DIY Incubator - did i do this right?

[HeritageFan]

I have not tried to build my own ‘bator, but the ones that I do have (have purchased) are forced air.
They have a small fan in a cage that allows some space between the top of the bator and the downward facing fan.

One small hole above the fan
(1/4- 3/8”?) for air draw, and several much smaller holes around the base at the outside corners, above the “trays”.

The forced (downward) heat/ air help minimize hot/ cool spots, and also help bring conditions back to normal as quickly as possible when you need to open it.

Sponge pieces can also be added if you are finding you are struggling to keep humidity up- or need to raise it for lockdown. Please make sure you grab an external hygrometer- you look like you are potentially covered with thermometers (although I agree- you need to get them to egg level and not vertical on the back).

Im sorry I don’t have a better pic of the fan/ housing.... but it is in the frame here for my lockdown bator.

....I am a total DIY junkie.... but. I will just throw out the question....
Between time and materials invested.... can you return the fan and just buy a simple bator from Amazon/ tractor supply/ Incubator Warehouse - and have the auto turners, heat and fans set up, add your thermometers, hygrometer.... and be ready to get those babies coming faster and with less stress / not much more $ out laid?

 

[Squeeing_Onion]

I have not tried to build my own ‘bator, but the ones that I do have (have purchased) are forced air.
They have a small fan in a cage that allows some space between the top of the bator and the downward facing fan.

One small hole above the fan
(1/4- 3/8”?) for air draw, and several much smaller holes around the base at the outside corners, above the “trays”.

The forced (downward) heat/ air help minimize hot/ cool spots, and also help bring conditions back to normal as quickly as possible when you need to open it.

Sponge pieces can also be added if you are finding you are struggling to keep humidity up- or need to raise it for lockdown. Please make sure you grab an external hygrometer- you look like you are potentially covered with thermometers (although I agree- you need to get them to egg level and not vertical on the back).

Im sorry I don’t have a better pic of the fan/ housing.... but it is in the frame here for my lockdown bator.

....I am a total DIY junkie.... but. I will just throw out the question....
Between time and materials invested.... can you return the fan and just buy a simple bator from Amazon/ tractor supply/ Incubator Warehouse - and have the auto turners, heat and fans set up, add your thermometers, hygrometer.... and be ready to get those babies coming faster and with less stress / not much more $ out laid?

Thank you so much for explaining the fan! I will play with that, that makes a lot of sense and solves one of my dilemmas with the air circulation pattern.



I probably could return it, but it'd be a huge hassle, cost way more, and i wasn't impressed by the incubators i found in my price range. I'm also leaving WAY more about the incubation prices by building this myself and asking questions. I like the project, and I'm in no rush, so time isn't a concern.

If i buy an incubator, I'd like to get one of the really nice, larger ones I've seen others in BYC using.

I still have the square cube i cut out so i can plug the hole easily when i move the fan!

Again, the glass thermometer on the back wall IS at egg level. Does it need to be off the wall? There will be a raised tray that sits over those wooden slats, those aren't to hold eggs in, they're to keep them raised above the water tray.

The hygrometer/ thermometer isn't attached to the incubator; i was thinking of setting it in the center of the egg cluster so i have the back temp, the center temp, and the digital probe will give a second center temp reading.

I do think i should get a second hygrometer, man i miss when those things were dirt cheap to buy! >.> I've got three thermometers and only one hygrometer at the moment.

Thanks everyone so much for the help so far, I'm feeling a lot more confident about this.

 

[HeritageFan]

Thank you so much for explaining the fan! I will play with that, that makes a lot of sense and solves one of my dilemmas with the air circulation pattern.



I probably could return it, but it'd be a huge hassle, cost way more, and i wasn't impressed by the incubators i found in my price range. I'm also leaving WAY more about the incubation prices by building this myself and asking questions. I like the project, and I'm in no rush, so time isn't a concern.

If i buy an incubator, I'd like to get one of the really nice, larger ones I've seen others in BYC using.

I still have the square cube i cut out so i can plug the hole easily when i move the fan!

Again, the glass thermometer on the back wall IS at egg level. Does it need to be off the wall? There will be a raised tray that sits over those wooden slats, those aren't to hold eggs in, they're to keep them raised above the water tray.

The hygrometer/ thermometer isn't attached to the incubator; i was thinking of setting it in the center of the egg cluster so i have the back temp, the center temp, and the digital probe will give a second center temp reading.

I do think i should get a second hygrometer, man i miss when those things were dirt cheap to buy! >.> I've got three thermometers and only one hygrometer at the moment.

Thanks everyone so much for the help so far, I'm feeling a lot more confident about this.

I usually lay a mercury thermometer across the top of my eggs. I got one for a few $ at the feed store and it’s on a plastic “card” so it stays in place even while the eggs are turning.
Well
I actually got several because I have a bator + a lockdown bator.
I grabbed some cheapie hygrometers from the reptile section of Petco, and tested them against my “weather stations” that have a remote sensor... so I check everything against everything else....
I know it is not the most reliable method, but it is high in redundancy and I didn’t have to go find a bunch of items that aren’t easy to find....
You could probably use a backing of laminating film for at least one of the thermometers, if you have/ know someone who has a laminator.... I’ll attach a pic of that, too.

I love my HovaBator 1588 w auto turners and the humidikit!
But it was a bit of an investment.
The customer service at Incubator Warehouse is -awesome- and absolutely not at all judgmental
I would highly recommend you contact them, even if for a future hope/ for budgeting purposes, and, maybe they can help w something like an auto turner that might (???) fit in your current project...?
The worst that could happen is they say - no!

Pix are the: HovaBator 1588 fan and vent opening (x2)
Thermometer w the “backing card”
HovaBator 2370 (lockdown bator)....trying to get a pic of the fan cage but I’ve got too many external pips rn to want to open it for a photo...

 

[Squeeing_Onion]

Okay! I switched the position and the air flow of the fan.

It is now at the ceiling, behind the light socket, with air flow facing downwards. I used nuts as spacers for the gap.

I'll get that cube i put back in sealed better later.

Need to punch holes in the other three corners yet, but this should match better the advice y'all have given.

This look better?

I think my favorite thing about the foam box DIY method is how easy it will be to replace parts... Or upgrade to a new box. Just pull everything out, cut the holes for the new box, install into the new box and boom, new incubator!

That hole in the side ended up being very useful, i used to to thread the big plug and control box outside the incubator.