Why do people use incubators...

[marytoast]

It's just soooo much fun!

 

[MissPrissy]

Show me a hen that can sit on the 84 eggs in my incubator and I'll let her hatch them for me.

 

[walkswithdog]

All those reasons and turkeys often crush eggs, bad outcome when I want more turkeys.

All those reasons and it's insanely gratifying to build my own bator.

I can get GREAT bloodlines without having to buy birds I don't have space for.

And I have yet to have bird go broody on command either. You there - sit and hatch eggs," just does NOT work. The little pin brain just cocks her head at you and clucks.... corrrrrrrrnnnnnnn.

I'm getting silkies in the hopes of having a greater likelihood of having a broody when I want one but I have a bator, because I can set when I want to set. That and they're evilsoulstealers and I can't help it."

You have to FEED more birds if you rely solely on broodies to rear your hatches. That's economically inefficient when you are improving a flock.

In the end it depends on your goals mostly. A simply home grown egg laying flock for your own use, doesn't actually require one unless your breed refuses to go broody.

The other thing is that whole ADDICTIVE nature of hatching. Which we aren't actually admitting. Are we?

 

[horsejody]

I incubate mine so that I can vaccinate them before they are exposed to Marek's disease. Also, I like to be able to control the timing.

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
That's IT !!!!
we are control freaks !

 

[Guinea Goonie]

I use an incubator for a lot of reasons.
The best one I can think of is that the babies will not
get out of the nests and get pecked on by the other
chickens in the barn.

BTW: this is my 1000th post !!!!!