Home-made Incubator Problems?

[3Dchicken]

Hi, I have been trying to hatch chicken eggs for a while now with my home-made incubator, but none the fertile eggs seem to make it past day seven or so... I get my eggs from my neighbors, and the past few have had a bit of dirt and poo on them, so I thought maybe that was the reason they weren't living very long (they all formed blood rings), but the last one was fairly clean, and it didn't make it either. My incubator is consists of a heavy- duty plastic storage bin with a goose-neck lamp with a heat bulb in it, and towels over the top to keep heat in. I put cups of water in the incubator to "maintain humidity" but it never seemed to change the dryness in the incubator (from my assumptions, since i don't have a hygrometer) so i put water on my (washed) hands, and wet the eggs as i turned them. I use a basic under- arm thermometer for measuring the temperature (which usually fluctuated between 97- 101). I need some tips or advice so I can improve my "incubator." (lol) It is a still- aired incubator (no fans), but i leave a crack between the towels at the top covering it. I really want to be able to hatch my own chickies, but even if it doesn't work, I'll just try going with chicks. Haha!!

(Maybe specifically advice on how to regulate the temperature and humidity. I just can't seem to make it stay at 100. :/ Are there any ways to hatch chicks without a hygrometer? )

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

How are you controlling your temperature?

 

[3forfree]

what marinecorpfarmr means is you have to use some kind of thermostat to make your heat source turn on and off in order to keep the temp at 99.5. If you don't have a thermostat the temps keep rising, and your eggs are cooking. check out the learning pages at the top of the page and look at some of the small incubators and you will see how they are made.

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

Yeah, that. Lack of sleep seems to be catching up to me a bit. lol.

 

[3Dchicken]

Um... I don't really have a temperature regulator. I just keep the heat light about a foot or so away from the eggs so the temperature heats up to about 100 degrees. I need a way to manually regulate the heat because I don't have all too much money to afford an incubator (can anyone tell me how much the cost?). I have been fanning it out a little and moving the eggs back when it got too hot. Can I improve on this, or should i buy an incubator or just start with chicks?

It's mainly an experiment of sorts, and i can always just go get some chicks, but I would like to try eggs first. I heard hygrometers can be cheap, so I might get one. Maybe it might help?

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

Just start with chicks. With no way to automatically control the temp you re fighting a losing battle to try to keep the temp steady and constant

Check out my home built incubator https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/713105/home-built-incubator#post_9736320

I used a rather expensive reptile temp controller that i had on hand.

 

[3Dchicken]

Yes, I think I will probably just start with chicks, and one of my neighbors said he'd let me have a few of his laying ones once he got 'em (leghorns and rhode island reds), but I just got a few things to make a new incubator out of today, so I think I'll try a few more batches of eggs until my neighbor orders his. (He buys 'em a lot at a time, because he sells eggs.) I'll just experiment on eggs for now with my new things because the eggs I'm getting are free fertile eggs from another one of my neighbors. I got a cheap styrofoam cooler and a thermometer (i am yet to get a hygrometer, they didn't have 'em at the dollar store XD) and I shall try that for now. No matter how I do it, I will eventually have me some chicks. :3

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

water heater thermostat from lowes or hd is what is used by more then a few people. search youtube for some ideas

 

[3Dchicken]

Aight then. I can't exactly go get it, though. I don't have any more spending money left. lol

 

[Sweetlilbaby]

I have a home made incubator. For one thing you need something that will hold in humidity, cloth wont do that. I have a light bulb with a dimmer and because i'm home all day (besides shopping or going for a walk) I am able to control the temperature and keep it between 98 and 100 degrees. I got a cheap hydrometer off E-bay to keep track of humidity.
NEVER get the eggs wet. That can cause bacteria to get inside the shell. Even when your hands are "clean" there is bacteria on them. add water and you'll transfer it not just on the shell but in the shell as well.
I used a plastic cooler/icechest. Cut a hole in the top and put glass from a picture frame in it. Duct taped it down. Cut a hole in the side and stuck a heat lamp style light in there and put a 40 watt bulb, plugged it into a dimmer so i can get it the right temp.
I also put a fan that goes under a laptop in there to circulate the air. I bleach it between each hatch or failed hatch (depending how it goes).

You need to control the temperature either by obsession (like i do) or with a thermostat. You need it to be something that will hold in humidity so you can control the humidity and temperature.
Good luck! hope you are able to make an incubator that works or fix yours so it will work.

Oh also I've hatched several successfully with mine but lately have been getting bad eggs. the source of eggs is important as well.