1. Do they make anything in a lower wattage then a 25 watt bulb? My homemade incubator is super small and even the 25 is getting it too hot. 2. I think I have a sinus cold...can my chicks get it? Can I infect the eggs? 3. Do I have to open the quitters? They are in the last week and I don't really want to look. Thanks!
Quote:#1. Yes, I think so. Call the store (Walmart, or any store) and ask them to be sure. #2. No #3. No, you don't have to. I didn't the first time.
Check out the so called CFL (compact Fluorescent Light bulbs). Their actual wattage varies from 7,9 14watts which are a lot cooler than the standard 25watt Incandescent light bulbs.
Thanks for the quick reply's! I have a small base socket in my incubator. The kind that either a nightlight bulb or those thin flame shaped chandelier bulbs fit in. It's close to 105 with the 25 watt. The only styrofoam cooler I could find was really small, but it looks like I'm not going to have more then 8 eggs at a time in it so I figured it would be ok. I'll look at Walmart tomorrow. If not, maybe more ventilation holes? I ran a cat rescue and know that they cant get sick from us, but chickens...I wasn't sure! lol I opened 3 a few days back that were tiny embryos. Clearly dead but ugh! I really don't want to see them more formed at this point. Maybe next year.
I know they have 20w bulbs because that is what I have in my Scentsy warmer. I bought my bulbs though Scentsy though...and they have smaller bases. dfwscents.com (I hope it is ok to post that) But I am pretty sure you can get those bulbs at hardware stores if not Walmart. I would call Home Depot, Lowes or Walmart for a quick find. Or you could always move the bulb further away from the chicks if possible??
Thanks! I'll check Home depot tomorrow too! If you bought the bulb for a warmer...Michaeles might even have them. I'll be using it for hatching starting Sunday morning. I have 38 eggs in the incubator but only 8 are going into lockdown. Hopefully I can figure it out by then. Thanks!
Do you have a thermostat in there? You can pick up a hot water heater thermostat for around $9.00 at Home Depot. They are easy to wire. They don't do a great job of regulating the heat but it's better than nothing. Especially if your room temp fluctuates a bit, then your incubator temp will fluctuate too. If you don't want to go with a thermostat, maybe you could rig up a couple of old christmas lights. They are surely low wattage.
I'm pretty sure that you can get a 15 watt or a 7 watt light bulb. The 7 watt ones are the ones that you use in the little night lights.
I read somewhere that somebody used christmas lights in a homemade incubator. Maybe that would help. Or chech out a hardware store, sometimes they have unusual sizes. Good luck!
