Bought a Cheap Incubator

[Vampiric_Conure]

Vampire- I want to see you get Naked neck eggs.

Those are some cool looking birds! (and it's just like me to get the cool and unusual, LOL. Ugh, Winnipeg. Why no Chickens?)

 

[Ravenlover]

My incubator arrived today! It's pretty small - only holds 7 chicken eggs, but I don't plan on incubating many quail. Pretty excited to try it out. Gonna have to wait for the conures to hatch out, then me to hand feed the babies.
View attachment 2955987

Had this it's incredibly horrible let me know if u hatch anything and definitely get other thermometer s to out inside it it's readings are off

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

Had this it's incredibly horrible let me know if u hatch anything and definitely get other thermometer s to out inside it it's readings are off

Thanks for the warning! I have a thermometer and hygrometer coming to me soon. (I hope anyway, LOL! I never know with wal*fart)

 

[Ravenlover]

Cool! This one was only $40. I wasn't expecting much from it, but if it works and even hatches out a few eggs, I'll be happy. I figure I can always upgrade at a later date.

I did the exact same thing same thoughts too, I really hope u hatch something I admit I hatched 1 single egg in it that lived untill was killed

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

I did the exact same thing same thoughts too, I really hope u hatch something I admit I hatched 1 single egg in it that lived untill was killed

If I hatch one egg out of seven, I'll be ecstatic, LMAO!

Sorry about the killed quail

 

[yakitori]

My crockpot set up is around $50 and fairly reliable also requires zero engineering.

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

My crockpot set up is around $50 and fairly reliable also requires zero engineering.

View attachment 2961217

OH! How does it work? How did you do it? Do tell me more plz! I'm looking for something simple to do if there's a glitch with my current incubator

 

[yakitori]

OH! How does it work? How did you do it? Do tell me more plz! I'm looking for something simple to do if there's a glitch with my current incubator

First you need to buy a cheap second hand crockpot for $5 to keep it under budget

It needs to be one of those old school ones with a dial knob, preferrably with a “warm” setting. “Low” will also work, but you’ll get higher temperature fluctuations.



You’ll also need a temp controller, the ink birds are great and will run you about $30.

I pair it with a Govee bluetooth thermometer/hygrometer, but any reliable small humidity/temperature device to help cross check the temp will work.

Fill with water from tap, mixing hot with cold, adjusting as you go to get about 100F. Leave about 1.5in from lip of crock.


Next you’ll need a large trash bag, i think mine is for a tall bin. You’ll need it to cover the entire surface of the water, and wrap around the edge with a lot of slack left over.



So proceed to do just that. lay the bag flat over the crock pot, working it loosely over the water surface and around the edges. you will want lots of wrinkles so that when you place the eggs on there, they will have a nice soft waterbed to sink into and not a slippery taunt surface. Secure the plastic in place with tape. I loop the tape once around, under the handles and overhanging lip of the crock



Take the temp probe of the controller and push it into the center of the water bed so it’s “submerged”. secure with a small piece of tape.


Set your temperature. I set mine to 37.7C. Once the temperature has stabilized (give it an hour or two) you can add your eggs. ignore the temp in the photo, it hadn’t been set yet.

My shipped eggs go point end down, and the rest are either upright or on their sides.

The small thermometer goes in the middle. The air temp will be about 1C cooler than the water temp...I’ve been a little wary of raising the water temp in fear of killing the embryos from overheating. however, I have been steadily notching it up for each hatch. Realistically, I think the best would be to mimic the temp under a broody hen, but I’m not brave enough... haha.

cooler is better than warmer, for now.

(again, ignore the reading on that thermometer, it was just placed in there, so it’s way cooler than it’s supposed to be!)

Lastly cover with a thick towel. this will actually help regulate humidity to about 30-40%. Lid is optional. lol


When it comes to lock down, I will open up the towel so that it’s thinner, and pull it tighter over the pot so the eggs have more head space, then the lid goes on to help keep humidity in. I’ve found a small piece of soaked paper towel, with the water wrung out will bring the humidity up to 70 for about 12 hours. Change out every 12 hours.

Lastly, when the first eggs begin to pip, I lay a piece of shelf liner under the eggs to prevent leg problems.....and that’s it!

 

[Nabiki]

First you need to buy a cheap second hand crockpot for $5 to keep it under budget

It needs to be one of those old school ones with a dial knob, preferrably with a “warm” setting. “Low” will also work, but you’ll get higher temperature fluctuations.

View attachment 2961270

You’ll also need a temp controller, the ink birds are great and will run you about $30.

I pair it with a Govee bluetooth thermometer/hygrometer, but any reliable small humidity/temperature device to help cross check the temp will work.

Fill with water from tap, mixing hot with cold, adjusting as you go to get about 100F. Leave about 1.5in from lip of crock.
View attachment 2961271

Next you’ll need a large trash bag, i think mine is for a tall bin. You’ll need it to cover the entire surface of the water, and wrap around the edge with a lot of slack left over.

View attachment 2961272

So proceed to do just that. lay the bag flat over the crock pot, working it loosely over the water surface and around the edges. you will want lots of wrinkles so that when you place the eggs on there, they will have a nice soft waterbed to sink into and not a slippery taunt surface. Secure the plastic in place with tape. I loop the tape once around, under the handles and overhanging lip of the crock

View attachment 2961273

Take the temp probe of the controller and push it into the center of the water bed so it’s “submerged”. secure with a small piece of tape.
View attachment 2961281

Set your temperature. I set mine to 37.7C. Once the temperature has stabilized (give it an hour or two) you can add your eggs. ignore the temp in the photo, it hadn’t been set yet.

My shipped eggs go point end down, and the rest are either upright or on their sides.

The small thermometer goes in the middle. The air temp will be about 1C cooler than the water temp...I’ve been a litter wary of raising the water temp in fear of killing the embryos from overheating. however, I have been steadily notching it up for each hatch. Realistically, I think the best would be to mimic the temp under a broody hen, but I’m not brave enough... haha.

cooler is better than warmer, for now.

(again, ignore the reading on that thermometer, it was just put in there, so it’s way cooler than it’s supposed to be!)
View attachment 2961282
Lastly cover with a thick towel. this will actually help regulate humidity to about 30-40%. Lid is optional. lol

View attachment 2961275
When it comes to lock down, I will open up the towel so that it’s thinner, and pull it tighter so the eggs have more head space, then the lid goes on to help keep humidity in. I’ve found a small piece of soaked paper towel, with the water wrung out will bring the humidity up to 70 for about 12 hours. Change out every 12 hours.

Lastly, when they first eggs begin to pip, I lay a piece of shelf liner under the legs to prevent leg problems.....and that’s it!

View attachment 2961288

You should turn this into an article. Neat idea.

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

First you need to buy a cheap second hand crockpot for $5 to keep it under budget

It needs to be one of those old school ones with a dial knob, preferrably with a “warm” setting. “Low” will also work, but you’ll get higher temperature fluctuations.

View attachment 2961270

You’ll also need a temp controller, the ink birds are great and will run you about $30.

I pair it with a Govee bluetooth thermometer/hygrometer, but any reliable small humidity/temperature device to help cross check the temp will work.

Fill with water from tap, mixing hot with cold, adjusting as you go to get about 100F. Leave about 1.5in from lip of crock.
View attachment 2961271

Next you’ll need a large trash bag, i think mine is for a tall bin. You’ll need it to cover the entire surface of the water, and wrap around the edge with a lot of slack left over.

View attachment 2961272

So proceed to do just that. lay the bag flat over the crock pot, working it loosely over the water surface and around the edges. you will want lots of wrinkles so that when you place the eggs on there, they will have a nice soft waterbed to sink into and not a slippery taunt surface. Secure the plastic in place with tape. I loop the tape once around, under the handles and overhanging lip of the crock

View attachment 2961273

Take the temp probe of the controller and push it into the center of the water bed so it’s “submerged”. secure with a small piece of tape.
View attachment 2961281

Set your temperature. I set mine to 37.7C. Once the temperature has stabilized (give it an hour or two) you can add your eggs. ignore the temp in the photo, it hadn’t been set yet.

My shipped eggs go point end down, and the rest are either upright or on their sides.

The small thermometer goes in the middle. The air temp will be about 1C cooler than the water temp...I’ve been a little wary of raising the water temp in fear of killing the embryos from overheating. however, I have been steadily notching it up for each hatch. Realistically, I think the best would be to mimic the temp under a broody hen, but I’m not brave enough... haha.

cooler is better than warmer, for now.

(again, ignore the reading on that thermometer, it was just placed in there, so it’s way cooler than it’s supposed to be!)
View attachment 2961282
Lastly cover with a thick towel. this will actually help regulate humidity to about 30-40%. Lid is optional. lol

View attachment 2961275
When it comes to lock down, I will open up the towel so that it’s thinner, and pull it tighter over the pot so the eggs have more head space, then the lid goes on to help keep humidity in. I’ve found a small piece of soaked paper towel, with the water wrung out will bring the humidity up to 70 for about 12 hours. Change out every 12 hours.

Lastly, when the first eggs begin to pip, I lay a piece of shelf liner under the eggs to prevent leg problems.....and that’s it!

View attachment 2961288

Wicked cool! Thanks for sharing .