Building a New wood Incubator (Great Hatch pics pg 6)

[walkswithdog]

Just plain, WOW.

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Unless your using rather thin wood, you should be fine without insulating or building a box in a box. I've got an old GQF 1202 running and it keeps temps fairly even all the time. And for information's sake, the old 1202's are made of 3/4 in plywood.

 

[Buckaroo]

Good looking bator, It's great to see these projects, so many great ideas.

 

[griffin45]

No work today on the incubator... poultry swap meet has caused me other work. Went to look and now we have 2 Silkies, 2 Cochins, 2 Ameraucanas and 2 mixed Easter eggers. I think!?!

 

[Akane]

I think humidity would be more of a problem with wood than temps. I don't see how wood would insulate any worse than styrofoam. It would though absorb moisture if it's not sealed well.

 

[onthespot]

okay, griffin, (throws down gauntlet) i have a challenge for you! I want you to make me an incubator that you can add an egg a day to, self turning, and it will dump the egg out into a brooder box on day 18. Think something like a spiral coveyor belt around a heating and auto adjusting humidifying unit, contained in a clear plastic tube, with a just right power fan. BTW, it should also have a built in candling unit that you can check the eggs any time without touching them by the flick of a switch. Oh yeah, and make sure the brooder unit has a pull out, easy clean drawer, and keeps higher humidity like you are supposed to have. Make THAT and i will be calling you! Help yourself to patent my idea. I'd never do anything with it. If you make a mint, break me off a chunk. ok?

 

[griffin45]

Quote:
I have been thinking about the humidity issue. not just with the wood, but also with the cement board that I used to insulate with. Using rock with heating is normally a good thing. Passive solar uses rock to release heat after the sun goes down, but it also relaeses moisture. I am thinking using either olive oil or mineral oil, but they don't dry well. I can use enamel or epoxy but then I have to cure the VOC out before I can use the bator. If I use one of the oils and it does not work I have to change the cement board. Thats not terrible, since I am going to wait for some Americaunas eggs for my next hatch. I talked to a guy today that has a sportsman three tray incubator and it is made of wood. I asked him if it was wood inside and he said it was. I am sure it is sealed, but I am also sure that it is a proprietary solution that I will never be able to find a shortcut to. That is why I am calling my big wood box experimental. I have all the right parts, I just have to find the right combination.

P.S. this whole thing is me heading towards a solar chicken farm

 

[Akane]

I doubt it's that proprietary. They probably just use plenty of time for it to cure. I used enamel designed for wood boats on my plywood guinea pig pen and just left the boards sit for a week in the basement before putting it together. Was completely cured and completely waterproof by then.

 

[newnanchic]

When you get this finished . If you could write down your supply list and instructions. I would love to have a copy. I have ask hubby to build me one for my Birthday in Dec. and this is exactly what I am looking for. Thanks

 

[greathorse]

I recently built an incubator out of 3/4 plywood and did not treat it. I had eggs coming. I have no trouble keeping it at 38-42 for now. I have not used any sponges. I just today completed a hatcher out of the same and am going to run it for a week with all the moisture I can muster to get the hum up in the plywood. I am in Colorado very very dry here. I did put the cabinet in the bathroom and have a humidifier running in there. I can get the room humidity to about 60% with the humidifier and taking a shower in that bathroom about every other day.

WE struggle with dryness here as you can imagine. I think another way to look at wood that is not sealed it can give and take some moisture as oppposed to just beading up. It was my lazy justification to not sealing it. Plywood can take a lot of moisture without beign hurt.