Suggestions and Advice Needed

So I'm still a bit new to this chicken thing, and I know it's late in the season, but my "breeding flock" if you will, is getting to the end of their useful life. I had a broody hen, but she got "fired" for squishing chicks.
I've had a read through some of the other threads, and there's lots of good info there on protocol for hatching conditions, etc. I'm looking for suggestions on small-ish affordable incubators, and methods.

• Turner or no turner? My work hours mean that I'm away from home for 14 hours at least 4 days in a row.
  
• Is it better to put them all in at the same time? I'm only getting 2-3 egges a day from 6 hens.
  
• How do you store the eggs before you put them in the incubator?
  
• Suggested brands?
  
• Brands to stay away from?

Thanks in advance   

How much money do you have to spend on a incubator?

Raven Crest wrote:So I'm still a bit new to this chicken thing, and I know it's late in the season, but my "breeding flock" if you will, is getting to the end of their useful life. I had a broody hen, but she got "fired" for squishing chicks.
I've had a read through some of the other threads, and there's lots of good info there on protocol for hatching conditions, etc. I'm looking for suggestions on small-ish affordable incubators, and methods.

• Turner or no turner? My work hours mean that I'm away from home for 14 hours at least 4 days in a row.
  
• Is it better to put them all in at the same time? I'm only getting 2-3 egges a day from 6 hens.
  
• How do you store the eggs before you put them in the incubator?
  
• Suggested brands?
  
• Brands to stay away from?
  

Thanks in advance   

Yes to the Turner.
No, collect your egg for a week or two.
Store them with the pointy end down in a egg carton. Try to find a cool place in the basement, garage or shed.
How many times a year are you going to use it and how much money do you have to spend?

Look at these.
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Here is an affordable automatic incubator with turner.
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Brinsea. Auto turner. Automatic controls for sure.

I have hatched eggs that are a month old.

I would stay away from amy of the cheap ebay incubators and I would avoid hovabators and similar types if you have the budget for something better.

How many eggs would you like to hatch at one time?
I like to use one for incubating only and have another one for hatching.

Here is another web site to look at.
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I do have a bit of a small budget at the moment, I want to try and hatch as many as I can before my hens stop laying and go in the soup pot. Unfortunately many of the chicks I bought in June are roos, and I would like to expand my flock. I was looking at a Little Giant styrofoam on online from a company I get a lot of my horse supplies from. It seems like most of the ones in my price range have capacity for either 6 or 40-something.

The Little Giant ones fall into the same category as Hovabators. The styrofoam is difficult to clean properly, so you will likely experience increasingly poor hatches as the bacteria builds up and starts killing off more eggs every go. And if you have children (or cats), they will do evil stuff and tear the styrofoam up.

I would save the money up and get something better. You will eventually want to upgrade anyway, so might as well start off with the best you can afford.

You can watch the Brinsea website for scratch-and-dent sales. I snagged two Octagon Eco 20s for friends this spring for about $125 each. Cheaper than a hovabator, and 10x better.

I started with an Octagon 40, used it for two seasons, and bought a Brinsea 190 for next year. Going to use the 40 as a hatcher.

If you store eggs for any length of time to hatch, you need to move them a bit. If they are in egg cartons, tip them to one side and then the other each day.

Sorry that I am coming into this post so late.  Is there anyone in your area who could do a custom hatch for you?  I know that sometimes people who have a good incubator will hatch out eggs for a person who does not own one.  Fuzzy Little Friend has done that for us.  It's awesome!  I take out eggs and 3 weeks later bring home chicks.  Perhaps something like this will allow you to build your flock without putting too much pressure on the budget. Is there an advantage to using different ones to incubate and hatch? Would really like to know more about it!