How to Set Up the HovaBator Genesis 2370 Step by Step

If you just unboxed a Hova-Bator 2370 Circulated Air Incubator with Electronic Thermostat, the good news is that this is one of the simplest incubators to get running correctly. The bad news is that "simple" doesn't mean "foolproof." Most failed hatches with this unit trace back to a handful of setup mistakes made in the first 30 minutes, not to bad eggs or bad luck.

This guide walks through the full HovaBator Genesis 2370 setup process from unboxing to lockdown, using the same sequence we walk customers through when they call our support line. By the end, you'll know exactly where to place it, how to fill the water troughs, what temperature to set, and how to avoid the humidity swings that trip up most first-time users.

Quick answer: Place the HovaBator Genesis 2370 in a draft-free room between 70°F and 80°F, assemble the plastic liner and floor, fill the humidity trough with cool tap water, set the electronic thermostat to 99.5°F, and let it run for 24 hours before adding eggs. Keep humidity between 45% and 55% during incubation, then raise it to 55%-65% for the final three days before hatch.

Table of Contents

• What's Included With the HovaBator Genesis 2370
• What You'll Need Before You Start
• Step 1: Pick the Right Location
• Step 2: Assemble the Incubator
• Step 3: Set Up the Humidity Troughs
• Step 4: Install the Automatic Egg Turner
• Step 5: Power On and Set the Thermostat
• Step 6: Run a 24-Hour Test Before Adding Eggs
• Step 7: Load Your Eggs
• Step 8: Monitor Daily
• Step 9: Prepare for Lockdown
• Setup Reference Table by Species
• Common Setup Mistakes to Avoid
• After the Hatch
• FAQ

What's Included With the HovaBator Genesis 2370

The base unit ships ready for the essentials, but a few pieces that most hatchers consider mandatory are sold as add-ons. Here's what's actually in the box:

If you'd rather not track down each accessory individually, the HovaBator 2370 combo kits bundle the incubator with the turner, candler, hygrometer, and hatch guidebook at a lower combined price than buying them one at a time. It's worth a look before you start ordering accessories piecemeal.

What You'll Need Before You Start

Beyond what's in the box, gather these before you begin the HovaBator Genesis incubator setup:

• An automatic egg turner. Manual turning works, but it means turning eggs by hand three to five times a day without fail for nearly three weeks. Most hatchers who try it once switch to an automatic egg turner for the next hatch.
• An independent thermometer and hygrometer. The built-in digital display is accurate for temperature, but it does not measure humidity. A separate gauge like the IncuTherm Plus gives you a real humidity reading instead of a guess.
• An egg candler, so you can check fertility and embryo development around day 7 and again before lockdown.
• A level, stable surface in a room that stays within a fairly narrow temperature range.
• Cool tap water for the humidity troughs.

Step 1: Pick the Right Location

Location matters more than most people expect. The HovaBator 2370 is designed to bring room temperature up to incubation temperature, not to fight against a cold or fluctuating room. A room temperature between 70°F and 80°F is ideal. If the room regularly drops into the 60s, the incubator has to work harder to maintain internal temperature, and swings of 10°F or more in room temperature will show up as swings inside the unit.

Keep it away from:

• Direct sunlight, which can overheat the incubator even with the thermostat working correctly
• Drafts from windows, doors, air vents, or fans
• Surfaces that aren't level, since uneven placement can affect water distribution in the troughs

A basement or interior room with stable temperature usually works better than a garage, sunroom, or anywhere near an exterior wall.

Step 2: Assemble the Incubator

Separate the top half of the incubator (which houses the heating element, fan, and thermostat) from the bottom half. Lay the plastic liner flat inside the bottom, then place the incubator floor on top of the liner, lining it up with the water trough openings and the notch meant for the turner's power cord.

Take a moment to check that the fan, heating element, and thermostat sensor in the top half look properly seated. This is also a good time to wipe down the plastic liner if there's any manufacturing residue.

Step 3: Set Up the Humidity Troughs

This step is where most humidity problems start, so it's worth doing carefully. The floor has multiple small built-in reservoirs. In most climates, filling the first trough (usually marked or positioned closest to the center) is enough to hold 45%-55% humidity.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Surface area determines humidity, not depth: Adding more water to a full trough doesn't raise humidity further. Adding water to a second, wider trough does.
• Use cool tap water, not warm or distilled.
• Avoid spilling water outside the trough: Water on the incubator floor throws off your humidity reading and can affect the eggs directly beneath it.
• If your home humidity runs low and readings still won't climb, a clean damp sponge placed in the incubator adds surface area without needing a wider trough.
• If humidity runs too high, reduce the exposed surface area of the water, for example by adding a small piece of clean styrofoam to the trough to partially cover it.

Step 4: Install the Automatic Egg Turner

If you're using an automatic turner, place it on the incubator floor now, before you power on the unit. Position it so the power cord exits cleanly through the notch in the corner, which keeps the lid seated properly and prevents air leaks. Most turners in this system are designed so you can still top off water through a gap without removing the turner, which is worth confirming before you load eggs.

Leave the turner running throughout incubation. You'll remove it only when you reach lockdown, covered in Step 9.

Step 5: Power On and Set the Thermostat

Plug in the incubator and let the digital display power up. The HovaBator 2370's electronic thermostat lets you toggle between Fahrenheit and Celsius, so set your preferred unit first.

For chicken eggs, the standard forced-air (circulated air) setting is 99.5°F. Since this model uses circulated air rather than relying on natural convection, 99.5°F is correct across the incubator rather than varying by shelf position the way it might in a still-air unit.

If you're incubating a different species, see the reference table further down for the correct target temperature.

Step 6: Run a 24-Hour Test Before Adding Eggs

Don't load eggs the moment the display hits your target temperature. Let the incubator run empty for at least 12 to 24 hours first. This gives the thermostat time to stabilize, lets you confirm the temperature is holding steady rather than drifting, and gives you a chance to catch a defective unit before it's carrying a batch of eggs.

Use this window to check your independent hygrometer against the humidity range you're aiming for, and make any final trough adjustments.

Step 7: Load Your Eggs

Bring your eggs to room temperature (roughly 70°F to 75°F) before loading them; going straight from a cold fridge or basement into a hot incubator causes condensation on the shell. Place eggs on their side in the turner tray, or directly on the wire floor if you're turning by hand.

Approximate capacity for the HovaBator 2370 without a turner installed:

With the automatic turner's universal tray installed, capacity shifts slightly (commonly cited around 42 chicken, 70 quail, or 28 goose eggs), since the tray itself takes up floor space.

Step 8: Monitor Daily

Check the temperature and humidity once a day, preferably at the same time. Avoid opening the lid unless necessary, as each opening causes temperature and humidity to drop.

Candle your eggs around day 7 and again on day 14 to check development. A quality egg candler makes this much easier, especially with dark-shelled eggs. For hands-free monitoring, a remote probe monitor like the IncuTherm Plus Hatch Monitor lets you check temperature and humidity without opening the incubator.

Step 9: Prepare for Lockdown

Three days before the expected hatch date (day 18 for chicken eggs, which have a 21-day incubation period), it's time for lockdown:

1. Remove the automatic egg turner and unplug it.
2. Lay the eggs on their side directly on the incubator floor in their natural, unsupported position.
3. Raise humidity to 55%-65% by adding water to additional troughs or a sponge.
4. Stop turning eggs entirely from this point forward.
5. Resist opening the lid except when absolutely necessary. Every opening drops humidity right when the chicks need it most for a successful pip.

Setup Reference Table by Species

If you're planning to hatch quail specifically, our full guide to incubating quail eggs goes deeper into turner selection and the tighter humidity tolerances quail eggs need.

Common Setup Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping the test run: Loading eggs before confirming the thermostat has stabilized is the single most common reason for a rough start.
• Filling every trough at once: More water isn't automatically better. Overfilling pushes humidity too high too early, which is just as damaging as running it too low.
• Placing the incubator near a window or vent: Even a stable thermostat struggles against a consistent draft or direct sun exposure.
• Opening the lid too often: Checking on eggs constantly feels reassuring, but it's one of the more common causes of inconsistent humidity readings, especially in the days leading up to lockdown.
• Forgetting to remove the turner at lockdown: Eggs need to lie flat and still for the final stretch. A turner still running during lockdown can interfere with hatching chicks.
• Not having a backup hygrometer: The 2370's digital display handles temperature well, but it does not read humidity, so skipping an independent gauge means incubating blind on one of the two most important variables.

After the Hatch

Once chicks start pipping, resist the urge to help unless a chick is clearly stuck and struggling well past a normal hatch window. Leave hatched chicks in the incubator until they're dry and fluffy, typically 12 to 24 hours, before moving them to a brooder.

Have your brooder, feeder, and waterer ready before hatch day arrives rather than scrambling afterward. Our after-hatch supplies collection covers brooders, feeders, and waterers sized for exactly this stage, so chicks move straight from incubator to a warm, ready setup.

FAQs (People Also Ask)

Q: What temperature should the HovaBator Genesis 2370 be set to for chicken eggs?

Ans: Set the electronic thermostat to 99.5°F, since the 2370 uses circulated (forced) air, which requires a slightly lower target than a still-air incubator.

Q: Does the HovaBator 2370 include a hygrometer?

Ans: No. The unit measures and displays temperature, but humidity has to be tracked with a separate hygrometer, which is sold separately or included in the combo kits.

Q: How long should I run the incubator before adding eggs?

Ans: Run it empty for 12 to 24 hours to confirm the temperature has stabilized before loading any eggs.

Q: Do I need an automatic egg turner for the HovaBator 2370?

Ans: Not strictly, but eggs need to be turned three to five times a day by hand if you skip it. Most hatchers find the automatic turner worth the cost simply for consistency, since missed manual turns are a common cause of poor hatch rates.

Q: Why does my humidity keep swinging even after I set up the troughs correctly?

Ans: The most frequent cause is opening the lid too often to check on eggs. Each opening drops both temperature and humidity, and recovery time adds up over dozens of checks during a three-week incubation period. A dedicated incubator accessories monitor with a remote probe lets you check readings without lifting the lid.

Q: Can I use the HovaBator 2370 for reptile eggs?

Ans: Yes. The unit includes an optional fan shut-off, which lets you run it as a still-air incubator for reptile and amphibian eggs that generally do better without circulated air.

Complete Your Hatch!

The HovaBator Genesis 2370 setup process isn't complicated, but it rewards patience in the first day more than almost any other incubator on the market. Get the location right, get the humidity troughs right, and run a proper test before eggs go in, and the rest of the incubation period tends to take care of itself. If you're still deciding between models or accessories, the HovaBator 2370 combo kits are the fastest way to get everything you need for a first hatch in a single order.

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