Could someone help me make a bator?

[chickengirlnm]

I have been trying to read everything I can find out about homemade bators I have a pototoe box that I am not using it justs sits there collecting dust I read the post about turning it into a bator and I feel I MIGHT be able to make one.
My question is - would someone be willing to take a pic of everything needed to make one and please let me know what to do with it. I think with detailed pictures I could do it myself.
Also I have no idea what the heck a water giggler is and where to buy one.
sorry for sounding helpless, but I have never built a bator I would love to buy one but have no idea where to start looking for ( already checked craigslist ).
my duck has been laying eggs I think they are fertile ( i cracked one open it had a bullseye) so I would like to try to hatch some if possible.

any help would be great. the part that kinda scares me is wiring everything together and getting the temps just right.

thank you
Julie

if it would help I can take a pic of pototoe box - to see if it would even work as a bator.

 

[lilsouthern228]

hey missprissy has a good one. and she has a picture of each step in making it. i jus made one today! its really easy here is her page

this is a styrofoam one
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=8510



or one made from a bread box
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=19496&p=1



they're basically made the same way

hope this helps

 

[chickengirlnm]

thank you - was wiring the light to the thermonitor ( sp ) hard? i am not sure of the whole wiring thing with getting the light to turn on and off and the humity and temps ??? but so many on here have made them and have them working just fine- so maybe there is hope for me LOL

 

[chickengirlnm]

ok i read a few more post about building it myself and it looks very complicated to get the humitiy just right and the temps and so on -- i am kinda second guessing myself if i can do this or not. I would hate to set eggs and end up by killing the poor babies because of a human error !!!

maybe i am not ment to set eggs LOL

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Just take your time and read up on MissPrissy's posts about making one...even ask more questions if your not following what you read....And you have to start somewhere if you want to hatch chicks....all of us have made mistakes in hatching and learn from them...you can too...and yes some die or do not make it to pip but that's part of hatching....Lots of people have had great hatches their first few times and then zip...but we all keep on trying....Another good idea is to keep a journal of each hatch you try...what worked and what didn't....that's how I learned and am still learning...

 

[rooster-red]

Its really simple.
The water heater thermostat is wired in series between the wall outlet and the light fixture.
Heres a quick, crude drawing I made.
Hope this helps.

 

[tazcat70]

So how do you wire the computer fan?

Tonya

 

[magikchick]

I don't know about the computer fan but I bought a 4" plug -in fan from Wal-Mart for $3.00. Didn't have to wire it at all. The force was a little hard with it blowing so I put some tin foil in front of it. Works like a charm.

 

[rooster-red]

Most computer fans run on 12 volts, so you'll need a 12 volt adapter and wire the fan to it.

 

[lilsouthern228]

the pic that red rooster. or rooster red. lol posted is a very good example of it. you jus have to separate the wires a little bit and then cut one shorter. jeeze im confusing myself. lol sorry.
but what im doing now is i set up my bator and im getting everything situated right before i put the eggs in, so i know exactly where the thermostat needs to be and how much water i need to put it for the humidity to be right. so jus get everything set before eggs go in