What is a 'fully automatic' incubator?

Fully automatic incubators feature fully automated egg turning. Once the machine is set-up, egg turning is achieved automatically via a cradle to rock the incubator, or a moving floor. Some fully automatic incubators, such as the Hova-Bator Automatic Incubator (pictured above) include a motorised egg tray which slowly tips the eggs from side to side.

Common misconceptions

The term 'automatic' is often misinterpreted by new incubator users as meaning full temperature control. To clarify this point it is important to note that all incubators (manual, semi-automatic and fully-automatic) will control temperature automatically. Without this basic function, a machine would cease to become an 'incubator' and would simply be a warm box. In all incubators, temperature is automatically controlled via a digital thermostat, or an analog thermostat. In both cases, the thermostat with fluctuate between its ‘high tolerance’ and ‘low tolerance’. The thermostat will click-on and click-off periodically in order to maintain an average temperature throughout incubation (the process is very similar to how an electric oven works, just at much lower temperatures).

When you first introduce the eggs into the incubator, the temperature will drop as the cooler eggs take a little while to warm up. Once the eggs reach temperature, they will maintain their core heat allowing the incubator to warm up and cool down as necessary, all controlled from the thermostat. This process is the same for all incubators; regardless and completely independent of their egg-turning ability.