Ok given my last post I had to say something a little more positive. Anyway, hubby built me a homemade incubator based on ones we saw posted here. I have to say that I couldn't be more thrilled with it. The temp hasn't deviated at all. It has stayed between 99-100 from day 1. We ran it for 48 hrs before I put eggs in and we are now on day 11 of the hatch and day 14 since we turned it on. 
I'm so thrilled !!!!!! I will say that the humidity hasn't been as easy to maintain. Since I have am going with the dry method the breeder I got the eggs from recommended 35-43% which has been fairly easy to maintain. Also I do let it dry down each day to around 20-25% for several hours and several times it has gone as low as 16% for up to 5 hrs during the night. The hard part though is that I have to put water in it 4-6 times a day. The reason is that if I put more than about 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. in at a time it shoots the humidity up to almost 50%, and stays that high for a while. I'm probably being anal but this is my first hatch in years and since I'm starting all over I want to get as many as I can to hatch.
Having said that I'm absolutely thrilled with my homemade incubator. Plus it only cost $25 total to make including the hygrometer/ thermometer. He used a foam cooler from Omaha steaks my mom gave me, a water heater thermostat, an old computer fan, and a 75w bulb in a cheap socket fixture. He put a small crate pan on the bottom that we used from an old tiny dog crate we had as well as the top of the crate as a base for the eggs. He used thin narrow pieces of wood with holes drilled in the ends an zip tied them in between the bars of the crate piece. He also zip tied a wooden dowel under the base piece, with the ends sticking out of the sides to use to turn the eggs. It also holds the base up above the pan that hold the water. Oh and he cut a hole in the top and used the glass from an old unused picture frame we had in the closet, and secured it with some Tyvek tape he had.
I think using the glass instead of getting plexiglass or using plastic and the Tyvek tape which is not porous is making all the difference, but I'm not sure. Anyway just wanted to share. I can get pics if anyone wants them.
Rebekah
I'm so thrilled !!!!!! I will say that the humidity hasn't been as easy to maintain. Since I have am going with the dry method the breeder I got the eggs from recommended 35-43% which has been fairly easy to maintain. Also I do let it dry down each day to around 20-25% for several hours and several times it has gone as low as 16% for up to 5 hrs during the night. The hard part though is that I have to put water in it 4-6 times a day. The reason is that if I put more than about 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. in at a time it shoots the humidity up to almost 50%, and stays that high for a while. I'm probably being anal but this is my first hatch in years and since I'm starting all over I want to get as many as I can to hatch. Having said that I'm absolutely thrilled with my homemade incubator. Plus it only cost $25 total to make including the hygrometer/ thermometer. He used a foam cooler from Omaha steaks my mom gave me, a water heater thermostat, an old computer fan, and a 75w bulb in a cheap socket fixture. He put a small crate pan on the bottom that we used from an old tiny dog crate we had as well as the top of the crate as a base for the eggs. He used thin narrow pieces of wood with holes drilled in the ends an zip tied them in between the bars of the crate piece. He also zip tied a wooden dowel under the base piece, with the ends sticking out of the sides to use to turn the eggs. It also holds the base up above the pan that hold the water. Oh and he cut a hole in the top and used the glass from an old unused picture frame we had in the closet, and secured it with some Tyvek tape he had.
I think using the glass instead of getting plexiglass or using plastic and the Tyvek tape which is not porous is making all the difference, but I'm not sure. Anyway just wanted to share. I can get pics if anyone wants them.
Rebekah
