Home made incubator survey

[lazy gardener]

Since there is so much interest in home made incubators, I thought it would be helpful if people could share their experiences with incubators: specifically, thermostatically controlled, forced air.


1. What kind of thermostat did you use? Any modifications? Where did you place it in relation to the heat source and the fan?

2. What did you use for heat source? Bulbs? 1 or 2? Wattage? Did you have to make any modifications in wattage or bulb location? Bulb(s)above, or below eggs, or to the side? Even with the fan, did you notice any temperature variation from the middle of the incubator to the sides/back of the incubator?

3. How high did you run your humidity?

4. What was your goal temperature, how well did the incubator maintain that temp?

5. Hatch success? Were eggs shipped, local, or from your own flock? How many eggs set, how many quitters/infertile? If eggs failed, do you have an approximate idea what age, and any idea why?

6. Any problems, recommendations, changes that you would make for the next bator you build, or modifications to the existing one?

7. Other comments related to your incubator and hatch.

Thanks, I'm hoping that this will be a good learning experience for all.

 

[Caitlin_VT]

I hope others chime in! I have a small (8 egg) batch in my new wine cooler bator, so I can only answer a few of the above questions at the moment. I will complete it after my first hatch!

1 &2. I used the IncuKit 100 Watt kit from Incubator Warehouse (super easy to install!), which includes a fan, heating element, and electronic thermostat. We placed the fan on the top of the incubator since heat rises. We pulled the wires out of the back (removed all of the cooling elements off the fridge, which left a pretty big rectangular hole) and I put duct tape over most of the opening, although I did leave a hole a little larger than the one on the Genesis Hovabator. I had to turn the thermostat down to 97.5 (I think?) and my thermometer resting on the eggs usually reads 99.1-100, although there is a little bit of a swing after I have the door open. So far, it has only ranged from 98.8 about 101 after the door has been open. Obviously, the small hatch I have going will be my best calibration test!

3. I don't worry about humidity. Its about 15-20% in our house. I don't add extra water until lockdown, which will occur in my Genesis'.

4. My goal temp was/is 99.5, and it seems to be staying pretty steady! We'll see how this hatch goes! Not sure if I will have to adjust the temperature when/if I have it filled (I plan on installing 3 x 30 egg trays). Wine coolers are well insulated, so I'm not surprised at how well the temperature is holding steady!