The 21 Day Countdown

Brinsea Octogon 20 EX package

I like the idea of sustainable resources.  The more I think about it, the more I like the idea that with a little investment and some time you can get a continual return on something.  ( After having four kids I would really like to use them as an analogy for sustainable sarcasm, but I figure that is mostly genetic and  this is a blog about chickens!)    So, it was only natural, as my ideas evolved, I would start searching for the perfect incubator!    Here is my dream incubator, the Brinsea octagon 20 EX.  It is completely digital, completely automatic, completely out of my price range even on sale at $399.    Brinsea makes some awesome incubators and always get rave reviews, and they do have less expensive models.  I just figure I would share the one   I would buy if I had  unlimited funds.  You can check out more information on their incubators here -  Brinsea

Even after checking out the classifieds a used incubator was hard to find and the prices ran from $50 to $120.   After a couple months of searching I found one for $10 !!  Once I got home, I washed it with soap and water and plugged it in to test it out.  It took a few days of playing with it to get it stay at 100 degrees, but once it was set I couldn't wait to start collecting eggs to put in it.   Having gathered some eggs from our Rhode island reds and a few from the mille fleur d'uccles,
I grabbed a color pencil and put X's on one side and O's on the other so I could keep track while turning them 3 times a day for the next 21 days.   I was so excited to put them in the incubator I dropped one, breaking it and cracking another!  GAAHHH!!!     I did eventually get 12 eggs safely inside, resting at a warm tropical 100 degrees.   After getting everything done I sat down and pulled out my calendar to calculate when they should begin to hatch.  Funny, the date is July 4th- Independence Day .   I'll take pictures and keep you updated as the hatch progresses!