What is the Best Chicken Egg Incubator in 2025? My Honest Review

So you’ve decided to venture into the exciting world of hatching your own chickens? Awesome! But now comes the tricky part – choosing the best chicken egg incubator from the hundreds of options available I’ve been hatching chicks since 2014 and have tested a bunch of different incubators along the way Today, I’m gonna share my successes (and yes, my embarrassing failures too) to help you pick the perfect incubator for your needs.

Remember, when it comes to incubators, you really do get what you pay for. But don’t worry! That doesn’t mean you need to drop $3,000 on a professional-grade machine. We’ll find something that fits your budget and hatching goals.

Key Features to Look for in an Egg Incubator

Before diving into specific models let’s talk about what makes a good incubator

Airflow Type

There are two main types

• Still Air Incubator: The basic, cheaper option that relies on gravity to circulate air. Often creates hot and cold spots, resulting in inconsistent hatching.
• Forced Air Incubator: Has a built-in fan to distribute warm air evenly. Worth every penny in my opinion!

Temperature Control

This is absolutely critical! Just a 1-degree difference can seriously impact your hatch:

• If it runs 1 degree too high: Early hatches with chicks prone to splayed legs
• If it runs 1 degree too low: Late hatches with chicks having crooked toes and thin legs

Look for incubators with automated temperature control that adjusts throughout the day.

Humidity Control

Humidity is one of the hardest things to get right. Many cheap incubators require you to manually add water to channels in the bottom, which is:

1. Easy to forget
2. Makes travel impossible
3. Hard to adjust precisely

If you can afford it, get an incubator with automatic humidity control. I’ve gone on international vacations while my automatic incubators were running and didn’t stress one bit!

Egg Turner

In nature, a broody hen turns her eggs throughout the day. Your incubator needs to mimic this process. Chicken eggs need to be rotated from side to side at least 3 times daily for the first 18 days of incubation.

Automatic egg turners save you from having to open the incubator multiple times a day (which causes temperature fluctuations).

Capacity

Think about how many chicks you want:

• Small flock (city dwellers): Go for a small incubator. Remember that roughly 50% will be roosters, and hatch rates are typically 50-80%. If you want 5 hens, plan to incubate about 20 eggs.
• Rural/hobby business: Go bigger! I started with a 28-egg incubator and quickly outgrew it.

Other Important Features

• Easy cleaning – Hatching is messy!
• Viewing window – Not necessary but makes hatching so much more fun
• Digital display – For quick monitoring of conditions
• Alarms – To alert you when temperatures go outside safe ranges

The 8 Best Chicken Egg Incubators of 2025

Here are my top picks after years of hatching:

Best Small Incubators

1. Brinsea Mini II EX (Best Small Incubator)

Rating: 5/5

Brinsea is my absolute favorite brand of incubator. This model holds 7 eggs and has fully automatic humidity control. While it’s pricier, it’s totally worth it for the peace of mind. I’ve gone on vacation with mine running and didn’t stress at all!

Pros:

• Forced air circulation
• Digital thermostat
• Automatic humidity control
• Automatic egg turner
• Easy viewing window
• 3-year warranty

2. Brinsea Mini II Advance

Rating: 4.5/5

A more affordable option from Brinsea, with the main difference being manual humidity control instead of automatic. Still has great temperature control, egg turner, and viewing window.

3. KEBONNIXS 12 Egg Incubator (Budget Small Incubator)

Rating: 4/5

This one holds 12 eggs (convenient since fertile eggs are often sold by the dozen). It has digital display, but I recommend verifying accuracy with additional thermometers and hygrometers.

Tip: The floor is slick and can cause chicks to slip and injure their legs, so add some traction material to the bottom.

Best Medium Incubators

4. Brinsea Ovation 28 EX (Best Medium Incubator)

Rating: 5/5

This is my absolute favorite incubator, hands down! I’ve been thinking about buying a second one just cuz I love it so much. It’s fully automatic – a true “set it and forget it” machine.

Pros:

• Holds 28 eggs
• Fully automatic temperature and humidity
• Excellent accuracy and precision
• Easy to clean
• Big viewing window

Tip: Don’t waste money on fancy replacement humidity sponges – I just cut up basic $2 kitchen sponges and they work great!

5. Manna Pro Nurture Right 360 Incubator

Rating: 4/5

One of the most popular incubators on the market, holding 22 eggs. It’s fully automatic except for humidity control. Has a nice 21-day countdown feature and automatically stops turning eggs 3 days before hatch.

6. Chickcozy Incubator (Budget Medium Incubator)

Rating: 4.5/5

This is the newest addition to my collection, and I’m really impressed so far! Despite being one of the more affordable options, I got an 82% hatch rate (9 out of 11 eggs hatched). Temperature and humidity readings were spot-on when I cross-checked.

Pros:

• External water tray (no need to open the lid)
• Holder for external thermometer
• Very quiet operation
• Large viewing window
• Non-stick mat at bottom for chick safety
• Easy cleanup

Best Large Incubators

7. Brinsea Ovation 56 EX (Best Large Incubator)

Rating: 5/5

The big brother to my favorite incubator, this model holds 56 eggs. It’s fully automatic with the same great features as the 28 EX.

8. HovaBator Genesis 1588 (Budget Large Incubator)

Rating: 3.5/5

I have a love-hate relationship with this classic foam incubator. It can be finicky and definitely requires multiple thermometers and hygrometers to verify conditions, but it’s an inexpensive way to hatch a lot of eggs.

Warning: While there are cheaper foam incubators at places like Tractor Supply, most of them are junk. Trust me, I know it’s tempting, but there’s nothing more heartbreaking than losing an entire hatch because of a bad incubator.

Comparison Table of Top Incubators

Common Problems with Egg Incubators

Even the best incubators can have issues. Here are some common problems to watch for:

Temperature Malfunctions

This is one of the most common issues. Both too hot and too cold are bad for developing eggs. Always monitor with an external thermometer that has an alert feature.

Humidity Malfunctions

The humidifier can run dry or not work properly. Use a hygrometer to monitor humidity levels.

Power Failures

A power outage will cause temperature and humidity problems. Consider having a backup power source for your incubator.

Tips for Successful Incubation

1. Test run first: When your incubator arrives, run it empty for at least 24 hours to make sure everything is working properly.

2. Verify accuracy: Always double-check temperatures and humidity with additional thermometers and hygrometers. I recommend using at least two of each and taking the average.

3. For forced-air incubators: Set temperature to 99.5°F

4. For still-air incubators: Set temperature to 102°F

5. Humidity levels: 40-50% for days 1-18, then increase to 65-75% for days 18-21

6. Don’t open during hatching: Resist the urge to help struggling chicks! Opening the incubator during hatching can harm other eggs by dropping humidity dramatically.

My Personal Recommendation

If I had to recommend just one incubator, it would be the Brinsea Ovation 28 EX. It’s not the cheapest option, but the reliability, precision, and peace of mind it offers are worth every penny. I’ve had perfect hatches every time with this machine.

For those on a tighter budget, the Chickcozy incubator has really impressed me with its performance at a much lower price point.

Final Thoughts

Hatching your own chicks is an incredibly rewarding experience. There’s nothing quite like watching those little fluffballs emerge from their shells after 21 days of careful incubation.

Remember, no matter which incubator you choose, the most important factors are consistent temperature and humidity. Monitor these closely, and you’ll be well on your way to a successful hatch!

Have you tried any of these incubators? What’s been your experience? I’d love to hear about your hatching adventures in the comments below!

Happy hatching, everyone!

Overview of the 8 Best Egg Incubators