Egg incubator - to buy or to make?

[Amanda]

Just that really. I have all hens, so I plan to buy some fertilized eggs down at the ag store. I thought about placing the eggs in the nest boxes to see if the girls would hatch them, but that seems too iffy. I reckon I ought to get an egg incubator instead. They seem pricey, which led me to look up DIY instructions. I found a ton of DIY models, but I wonder if they really get the job done. Do you think it's better to buy a commercial model or is it really possible to make one at home? Got any suggestions for either type?

 

[Smarty Plants]

I've seen a few homemade versions and while they are cheaper than commercial models, the hatch rate tends to be dramatically lower. They often get dirty more easily and have to be remade for each cycle too. I'm not saying that it's a bad idea by any means though. I have friends who are quite happy making their own. If you choose to buy one instead, check out the Hova-Bator egg incubator. It'll run you less than $200 and takes a lot of the guess work out of the incubation process.