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I bought an incubator off ebay, tested it and it seemed to work, ordered eggs, bought eggs off maket and all sorts.

The end result is 70 banty eggs sat in my living room urgently needing to go in the incubator.

Incubator won't work, first the element went, then the thermostat went, then i got a thermostat kit, that wont work.

I've run out of money as i spent it all on this stupid incubator taht wornt work and on eggs... a new thermostat and element from manufacturer is going to cost £50 which i cant afford.

I jsut feel like crying!

shame that olive ,try the natural way next year ,i refuse to have anything to do with gadgets .i raise all my chicks using buff orpington bantys now, used to use any old chicken  but buffs are devoted moms .better luck next time .good idea is not to buy anything electrical from ebay as you wouldnt a car boot sale

Yes i learnt my lesson - I have a silkie who is a brilliant mum -shes only a year old and is just about to raise her 2nd clutch... due today so i can collect her and her new babies tomorrow!  I'm hoping she will be my broody for next year - concentrating on silkies and bantam orpingtons!

why not keep some of the hens from this clutch and use them as broodies as well next year .incidentally , i have had 19 eggs under a banty and she brought the lot off bar 2 if memory serves  ,i always keep stock back for my own use  if i have a surplus of pullets they soon go either for eggs or brooding

I have 2 black silkies and a gold silkie - none of these have gone broody - though i have only had them a few weeks... my hybrids refuse to go broody LOL... but this partridge silkie i have acquired is a great broody - just 2 pure silkies in the clutch, a x silkie and 7 bantam barred plymouth rocks... the rocks will be going to market or are for sale! LOL Lovely birds but nto what i want!

you could do no wrong in getting a couple of buff orpingtons , or getting some eggs for hatching under a silkie depending on where you are i can supply both very cheaply i am in lowestoft area

It's awful when things go  pearshape. My hubbie said when he were a lad they used to use light bulbs in a sort of box. Wish I could help.

Guys this is an old thread that i think has come up due to the hacking problems... the thread was changed and i managed to hatch 3 eggs out of 76 - a white silkie, black bantam orp and a black pekin... they are almost 9 weeks old now and little buggers!

i've just realised that the old thread has gone because i changed it and the whole story for 3 weeks was logged.  In the end i put the incubator in the airing cupboard and controlled the temp with a lamp underneath and the hot water system LOL

So no need for anymore comments :)