Homemade Cabinet incubator. (Made from Wooden Shipping Crate) ^^PICTURE HEAVY!^^

[quintinp]

Update!​

Well, I was able to get a wafer for it, and I put the 2 (75 watt) light bulbs in the incubator.

The air temperature reading I have been getting from my incubator warehouse thermometer is from 99.7 to 100.0.

 

[3forfree]

what have you done to the shipping crate/incubator for ventilation? I did notice a wire going into the crate and the latches weren't tight.

 

[quintinp]

what have you done to the shipping crate/incubator for ventilation? I did notice a wire going into the crate and the latches weren't tight.

There is a 1 1/2 inch hole in the bottom right side of the incubator. It isn't shown in the pictures.

There are 2 wires that are the egg turner wires coming from the inside of the incubator.

And Yes, the latches are very tight. I don't see how they didn't look very tight, there is weather stripping foam tape between the door, and the incubator. I see that there is a crack in the pictures, but it is where the foam tape is between the door and the incubator

 

[Oakieridge]

That looks great!!! We just bought two redwood incubators or I would have hubby try to build one like this, lol.

 

[3forfree]

They are tight just my old eyes.

 

[quintinp]

That looks great!!! We just bought two redwood incubators or I would have hubby try to build one like this, lol.

Oh, I am so jealous, I would love to have a RedWood incubator. You lucky little dog. I really like the old incubators.

I am just waiting to get one of the old "Transparent Hen Incubators", it is a glass cylinder type of incubator.
I am wanting a Redwood incubator.
An old Chick-U-Bator.
And one of old the blue based clear domed Turn-X incubators.

I plan to have them some where in my future. I am just waiting for the opportunities to arise.

 

[4cats3kids1hubby2many]

You said something regarding instructions on how you made an old frige or freezer into an incubator....not sure how to find it. Can you direct? Thank you.

Also: I have a small (about 4' high) upright freezer that died and I am now dying to convert it into an incubator but I am terrified to try.

I have done a ton of research...but not yet comfortable. Your explanations above have helped a lot.

I see in one photo you have rocking egg holder. But then you have shelves with wire? One for hatching one for incubating? (can you tell I'm new?). Can you use both such that I can continuously add?

No humidity? how about for lock down?

Any help/advice from you would be wonderful. I really want to do this but I am really scared to try. Unfortunately, my husband is not real crafty building savy (sorry honey if you read this).

With my freezer being that big would I need heat from the top and bottom?

Where do I find the egg holder/turners? I see where many make them themselves - I may try to do that too. Please help.....

I would offer beer and BBQ if you came and built it for me

 

[quintinp]

Sorry about not specifying where to find my page at.

Here is the page that shows my fridge incubator, it also has a video. In the video I was using a Water Heater thermostat, but changed to a wafer thermostat.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/update-on-fridge-incubator

The white egg holders are the egg turners. They stay in the incubator to turn the eggs 18 days. Then on day 18, I take them out of the egg turner, and place them in the wooden hatching trays. That you seen in my cabinet incubator photos.

In my fridge incubator, I never hatched in it, (only incubated) but the 2 wire shelves were for hatching, that's why they had the front raised so when the chicks hatched in the fridge incubator they couldn't fall out.

The egg turners can be bought at most feed stores, and can be found on Ebay, and craigslist.

P.M. me with pictures and more questions regarding your fridge incubator.

As for the beer,

And as for the BBQ

Too bad I live in OK.

 

[kevlar]

I noticed in your first pic you had a diagram for a water heater thermostat with holes drilled in to it. What size holes did would you drill and for what purpose? is it to make it more sensitive to temp changes and make it more accurate?

 

[quintinp]

Yeah kevlar, the holes in the thermostat were to make the thermostat more sensitive. I do not suggest using a water heater thermostat in a fridge or cabinet incubator, unless you have PLENTY of air flow. I only had 2 fans, and just wasn't pleased with how it turned out. I suggest spending 30 dollars on a wafer thermostat. I am very happy with my new incubator, eggs are hatching in it as I type. It looks So much better than the old fridge incubator. I really wrecked the inside of that fridge incubator trying to get every thing to fit right. Ha ha.