So for incubation techniques, I have tried a Genesis Hovabator (crappy) and broody hens (amazing but unreliable). I'm really interested in cabinet incubators, but they're definitely not in the budget anytime soon. So I've been thinking about building my own incubator!
Unfortunately, I am definitely not a very handy person... I'm just excited whenever I can nail some boards together.
Has anyone tried alternative incubation? One thing I've been mulling over has been heating pads. Has anyone here tried building an incubator with reptile heat pads? Supposedly, you can get a rheostat control for them.
My idea was that the exterior be styrofoam or wood, and that the interior be glass (to hold humidity--someone tell me if that might be too much humidity). The heating pads would stick to the bottom of the glass, and be sandwiched between the glass and the exterior. These pads would provide most of the heat. There would be enough pads to cover the length of the glass. Then, there would be a pad along the bottom of the glass, a towel or something, to keep the eggs from touching the hot glass (reptile pads can get up to 110˚F or more at direct contact). OR, egg turners would be placed directly on the glass, and eggs would still be kept warm enough even 1" above the hot glass. There would be a water tray around the edge, in the corner, on one of the walls somehow. The heating pads would sort of mimic the direct-warmth nature of actual broody hen incubation. It would be worth considering how the turning would happen if the auto egg turners were too high up to receive the benefit of the heating pad below.
Does this sound at all doable?
I'm still looking into potential fire hazards associated with the reptile heating pads, and their true temperatures--I think they may not be as reliably hot as you'd need for an incubator, but I think it depends on the brand. With a rheostat, I wouldn't worry as much about the fire hazard. Not sure then if you'd need a thermostat or if you could adjust the rheostat to change the heat level of the pad.
I just like this so much better than the idea of forced air, since humidity would definitely not be as much of an obstacle if air were not constantly being blown over the eggs.
Unfortunately, I am definitely not a very handy person... I'm just excited whenever I can nail some boards together.
Has anyone tried alternative incubation? One thing I've been mulling over has been heating pads. Has anyone here tried building an incubator with reptile heat pads? Supposedly, you can get a rheostat control for them.
My idea was that the exterior be styrofoam or wood, and that the interior be glass (to hold humidity--someone tell me if that might be too much humidity). The heating pads would stick to the bottom of the glass, and be sandwiched between the glass and the exterior. These pads would provide most of the heat. There would be enough pads to cover the length of the glass. Then, there would be a pad along the bottom of the glass, a towel or something, to keep the eggs from touching the hot glass (reptile pads can get up to 110˚F or more at direct contact). OR, egg turners would be placed directly on the glass, and eggs would still be kept warm enough even 1" above the hot glass. There would be a water tray around the edge, in the corner, on one of the walls somehow. The heating pads would sort of mimic the direct-warmth nature of actual broody hen incubation. It would be worth considering how the turning would happen if the auto egg turners were too high up to receive the benefit of the heating pad below.
Does this sound at all doable?
I'm still looking into potential fire hazards associated with the reptile heating pads, and their true temperatures--I think they may not be as reliably hot as you'd need for an incubator, but I think it depends on the brand. With a rheostat, I wouldn't worry as much about the fire hazard. Not sure then if you'd need a thermostat or if you could adjust the rheostat to change the heat level of the pad.
I just like this so much better than the idea of forced air, since humidity would definitely not be as much of an obstacle if air were not constantly being blown over the eggs.
