Big 'Bator build - With baby photos!

[Jpat]

its gonna be that time of year again real soon

iam going to be having saxony x pekins eggs, saxony x Kahki Campbell eggs, and i pre ordered 12 indian runner eggs for march

I made small drink cooler incubators before and this year i decided to take on a mini fridge incubator

ill be powering it with two 60w light bulbs, a digital thermocouple relay, PC fans and junk from Goodwill and Value Village.

So far iam 60$ into it, if anyone had interest ill keep updating the process and sourcing everything i use

Most mini fridges waste alot of space on door shelves. I cut along the gaskette and peeled the plastic out, then Shaped the foam as flat as i could.

Once the cooling rack and compressor are out the fridge is very light

Next i framed a pane of glass i scrimped from a Popcorn maker. I couldve just glued the class in place with black window sealent but the pine is alot cheaper, and might look better in the end

Testing the fit for the light housings and moving forward!

 

[Jpat]

Just a quick plug in and test

Still needs power sources for fans, wiring for fans and mounts for sensors

 

[Jpat]

 

[Jpat]

So the first babies of 2020 have arrived. Not ducks but 2 cute silkie chicks, i set 3 eggs and 2 hatched

 

[Jpat]

Wheres the feeling of accomplishment in that?

Ide never pay someone 300$ for a device so simple, unless i was physicaly incapable

 

[Jpat]

Back at the Samford and sons bator today

Fans and wiring installed
Temperature set and calibrated
Egg rack installed
Just needs tidying and cleaning and it will be soon done!

This is the heat controller, its a sped up video, it took about 1.5 minuts to warm up, and cycled twice over 5 minuts

I put in and raised wooden floor to keep air under the eggs

I also made a rack with 5/8 dowel and pine. The same spacing as a janoel15 that worked well for me

I then made a simple handle and lever, it has a dowell through the side of the bator so i can turn the eggs without opening the door

The rack should fit 30 duck eggs. it will be plenty for now but iam drawing up a two storey rack to hold 60

Like i seid it needs to be cleaned up, wood varnished and wires tied up but its almost done!


Any questions just ask any time!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Your amazing! It looks great. Love the way you hooked up the egg turning devise!!

 

[Jpat]

Your amazing! It looks great. Love the way you hooked up the egg turning devise!!

Thank you! No more opening the bator 5 times aday

 

[Jpat]

This is a really interesting thread

Thank you i wanted to try and post something interesting

2 ducks and 4 chickens! Very delicate balance I think I'll definitely add more chickens this year, but I already have my work cut out for me with the waterfowl. If there was a guarantee of female ducks I would get a couple more!

which do you like the most? I liked the chickens ive had but the ducks have alot of personality

You could order sexed ducklings from a hatchery

Don't forget to calculate in your elevation in your boiling water temps.

Your right, Atmospheric pressure makes a difference! i should have seid that, Iam at zero elevation, Sea level

 

[Ratchnick]

I used to live at a mile elevation, and home made pasta would not cook right i had to put it in a pressure cooker.