Chic Chick 'Bator *UPDATED*

[AK Michelle]

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Nicely done. I can't believe I didn't think of camping supplies!
hangs head in shame

 

[digitalsniper]

woohoo i CONTRIBUTED!!! lol

 

[AK Michelle]

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[faerielady]

Ok, small question...

I have all the pieces/parts (with the exception of the fan/adapter combo, which I'm picking up from my Dad tomorrow since he has tons of spare parts).

However, I remember seeing a post in this very long thread about someone putting the lights and stuff on the lid.

What was that all about and are there any pictures of incubators made like this?

I have eggs coming in a week, I've got to get this put together and tested... it'll be my first batch of incubated eggs!

 

[AK Michelle]

I remember the post but I don't remember who's it was, there were pictures.

My theory is this would be less efficient because heat rises and thus creates the need to push the air down.

I do have pictures of mine on my page, I put everything in the bottom, laid a shelf of hardware cloth the section directly above the bulb lined with foil and then the egg turner above that. The fan circulated the air, the temp stayed nice and steady and all was well.

Good luck! It was fun but very VERY addictive.

 

[faerielady]

AK, I was just curious.

Since this is my first incubator, I'm just gonna wire it up like the 'bator directions say... was just curious about the lid set up because Walmart (my least favorite place to be) only has the smaller styrofoam coolers and they aren't the same size from top to bottom (they are largest at top, smaller on the bottom). Putting the electrical parts on the lid would save room. However, with my first sets of eggs coming in this week, I really don't have time to mess with it too much.

 

[AK Michelle]

I know, mine was like that too but it still worked fine. my second one I moved my fan so it blex across the bulb and onto the thermostat, not sure if it made a difference, had good results either way.

But even with the egg turner I was very glad not to have all he extra stuff in my way when I needed to get in there. twice I had a mishap that necessitated yanking open the lid and getting to the eggs. I remember thinking it was a good thing all the clutter wasn't there where I needed to get to the eggs.

Be sure to let us know how it goes. If you have any questions, we're here for ya.

 

[Andora]

I tried using one of the small walmart coolers and it did not work well at all. It cycled rapidly through the temps, light on...light off...light on...light off.

I ended up using a regular plastic cooler and it's PERFECT. It holds extremely steady temps and humidity and I have great hatches with it! I used a keyhole saw to cut a window in the lid and my husband drilled the air holes and the hole for the lightbulb in the side. I ductaped the fan to the side just above the light and it has never fallen off.

I highly recommend the plastic cooler instead! The temps and humidity in mine are so steady that I hardly ever have to check it. I just glance in once a day to make sure the thing is still plugged in. It can hold about 20 eggs. My last hatch of crevecoeur/maran mixes was a 100% hatch!

 

[Mrs MIA]

The first 3 I made were your standard cooler size... y'know, the 48 qt size that you lug to a tailgate party.

I put the light in the bottom, and the screen over it, just like the directions. But the last one I made out of a very large fish-shipping styrofoam box. It's 33Lx14Dx11H" in size... very long. So I put the fan in the righthand corner about 1" from the top, where it would have space to pull air. Then the light bulb to the left of the fan, so the fan would blow on the lightbulb. Then the thermostat to the left of the light a little ways. I have the thermometer on the floor where the eggs are. I used hardware cloth to section off that end of the box so the chicks couldn't get in there, and put a large peanutbutter jar in the corner to hold water. I put down rubber shelf liner on the floor of the cooler box, and put the egg cartons right on top (I have a 1502 incubator, so my homemades are really only used as hatchers now). Holds about 60 eggs in cartons.
I swear, once I dialed it in, that thing held the temps like a champ, and I've had excellent hatches in them. This one does cycle on/off a little more frequently, but there is only about 0.5° swing instead of 4-5°F.

I've not had good luck with the lightbulbs on the bottom, because I sometimes miss when adding water, and have blown a few of the bulbs...

Not fun while you're in the middle of a hatch. You need to be able to get in, get out, and stop fussing about.

 

[faerielady]

I'm having a hard time getting the temperature regulated in there... I've been having to go make minor adjustments every 30 minutes or so, still am not close to temp. I don't want to undershoot the temp either.