Heating the incubator with manure

[onthespot]

Check out this ebay auction! It is an old timey lithograph of a built in wall unit incubator. Looks like they are using the heat from composting manure for a steady heat source for incubating eggs!!!
http://cgi.ebay.com/1762-Antique-En...tZAntiquarian_Collectible?hash=item45f0048122

 

[GraceAK]

WHAT?!

 

[Barred Rockstar]

That's pretty cool. Composting manure can get quite a bit hotter than 100 degrees though, I wonder how they regulated the temperature and what kind of hatch rates they got?

 

[geosheets]

Not sure about the temps of decaying manure but alligators, some snakes, and I think a few birds use decaying vegetation to incubate their eggs. I don't see why it wouldn't work... it would definitely be a neat experiment... hmmm, compost bin/incubator (the wheels are turning). You could probably fashion a thermal vent to help regulate the temps if need be. Anyways, neat find... thanks for sharing.