If you’ve been playing Stardew Valley for a while, you’ve likely been charmed by the game’s immersive world and engaging mechanics. One of the most rewarding aspects of the game is raising animals on your farm. Enter the incubator, a vital tool for hatching eggs and expanding your flock. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the world of incubators in Stardew Valley, discussing how to get one, different types, and how to use them. We’ll also explore the Coopmaster Perk and how it can benefit your farm.
The Basics: How to Get an Incubator in Stardew Valley
First things first, let’s tackle the question on everyone’s mind: how do you get an incubator in Stardew Valley? The answer is simple—by building a coop. Coops are essential structures for housing your chickens, ducks, and other feathered friends. Once you’ve constructed a coop, you’ll find an incubator already installed inside. To build a coop, follow these steps:
- Gather resources: You’ll need 300 wood, 100 stone, and 4,000 gold.
- Visit Robin: Head to the Carpenter’s Shop in the northeast corner of the map.
- Select “Build” from Robin’s menu and choose the coop.
- Choose a location on your farm for the coop and confirm your selection.
After a few days, Robin will finish constructing your coop, and you’ll find an incubator inside, ready for use.
Different Types of Incubators
In Stardew Valley, there are two main types of incubators:
- Standard Incubator: This is the incubator that comes with your coop. It can hatch chicken, duck, and dinosaur eggs.
- Big Coop Incubator: When you upgrade your coop to a Big Coop, you’ll receive an upgraded incubator that can also hatch void chicken and blue chicken eggs, in addition to the other types.
It’s essential to know which type of incubator you have, as this will determine the types of eggs you can hatch.
How to Use the Incubator
Now that you have your incubator, it’s time to learn how to use it. Hatching eggs in an incubator is a straightforward process:
- Collect an egg: Pick up an egg from your coop, or find one elsewhere in the game world.
- Place the egg in the incubator: Simply interact with the incubator and place the egg inside.
- Wait: The incubation process will take a varying number of days, depending on the type of egg.
- Chicken eggs: 4 days
- Duck eggs: 6 days
- Dinosaur eggs: 12 days
- Void chicken eggs (Big Coop Inc
- ubator only): 7 days
- Blue chicken eggs (Big Coop Incubator only): 4 days
- Welcome your new animal: After the incubation period, a new animal will hatch from the egg. Be sure to have enough space in your coop to accommodate the new addition.
Tips for Using Incubators Effectively
To get the most out of your incubator, consider these tips:
- Keep track of the incubation periods to plan your farm activities accordingly.
- Always ensure there is enough space in the coop for new animals.
- Hatch higher-quality eggs to increase the chance of getting animals with better stats.
The Coopmaster Perk
In Stardew Valley, your character can gain various perks by leveling up their skills. One such perk, the Coopmaster, is particularly helpful when using incubators. The Coopmaster Perk is available when you reach Farming level 10, and it offers the following benefits:
- Incubation time is reduced by 50%: This means your eggs will hatch much faster, allowing you to grow your flock more quickly.
- Befriending coop animals is twice as fast: This helps you increase their happiness and productivity more efficiently.
- You can sell coop animals for 20% more: With this perk, your animals become a more valuable source of income when you decide to sell them.
To choose the Coopmaster Perk, you
must first reach Farming level 10. When you level up, you’ll be given a choice between two perks: Coopmaster and Shepherd. To select the Coopmaster Perk, simply click on it when presented with the choice. Keep in mind that the decision is permanent, so consider your farm’s focus before making your selection.
Optimizing Your Farm with the Coopmaster Perk
Having the Coopmaster Perk on your farm can provide significant advantages, especially if you’re focusing on raising animals. Here are some tips for optimizing your farm with the Coopmaster Perk:
- Upgrade your coop to a Big Coop or Deluxe Coop for more incubators and space.
- Hatch a variety of egg types to diversify your flock and increase the range of products you can produce.
- Focus on animal care and happiness to boost productivity and the quality of the products they produce.
- Consider using the incubator for rare or valuable eggs, such as dinosaur or blue chicken eggs, to take advantage of the reduced incubation time.
Conclusion
In conclusion, getting an incubator in Stardew Valley is an essential step for any aspiring farmer who wants to raise a thriving flock of animals. By building a coop, you’ll gain access to an incubator that allows you to hatch various types of eggs. Upgrading your coop to a Big Coop will enable you to hatch even more!