Picking your Incubator

Choosing the Right Incubator for Your Hatching Adventure

Here at Hackness Hatchery, we love helping people get started with hatching eggs—it’s such a rewarding experience, whether you’re a complete newbie or a seasoned pro. One of the first big decisions you’ll make is picking the right incubator, so we thought we’d share some tips to help you out.

Why We’re Big Fans of Brinsea Incubators

We use Brinsea incubators ourselves and recommend them because they’re super reliable. They keep temperature and humidity steady, which is absolutely key for a successful hatch. Sure, they’re a bit pricier than some others out there, but the quality really shows in the results.

What About Those Cheap Incubators?

You’ll see lots of budget incubators—often made in China (and hey, nothing wrong with Chinese manufacturing; they can make just about anything, honestly!). The thing is, if an incubator is really cheap and someone’s still making a profit, chances are it’s been made to a tight price point—sometimes meaning compromises on quality.

That’s why we usually recommend going for a smaller Brinsea over a bigger, no-name cheap one. Smaller and better-built usually means better control over temperature and humidity, which makes a huge difference when you’re trying to hatch chicks.

Incubating Should Be For Everyone

You don’t need to spend a fortune to get started! If you already have a cheaper incubator, don’t worry—lots of folks have successful hatches with basic setups. The main thing is to keep the incubator somewhere with a steady temperature (no draughts or direct sun) and not open it too often.

Speaking of opening it… if you have little ones around, you’ll know the temptation to peek inside is real! But every time you open the incubator, you risk messing with the temperature and humidity inside, which can affect your eggs. If you want to keep an eye on conditions without opening the lid, a cheap Bluetooth humidity sensor from Amazon (around £10) is a handy little gadget.

A Little Tip for Hatching Time

Toward the end of incubation, sometimes the eggs get a bit sticky inside, making it harder for chicks to hatch - particularly common in cheaper machines with poorer humidity control. Spraying a little water inside the incubator can help with humidity and make things easier for your new arrivals, though this isn't normally required in good quality machines with effective humidity controls.

Ready to Hatch?

We’re excited to help you get started—whether you’re using a top-notch Brinsea or making the most of what you’ve got, incubating is such a fun and rewarding hobby. And if you need eggs to start your hatch, check out our range here at Hackness Hatchery.

Happy hatching!