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Is the hovabator a good incubator for incubating duck eggs?

I want to incubate some duck eggs but I don't know what incubator to buy. I heard the hovabator was excellent, is that true?

Public Comments

1. I never did have good luck with a hovabator. You have to take the whole top off to turn the eggs. If you even bump the thing the temperature may have to be reset. Check out backyard chickens. These people can help you out.
2. I wouldn't say it was excellent. It is adequate. It is hard to keep the humidity up for the duck eggs. The temperature is only as steady as the room it is in. Most of the time they have them on Egg-bid for auction. A self turner is important for duck eggs. IMHO It is good to have a really nice incubator and then get a cheaper model to use as the hatcher/brooder. I hatched chickens, geese, turkeys and several kinds of ducks. In the Styrofoam hoverbator. I probably hatched about 65% of the eggs that were put in there. I had problems with the temperature wanting to float up and down. That makes the babies hatch out early or late. That isn't good. If they are early they have major problems and when the temps are a degree or two cool then they hatch slow and have major internal problems. That is why it is so important to have the correct humidity and temps in a incubator. The temps and humidity changes on duck and goose eggs as the weeks advance. I remember my grandma going to the barn with a bucket of warm water. She would go to the ducks nest and dip all the eggs in the water for a couple seconds. I was real young and don't remember if it was toward hatching time or when it was. I would guess toward the hatching date. I just leave mine alone. I have for years now went natural. I let the birds hatch their own out. I know some ducks won't get broody and you either have to have a incubator or some Muscovy ducks.