making first home made incubator

[aran]

guys...i have two digital thermometers/hydrometers and they are reading 8%humidity different from each other as well as 1.9F different from each other. How critical is the absolute number for humidity? I know the temp needs to be between 99 and 101F. I have seen however humidity ranges from 55-65% for the 1st 18days and 70-85% for the last 3 days...which is correct?

thanks in advance.

 

[chickenwhisperer]

I used to make incubators out of fishtanks when I was younger. They work great for reptile eggs, but these chicken eggs dont need the high humidity, 80-95%, that reptiles require. I used to put a couple bricks in a 10g tank, add a 50-75 watt heater and fill water to just below top of bricks. You can dial in humidity with saran wrap over the top. the air pump is a great idea, and Im gonna put one in my still air hovabator tonite.
I also have a problem with different readingsfrom different thrmometers. I have 3 going, and one is holding at 99.4 another at 100.7 and third at 101.6. Im just going to assume that Im right in that temp range the eggs need to be at. I think the humidity is very, almost more, important, in an incubator, than a rock solid temp. As long as the eggs dont get to hot. After all, mother hens dont have digital stuff, and theres no way they could keep every egg at the same exact temp- some will always be hotter or cooler than others, right?

 

[aran]

i totally agree...with all due respect to those who know more about this than me, it seems like we are trying to make something perfect which is imperfect in nature. I mean hens get better than 50% hatch rates without using bottled water, and 2 or more accurate thermometers and hygrometers and ether thermostats.

My homemade incubator has a hot water thermostat, 60W bulb, computer fan and (ironically!) a microwave omelet maker in the bottom filled with water for an evaporation dish.

SO far the temps are in the 98-101 range and the humidity is in the 65-70range. I am supposed to be getting some eggs in the next week or so.

I think I will move the bator to my another room upstairs where it stays a little warmer most of the time today.

 

[redneck]

Hey, how about some pics..Would love to see someone else's design.

 

[aran]

my digital camera is broken mate...having said that I ordered a new fancier one this morning which is being shipped here in the next few days...i have to stick up a bunch of pics of my incubator, coop,run and birds as I have not put even 1 pic on this site yet! I promise I will get to it as soon as the camera arrives in the next few days!

As far as my design its pretty much exactly the same as yours since I used yours as the template hehehehe