Hatching your own chicks is a rewarding project for a family or a small flock, but eggs need steady warmth and regular turning day after day, which is hard to manage by hand. A small incubator takes care of the heat and the turning so you can concentrate on checking progress.

This round incubator holds up to 30 chicken eggs, or around 60 quail eggs, on a turning tray under a clear lid, so you can watch without lifting it. The tray turns the eggs every 2 hours, a built-in fan moves warm air around, and a silicone heating wire holds the temperature you set, anywhere from 20 to 50°C, shown on an LED display. A built-in candler lets you check development, and an external water injector lets you top up the water without opening the lid.

• Holds up to 30 chicken eggs; the number varies with egg size
• Automatic turning every 2 hours
• Temperature range 20 to 50°C with LED readout
• Built-in candler and external water injector
• 40 x 40 x 10.6cm, UK plug, up to 50W
• PET and ABS body

Worth knowing: an incubator does the heating and turning, but it still needs you. Check the reading every day against a separate thermometer, keep an eye on humidity and the water level, keep it level and away from draughts and sunshine, and open the lid as little as possible. Hatch rates depend on the eggs as much as the machine.