Home Made Incubator Novice Hatch

[DIYCHRIS]

Hi everyone I'm new to keeping and raising chickens and have recently made an incubator and added my first eggs. I purchased a Styrofoam box from an online manufacturer then added a thermostat that I found on Ebay and that seems to be accurate enough to keep my incubator within .6c. For humidity I've just put in two jars and keep topping them up as needed. My humidity has so far been kept within 40-55%. As you can see from the pic I've cut a v shaped hole in the lid of the incubator for free flow of air and to keep my humidity as accurate as possible. I used something I found in a kitchen draw as an vent that was part of an old blender or something. I can open and close it to restrict or increase air flow , I attached it into place using a nut and bolt and it seems to work really good. For the heat I chose to go with a heat mat, I took an old PC fan and wired it up to an old phone charger to keep the temperature consistent throughout. The total cost was around £35-£40. It was very simple to put together and ten days ago I added 12 eggs and have ten eggs that are fertile and they seem to be doing fine. I cracked open the eggs that had no signs of growth and they were infertile. Any suggestions for improvements would be helpful

 

[DIYCHRIS]

I will also be adding two plastic fine mesh trays before the eggs hatch one for the eggs and one to section off the equipment. I also have the option of adding more egg trays but wont be doing that unless someone wants me to hatch them some eggs then I would easily be able to add another two trays. I chose to go with a mix of buff and white orprington eggs as I want to raise both egg layers and meat birds . The cocks will be the meat birds and depending on demand I may raise chicks to sell on. Don,t hesitate to ask any questions and all the equipment I used can be found on Ebay but If you decide to use the same thermostat make sure the voltage the correct voltage as the same type of thermostat is used worldwide

 

[Daedalus62]

Nice build, Chris... Hope the hatches go well!

If you're adding a tray for the equipment, keep it above the eggs!!... You don't want it all dirty with egg goo, blood, bits of shell, etc, when the chicks hatch.

How do you plan egg turning?

Cheers

 

[DIYCHRIS]

Nice build, Chris... Hope the hatches go well!

If you're adding a tray for the equipment, keep it above the eggs!!... You don't want it all dirty with egg goo, blood, bits of shell, etc, when the chicks hatch.

How do you plan egg turning?

Cheers

Hi thanx I didn't think of putting the equipment above so Ill be doing that, I've been turning by hand every few hours, When I'm not in my wife takes over. The eggs seem to be developing fine and I see movement in all ten eggs still, I've put a pop bottle in full of water and that seems to help get the incubator back up to temperature quickly when I open it up to turn the eggs or candle them. As long as I'm quick at tweaking things around I don't think Ill have any problems. I was going to add an egg turner but couldn't find anything that was cheap enough as I want to keep the costs down. I have a lot to buy with the coop and all

 

[gpop1]

looks good. I like the idea of making things work with out going to major expense. As you are in to diy you might consider making a see-saw egg turner then just running a rod out of the top of the foam crate so you don't have to open the front. i made one out of ply when i found turning each egg by hand was to much like work.

 

[DIYCHRIS]

looks good. I like the idea of making things work with out going to major expense. As you are in to diy you might consider making a see-saw egg turner then just running a rod out of the top of the foam crate so you don't have to open the front. i made one out of ply when i found turning each egg by hand was to much like work.

Good idea I think Ill do that after my first hatch. I'm making a brooder next out of an old fridge freezer it packed up so ill get my angle grinder around it

I've removed the cooling element and now I'm going to cut through the freezer and fridge to make it into one unit. Ill post some pics if its any good when I've finished it