Expensive Incubators!

[Mattake2]

When I was in high school vo-ag (about 12 years ago) I bought a still air incubator for around $26. Now that I'm back in the chicken business I thought I'd go find another one since... around here things get lost or tossed without any remorse. I went to 6-7 farm supply stores to find that the price has over DOUBLED since 1996. When did that happen & why?

I ended up making a homemade incubator out of a styrofoam cooler instead. It maintains the temperature & humidity surprisingly well. It's not the most attractive device I've ever seen but it's getting the job done.

 

[MissPrissy]

Welcome to the DIY Chicken Farmers Club. Your membership card is in the mail.

 

[goatkeepers]

Yeah, we did the same thing. I can't justify spending 200 bucks or more on an incubator right now so we made a styrofoam one as well.

Mine maintains humidity well, but the heat is all over the place

I think that has to do with the dimmer though. The light will start flickering every once in a while. Dunno if it;s a power surge or what.

 

[Davaroo]

Theyve gone up because people want them again. Chickens are "in and the demand is there.

Plus costs across the borad have goe up for everything.
But you did the right thing making your own. You are now invested and have real understanding.

"It requires exactness to incubate successfully. No careless person will ever succeed in incubation." - - Charles Weeks

 

[Mattake2]

I put a clear plastic plate in a cutout I made on the lid & I'm using a heat lamp. The temperature is much more stable this way.

 

[goatkeepers]

I'm not sure I understand the plastic plate thing. Could you explain more please?

 

[Julie08]

My bator has paid for itself over and over and over again.

 

[Mattake2]

I cut a hole in the lid of a styrofoam cooler & traced around a clear plastic plate lid. (Looks like a to-go container that measures about 10 x 10.) I pushed it up through the bottom of the styrofoam cutout so that the plate lid serves as a dome to let the heat from my heat lamp in.