Advice on building DIY incubator

[CluckEmUp]

Hey everyone, new here, looking for advice in building my own, fairly small, incubator.

I was pondering whether to just buy one instead, but most are fairly expensive here and much bigger than i want. Besides i like to make something like this as a new project, and I only plan to start with a few eggs for now.

So I know that temperature and humidity are the important things. The humidity i plan to just regulate by filling up a cup with water and see how much is good. I believe I read that it should be around 50% to start off, and near the last week it should be 70%+?

Then for temperature i am planning to simply use an incandescent light bulb. The question is if a single 40w or 60w one is enough.

My way to make it is using an old computer case, empty it out and fill it up with aluminium foil. This will keep the heat inside. I have a light fixture here that can just fit inside, and I will put aluminium foil around that as well so as little heat as possible can escape. The case has a small glass window so I will be able to look inside if needed to check temps (I have a small temp/humidity meter to make sure its all correct and stable).

But some concerns: how safe is it to leave everything on? Not trying to burn my house down here. These incandescent bulbs get pretty hot, I have a few of 40w and 60w laying around here, but only one fixture in the house that says "40w". So I assume putting a 60w bulb in there could cause a fire. I will go shopping for something better but this is what I got in the meantime.

Also do you think that a 40w bulb can heat it enough? Temps should be around 37.5 degrees celcius, right?

Also am I correct in thinking that having the whole case in aluminium foil is generally safe? Just making sure i dont have anything flammable nearby just in case.

The only downside of my plan is that I have to open the case 3 times a day to rotate the eggs. So heat will escape during those times. Are those drops in temperature critical? Or doable?

Thanks everyone

 

[BantyChooks]

Then for temperature i am planning to simply use an incandescent light bulb. The question is if a single 40w or 60w one is enough.

I use two 40w bulbs. I recommend using two that are wired in a way so that if one blows out, you have another keeping the temperature up.

Also am I correct in thinking that having the whole case in aluminium foil is generally safe? Just making sure i dont have anything flammable nearby just in case.

Should be… I don’t typically use aluminum foil but I have used reflective bubble insulation in the past. The ignition point of most materials is way higher than a 40-60w bulb ever reaches but better safe than sorry.

The only downside of my plan is that I have to open the case 3 times a day to rotate the eggs. So heat will escape during those times. Are those drops in temperature critical? Or doable?

No, that’s fine. Especially if you use a 60w bulb. How do you plan to circulate the air in this build? I assume a computer fan?

Welcome, by the way!

 

[CluckEmUp]

I use two 40w bulbs. I recommend using two that are wired in a way so that if one blows out, you have another keeping the temperature up.

Should be… I don’t typically use aluminum foil but I have used reflective bubble insulation in the past. The ignition point of most materials is way higher than a 40-60w bulb ever reaches but better safe than sorry.

No, that’s fine. Especially if you use a 60w bulb. How do you plan to circulate the air in this build? I assume a computer fan?

Welcome, by the way!

Thanks, I was under the impression that air circulation wasn't necessary (it's not 100% air tight, so air can escape/go in from holes, and more importantly I have to open up the case to rotate the eggs. Is that true?

I could use a PC fan but then I think it would be a struggle to keep the temperature at the right level.

Good call on the 2x light bulbs, but it might also increase the temperature too much. What do people use to regulate it (e.g. automatic system to turn on/off the lights in case the temperate goes above or below a set target)?

 

[CluckEmUp]

On what do you usually rest the eggs by the way? Something that can retain the heat well? Contemplating some kind of rag, but dont wanna put something in thats flammable. Right now im using a regular plate, however I dont think it holds the heat well.

 

[BantyChooks]

Thanks, I was under the impression that air circulation wasn't necessary (it's not 100% air tight, so air can escape/go in from holes, and more importantly I have to open up the case to rotate the eggs. Is that true?

I could use a PC fan but then I think it would be a struggle to keep the temperature at the right level.

Good call on the 2x light bulbs, but it might also increase the temperature too much. What do people use to regulate it (e.g. automatic system to turn on/off the lights in case the temperate goes above or below a set target)?

It’s not necessary if you have very ideal placement of your heating element, but I’ve found that with lightbulbs as opposed to real heating elements I have horrendous hot and cold spots and not only the normal striations with vertical space. I’ve never gotten lightbulbs to work without a computer fan. Why would it make the temps unstable?

I would use a wafer thermostat or digital thermostat which is cheap and easy to install. I would NOT recommend any sort of incubator without a thermostat as it’s extremely difficult to keep stable and adjust. I end up with heating cycles of around 20/30 seconds in a well insulated ‘bator.

 

[CluckEmUp]

Also as a small update, i finished making it. Computer case emptied out, wrapped aluminium foil around and filled it any big holes with it, got part of the light fixture in (and with aluminium foil around the edges so not too much air escapes out) and closed it to test. Got a few light bulbs here, but with 100w it got way too hot, so went down to 60w. But with the case closed it was still getting too high temperatures, so went with 40w. It takes a little longer to heat up, but after testing for some hours it has a stable temperature of 37.6 celcius, which I believe is the perfect range!

The 60w bulb does get the temperature up much quicker though, so perhaps I can play around with the case / make an opening somewhere (it was going above 41 degrees with that one).

Decided not to use a fan, read that its better for bigger incubators to make sure the temperature is equal everywhere. But my case is so small that i dont think it matters

 

[BantyChooks]

On what do you usually rest the eggs by the way? Something that can retain the heat well? Contemplating some kind of rag, but dont wanna put something in thats flammable. Right now im using a regular plate, however I dont think it holds the heat well.

I’d worry about surrounding insulation more and less about specific heat capacity of the material itself.

 

[BantyChooks]

Also as a small update, i finished making it. Computer case emptied out, wrapped aluminium foil around and filled it any big holes with it, got part of the light fixture in (and with aluminium foil around the edges so not too much air escapes out) and closed it to test. Got a few light bulbs here, but with 100w it got way too hot, so went down to 60w. But with the case closed it was still getting too high temperatures, so went with 40w. It takes a little longer to heat up, but after testing for some hours it has a stable temperature of 37.6 celcius, which I believe is the perfect range!

The 60w bulb does get the temperature up much quicker though, so perhaps I can play around with the case / make an opening somewhere (it was going above 41 degrees with that one).

Decided not to use a fan, read that its better for bigger incubators to make sure the temperature is equal everywhere. But my case is so small that i dont think it matters

Great, just beware that your temperature stability is immensely dependent on external temps without a thermostat.

 

[BantyChooks]

Also as a small update, i finished making it. Computer case emptied out, wrapped aluminium foil around and filled it any big holes with it, got part of the light fixture in (and with aluminium foil around the edges so not too much air escapes out) and closed it to test. Got a few light bulbs here, but with 100w it got way too hot, so went down to 60w. But with the case closed it was still getting too high temperatures, so went with 40w. It takes a little longer to heat up, but after testing for some hours it has a stable temperature of 37.6 celcius, which I believe is the perfect range!

The 60w bulb does get the temperature up much quicker though, so perhaps I can play around with the case / make an opening somewhere (it was going above 41 degrees with that one).

Decided not to use a fan, read that it’s better for bigger incubators to make sure the temperature is equal everywhere. But my case is so small that i dont think it matters

Make sure you thoroughly test for hot and cold spots and also beware at what level you’re placing the thermometer relative to the center of the egg.

 

[CluckEmUp]

It’s not necessary if you have very ideal placement of your heating element, but I’ve found that with lightbulbs as opposed to real heating elements I have horrendous hot and cold spots and not only the normal striations with vertical space. I’ve never gotten lightbulbs to work without a computer fan. Why would it make the temps unstable?

I would use a wafer thermostat or digital thermostat which is cheap and easy to install. I would NOT recommend any sort of incubator without a thermostat as it’s extremely difficult to keep stable and adjust. I end up with heating cycles of around 20/30 seconds in a well insulated ‘bator.

Alright, thanks that makes sense. I did test the temperature in multiple spots and it does seem more or less equal. Will test again and decide if a fan is better after all.