Home made Incubator

[McHenry1947]

I am new to the forum, although I have lurked for a few days. I am from N. Central Arkansas. I have always had a few chickens for fresh eggs and for the neighbors. In the past I tried to hatch a few chicks in the styrofoam incubators with no luck at all. Now I have got the urge to build a cabinet incubator. Am a pretty good handy-man. But have no idea what size I need or where to start. First I want to insulate it well enough that I don't have to keep it in the house. I want to ask a few questions. I was thinking about something like 36" tall 24" wide and deep. Can I get a couple trays in this or maybe a hundred eggs or so? Has anybody used the Flex Watt heat tape or the ceramic heat emitters for a heat source. It looks to me that light bulbs or heat lamps you create fire danger. The size I am talking about if I use 3/4" ply-board 1 1/2" styrofoam insulation with a for-mica what type or how big a heat source would I need. I have been on e-bay and found thermostats ,thermometers, PC fans,heat tape & heat emitters but my problem is I don't know what I need, without spending the farm on trial and error. I have been to the home made page here on the forum trying to get measurements ect. I need help!

Thanks Keith

 

[BirdBrain]

First of all, welcome. Were glad you are here. When you finish your creation please make a BYC page so we can copy you.

Keith if it were me, I think i'd visit the GQF incubator site. They have wiring schimatics for their bators as well as (I belive) complete replacement innards for cabinet bators. You could probably find out the measurements of their cabinet bators as well.

One thing you might consider is making a styro or cooler bator first, using a computer fan (surely you have an old computer laying around or know someone who does) and a 12 volt ac-dc adapter (check the dollar store or fork over $16 at radioshack). Cutler's Supply has wafer thermostats. If you make one this way you will have an opportunity to hone your skills. You may also find, like I did, that thngs needed some tweeking to do what I wanted them to do.

 

[Serrin]

Hey Keith!

!! You and I are in the same boat in this respect. I have an LG still air that I've never placed a single egg into because I've not been able to get the temperature stabilized after almost a week and a half of trying. I too have ditched the whole Styrofoam 'bator idea in favor of a cabinet style.

I'll be salvaging some of the parts from my LG to go into my DIY cabinet 'bator. At this point, due to the size I plan, (20w x 20d x 32h) the heating element may not be up to the task. I am therefore searching for a suitable alternative. I have two computer fans that should be up to the task of circulating that volume of air.

After reviewing a good many designs that have been posted here on BYC, I'm thinking I will utilize a water heater tank thermostat to control whatever heating element that I do finally decide on.

I do have an auto turner from the LG that I will also incorporate into the upper most shelf. At this time, I plan on at least 3 incubating shelves and a fourth hatching shelf.

I plan to make this cabinet type 'bator more or less of a furniture grade quality, since it will probably spend most of its life in either our laundry room or in the living room (I'm working on the husband to let me keep it in the living room!

) so it has to look nice in addition to being completely functional.

Those are my tentative plans thus far. Every day I discover something new that I hadn't thought of before, and thus cause a revision in my plans.

I'd love to hear more about the design elements that you are considering and when you have your 'bator completed, I'd very much like to see the results. Please keep us posted on your progress and be sure to post pics of the completed incubator! Good Luck!

 

[aprophet]

here are a few ideas / resources

http://www.utm.edu/departments/cece/idea/incu.shtml

http://urbanext.illinois.edu/eggs/res20-incubator.html

http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/pages/index.jsp?what=subjectAreasD&subjectAreasId=29

http://www2.gsu.edu/~biojdsx/fowl/incub.htm

http://msucares.com/poultry/reproductions/poultry_make_incubator.html

http://msucares.com/poultry/reproductions/poultry_plywood_incubator.html

http://www.cyberquail.com/incubators.html

if you need more ideas / links I have a ton of them the small plywood bators seem likie they need at least 80-100 watts minimum when you start insulating them that goes down quik