Hatching button quail - Homemade mini incubator

[Pet Duck Boy]

Stumbled across a tiny styrofoam cooler stashed away in the garage. Thought too myself "This is the perfect size for what I'm looking to hatch"! So now I'm sitting here, researching as much as I can about homemade incubators. I so far have the eyebulb socket, a panel of glass for viewing, and a small bowl for humidity. I'm in need of a temperature/humidity reading device, the fan (Which my dad said he can get from his work), turner for the eggs, and a light bulb that will work for my socket. I'm in need of some opinions to weather this estimated 10-20 dollar bator is going to pay off for hatching a dozen button quail eggs at a time. Like I said, the cooler is small. Outside, the cooler is 8" x 10". The dimensions inside are 6" x 8". So I'm either going to need a new socket and a very small low wattage lightbulb, or a lot of ventilation and something to block the light off the eggs. The panel of glass for viewing will cover one 6" side. On the otherhand, I don't think that would be too small for 10-12 button eggs. Well, right? I need some input.

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

Oh, and in an incubator that small...would I even need a fan?

 

[Rozzie]

You'll need to be careful about using a bowl for humidity. Button quail chicks are TINY when they hatch. (I've hatched three small batches in the last few weeks.) They can drown in the tiniest amounts of water.

I'd suggest something with a screen that can't possibly come loose & a weighted bottom so that it can't tip over.

Button Quail chicks are incredibly strong for their size. Mine were playing football with coturnix eggs that were bigger than they are that were due to hatch a couple of days later!

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

Quote:
Will do, I have some screen I can cover it with. Anyone else have input?

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

Surprised no-one is feeling helpful today?

But I found my thermometer/hygrometer, and a new socket and a smaller bulb. Cut a hole in the middle of one of the sides, and stuck the light fixture in and glued it down. I still need to cut one of the sides out and replace it with the panel of glass. So far things are going well, I still don't have a fan and I'm not sure if my dad can get me one soon. So I'll repeat it again, in an inubator as small as 6" x 8", will I even need a fan to circulate the air?

 

[Stellar]

Button quail eggs do better with circulated air.

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

Just thought of something - can I stick an aquarium air pump in the cooler for air circulation instead of a fan?

 

[Stellar]

Ummmm I have no clue

If you can manage to keep 99.5 degrees in there and have adequate holes for ventilatilation that would be still air. The fan adds circulation so you have even temperature throughout the incubator. Button quail eggs are easy to hatch but I am thinking the air pump in the aquarium would need water to work???? They are meant for fish...

 

[_Randall_]

Quote:
Don't think you will get anything out of that. A fan's design is produce air movement measued in CFM (cubic feet per minute). Even the tiniest fan you can find will be better than nothing, as all you are trying to do is move the air around inside the "box" so it will allow the temp to be even throughout......(remember, heat rises). The aquarium pump only disperses a "whisper" of air, meant to be distributed while submerged down in water .

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

http://www.petdiscounters.com/mc_images/product/detail/tominaga_stellar_w10_air_pump_black.jpg <--- That's the kind of air pump I mean, but smaller, and without the tube. It takes air in through the bottom and blows air out through the hole. (Which is supposed to be connected to a bendable tube, which snakes into the the fish tank blowing out bubbles) The one I have is small so I figured I can place the pump inside the cooler, and cut a hole so the extension cord can get to an outlet. Just an idea, I'll have to test it out.