cabinet, incubator models must include circulating fan.

Rotators

When you are incubating the eggs, it is compulsory to rotate the eggs. It is very important during the first fifteen to twenty days.  You can rotate the eggs by any one of these three ways:

• Manually: You have to rotate the eggs tray manually at least three to five times per day.
• Semi- Automatic: In this method, the operator offers the power to move the eggs with a device that rotates the eggs all at a time.
• Automatic: The incubators that include automatic rotators work efficiently, and it is timed and motorized, and so that you can evade the manual task.

The incubators allow you to rotate eggs horizontally or vertically.  In the natural process, the eggs laied horizontally, and the hen rotates them to maintain the consistent temperature.  In the incubator, the vertically position eggs are rotated by tilting the eggs left and right from a 90-degree arc.  The horizontal rotators rotated through an 180-degree arc.

 Humidity

Maintaining proper humidity level is important when you are incubating the chicks. In the case of inaccurate humidity levels, chicks do develop properly. Actually, incubated eggs need 75 percent humidity.  If it is required, you can as well include an extra humidifier to the incubator to get higher hatching results.

Top 5 Best Egg Incubator Products

1. Magicfly Digital Mini Fully Automatic Egg Incubator 

Read the full review here

We consider the Magicfly digital mini fully automatic egg incubator to be the #1 choice. The reason for this is, that its built quality is unlike anything else on the market. On top of that, this chicken incubator is extremely cheap. Unless you intend on hatching a larger number of eggs, there is really no reason not to go with this solution. It is quality, efficienty and value packed into one. You get a high quality hatcher that is fully automatic. Lots of bang for your buck. The incubator can hold between 9 and 12 eggs, so unless you need to hatch more, go with this powerful solution!

Pros

• Lots of value for your money. High quality hatching solution at the lowest price.
• Automatic egg turner – this solution is fully automatic meaning you will not have to do any manual work. Just follow the process.
• Simplicity is key – this egg incubator has a simple design and is made of quality durable PP+ABS material.
• The best Mini egg incubator for home use

Cons

• Does not hold more than 12 eggs – therefore not suited for bigger hatching tasks.

2. Farm Innovators Model 4250 Digital Circulated Air Incubator

Read the full Farm Innovators Review here

The Model 4250 Digital Incubator circulates air inside the incubator, which helps you increase the hatching rate. This incubator can hold up to 41 eggs at the same time. The inbuilt heater in the model 4250 warms the incubator to a preset temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit in a very short time. The incubator also contains a digital display and an automatic egg turner. The digital display can help you to observe the eggs, and the automatic turner will turn the eggs every four hours.

Pros

• The Farm Innovators Model 4250 Incubator is easy-to-use, experts and beginners can use this device without any hassle.
• The Automatic rotator minimizes the manual task, and it can improve the hatching process.
• The digital display in the incubator allows you to observe the eggs, and you can clearly read the temperature, days to hatch, and humidity levels.

Cons

• This incubator may not allow you to adjust the temperatures easily.

3. GQF 1588 Genesis Hova-Bator Chicken Incubator

Read the full HovaBator review here

The 1588 Hova-Bator is a completely qualified egg incubator that can offer the best and successful egg hatching results.  It is the safest incubator manufactured by GQF as it comes with a 12volt system. This 1588 Genesis Incubator is best for laboratory needs and in a classroom setting.  It comes with a factory pre-set temperature for bird eggs. To use this incubator, all that you need to do is plug it in, and add water and then eggs soon you will get the best hatching results.

Pros

• It comes with a digital thermostat, which means it doesn’t get affected by humidity changes, temperature, or dust.
• The incubator comes with inbuilt sensors that protect the eggs from burning.
• It allows you to change the temperature for different eggs that you place in the incubator.
• The incubator is easy-to-use, from beginners to experts, everybody can use it safely.

Cons

• This incubator does not provide turner; you have to buy it separately
• The quality is not assured.

4. Brinsea Maxi II Advance Automatic 7 Egg Incubator

Read the full Brinsea review here

Maxi II Automatic Egg Incubator holds 7 eggs, and it is one of the best models available on the market. The USAC25 Incubator is easy-to-use, and it offers greater performance than any other model. Its exceptional features are what make this incubator the best option to choose. The incubator uses the digital micro-control system to control the functions easily with a simple digital display.

The digital display included in the Maxi II automatic egg incubator shows the temperature levels, turning status, and days to hatch. It also allows you to regulate the system, to adjust the incubation temperature, cooling duration, number of days that eggs take to hatch, temperature fluctuation alerts and several other functions.

Pros

• The incubator will provide details of the hatching date through the digital display function.
• The MaxiII Incubator has an external storage for the water reservoirs that offer humidity inside the device.
• The Incubator is easy to clean and maintain because it is made of ABS plastic structure.
• The rotating egg trays turn the eggs safely; even the sensitive eggs will be safe in this automatic egg incubator.
• This Incubator allows you to hatch 7 eggs at the same time.

Cons

• The incubator is not a strong device so that it cannot last for several years.

5. R-Com RCOM Max 20 MX20 – an Automatic Digital Egg Incubator

This Rcom Max egg incubator is a high-tech incubator that utilizes the egg shaped perception to look special from other models that are available on the market. This product is best and reliable as it uses the Swiss 3^rd generation Sensirion’s temperature and humidity sensor. The incubator contains automatic humidity and temperature settings, and also has an adjustment function

The incubator includes the automatic egg turning function that works well even with the delicate egg types.  This incubator comes with a tray that can hold 20 chicken eggs at a time. It also contains a larger view window that allows you to observe the development of the egg without lifting the lid.

Pros

• The Incubator contains a tray that can fit 20 chicken eggs so that you can enhance your hatching rate.
• The digital thermometer will help you check the temperature, the precise temperature level inside the incubator.
• With air control lever, you can control the air in the incubator.
• The incubator uses E-Com’s air flow technology that assures that the air does not touch the eggs directly.
• The indication light flashes and alerts you if there is any fluctuation in the temperature, high or low.

Cons

• This incubator accommodates only 20 eggs, so it is not the best option if you are looking for a bigger incubator.

The Best Egg Incubator for Chicken, Duck & Quail Hatching

Read the full Magicfly review here

Buying the best egg incubator may not be an intimidating task. That is why it is important to know about the best incubators that are available on the market before you want to buy an incubator for your requirements. This buyer’s guide can help you understand the things that are important to consider before buying the incubator. You should also check the reviews about the best incubators, which can help you make the decision clearly. All these above-mentioned incubators are the best incubator that available on the market. All these top 5 incubators offer the great features and help you get higher hatching results.

Our winner is the Magicfly Digital Mini Fully Automatic Egg Incubator because it brings lots of value to the table in a quality solution. It is well built. It is popular. Also, the incubator is fully automatic thus lifting the burden of manual labor from your side. It is pretty much the best cheap egg incubator for home use.