Do I construct my bator or use a cooler like everyone else?

[matlock585]

I work in a sheet metal shop where I have access to tons and tons of metal I can bend to any shape, and we stock iso insulation boards from 1" to 4" thick. Do ya'll think I should make my box for my bator or just go the easy rout and use styrofoam? Any input is appreciated and will be carefully considered. I've never incubated before, but I know it makes a "stink", does that smell go away with styro? I think the sheet metal would be easier to clean and sanitize. I'm planning on using the computer fan, light bulb, hot water heater thermostat, and tray of water; so many others seem to have success with. Also, my whole family is gone all day, so I could only turn the eggs at 6 am, 6 pm, and just before bed at 10 pm. Would that be enough turning? So many questions. I am determined to make this, but I don't want to fail at it.

 

[wowmanacat]

I used a old plastic cooler for mine and I did not have any "stink" at all. You can see it at my blog(link below) I have a fan, light, and water heater thermostat but the thermostat does not work in mine. I am home all the time and I trun my eggs three time a day. You could get a egg turner since no one will be home. My first hatch was 11/13 and I have 9 more in now.
As for making one I would think that would be a lot nicer and mean more to you and your family.

 

[matlock585]

Well thanks so much for the blog invite. I bookmarked it. It looks very similar to what I have in mind as I am borrowing the ideas of many of the self made incubators featured on BYC. The only reason I'm considering building my box is just to kill some time while I wait for my new flock to get old enough to lay. I live in rural Tennessee and ticks are a real problem here for me as well. My wife is just getting over a bout of tick fever or lymes disease ( the doctor is still testing her blood saying it takes a few weeks to say for sure. ) She was out of work from March 17 to April 19, and she spent a week in the hospital, as well as a Dr's visit prior to that and a ER visit prior to that. The grand total after insurance paid there part was around 4200 bucks. So I went the very next day after we got home from the hospital and bought 20 chicks from TSC. I found backyard chickens after my bunch got sick with coccidiosis, but I had no idea what it was. So I joined the forum and posted and got such great feedback. I was able to get em cured and healthy again. I have 16 of my original 20 left, but only lost 2 to the cocci, 1 died from getting to cold because I still had it isolated, and 1 of em just totally disappeared yesterday... I suspect a hawk.

 

[Arielle]

Sorry to hear that your DW was so sick, and being in the Hospital for a week is no fun having done that 2x myself. I suspect tick fever as lymes in my family has been a very quiet illness with and withOUT the classic bullseye. Glad she is on the mend.

Incubator--I've been scoping out the styrofoam types that are just starting to show up at the stores. I was rather surprised at how thin and flimsy they seemed. As a result I dared to enter our basement for a search among the years of collected "stuff" for a suitable plastic cooler. So IMHO skip a flimsy cooler; maybe you can find a thicker, sturdier type than I ; otherwise go for gold and build a great one from metal and insulation foam board. GL