Building a bator ?????

[josh]

Is there a digital thermostat I can buy to control the heat on the bator I'm going to build?? Can I use one like the one that controls a heater/air-conditioner in the house?

 

[MissPrissy]

If you look at my thread in my signature line you can see my incubator. I used a hot water heater thermostat. You can also buy the small wafer thermostats for about $15.

I am not sure if you are talking about the thing that hangs on the wall for controling your heat source ??? I don't think that will work, it is not finely detailed like you need.

You can use a dimmer switch too.

Also the thermostat you are asking about is high dollar. You can buy a premade bator with just a little more money.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

Welcome josh, This is a pic of my bator that I made following MissPrissy instructions. It works really well.

 

[hart31]

Most household wall thermostats are 12 volt with very light wire. You might possible use one but then you would also need a relay to operate your heat source. I have 2 homemade bators. One uses an electric frying pan control for the thermostat the other uses an electric water heater thermostat. Both work well but the fry pan thermostat was tougher to get adjusted because a very slight turn of the knob can adjuxt the temp by 5 degrees or more.

 

[josh]

Thanks guy I am going to give this a try. If I can find the thermostat at Lowes. I was going to build mine out of wood instead to a styrafoame cooler what are your thoughts on a wooden bator.

 

[josh]

I have the hovabator and have tried to hatch 2 times with it and no luck so I want to build one and try that. They either don't hatch or the egg sack is hanging out of the chick.

 

[MissPrissy]

What model hovabator do you have?

I promise you if you can't hatch in a hova you won't have good resultsin a homemade one.

Tell me exactly what is going on in your hova and let me help you.

what model do you have? how old is it?

That is not the incubators fault if your chicks hatch with problems. I am sorry that is user error and can be fixed if you let us help.

 

[twigg]

Is there a digital thermostat I can buy to control the heat on the bator I'm going to build??

As Miss Prissy said, there are plenty, but they can be expensive.

It depends a little on what kind of incubator you want.

I built this one.

I was lucky in that I had the control gear handy from something else. If I were to build another (and I am thinking about a fully auto, in an oak cabinet), then I would use an industrial process controller with a thermocouple. These cam be had for about $60, shipped on Ebay.

It's a matter of simply wanting to hatch eggs, or building something that's a great deal of fun, and that would cost an arm and leg to buy.

Both have their place.​

 

[josh]

It is Model 1602N

It is the still air

I used it when it was new but no luck

The first time I hatched some good chicks but had some with the egg sack out, The second time they died in the egg and had 2 hatch with the sack and they died.

My kids broke the top to my bator and I just didn't want to by another cheap styrofome one so I was going to build one out of wood so it would last.

 

[MissPrissy]

The yolk sac and other problems are caused by humidity problems and maybe a temp spike.

I understand building your own. I have built 3 myself. But that won't be the answer to your hatching problems. Honestly, you have to get everything working together before you can expect a good hatch result.

If you build your bator box you'll need wood that won't warp easily as you MUST maintain certain humidity levels during the 2 phases of incubation to have a successful hatch. You need a good thermometer and hydrometer as well.

By the time you spend much money on building one with a good wood cabinet you could probably buy a newer one with a fixed thermostat like the Hovabator 1588 (I have 3 of those too).

Is your hovabator in such bad shape you can't duct tape the lid together and try to get it to work for you instead of against you?