Homemade incubator help please :)

[Jocasta]

Hiya. I'm in the UK. A fox got a couple of our birds a few months ago and I gutted and dressed them for the table. I found the experience easier than I'd have thought and am now really loving the idea of raising our own Christmas turkey. A few problems though. We're flat broke - period! This is the exact reason we got chickens in the first place - we're a large family and were spending a fortune on eggs.

I'm not sure what it's like in other parts of the world but where I am, a turkey's laying season is VERY short - c. 2m. It's just started. I can't guarantee that any of my birds will get broody in time so am wanting to construct my own incubator. Sounds great, but I'm blonde - and in a "part of my genetic make up" kinda way! I have an icebox that my local pet store very kindly let me have, and also have a husband who's vaguely willing to do the electrical side of things (although he's not exactly "enthusiastic" and thinks I'm barking mad - may be on to something

). I really need to incorporate some form of automatic turning - my organisation ability is next to non-existent and I just don't trust myself to remember to turn eggs every four hours. I think every aspect of the incubator seems pretty straightforward, until we get into automatic turning; the main criteria being "dirt cheap" (no pun intended

).

If anyone has any experience with automatic turning on a very tight budget and would care to share detailed tips, I would be very, very grateful!

TIA

 

[Nikkumz]

Well this isnt automatic turning, but if you use egg cartos and glue them to pvc piping and let the pipe stick out of the side of the bator, its alot easier to turn seiing how you just had to turn the pipe, and since it sticks out,if you keep the bator in a relatively used area in your house(bathroom, laundry room) something along those lines, you will see it and remember to turn them

 

[Jocasta]

Thanks for that. I was thinking of putting them all in an egg carton and raising one end, alternating ends every four hours - that should work right? I think they call that semi automatic? It's just that I would like to fully automate the process so that I won't need to be home every four hours. Any other tips? My husband is pretty handy with electronics, but it's trying to work out the logistics.

TIA

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Unless you are a really good builder with all kinds of parts a auto turner is just not going to happen under the price of one at the store.

A power car antenna, a 12V output wall plug an a light timer could be made to do it but those dont come cheep compared to what an auto turner costs.

 

[abritton77]

I just built one for about 75 bucks and dont think you can do it for a penny less. I also have a shop full of tools and am an electrician. If you are only wanting to hatch a few eggs I would buy a LG turner.

Here is what I used and the price of each.
1 2 rpm 120 vac gear motor for 10 bucks off of ebay. Actually won an auction for 2 at 10 bucks plus 10 bucks shipping. only needed one but this was the best deal.
2 24 hr timers from walmart for $4 each.
2 limit swithes from ebay fro $20.
Odds and ends for the electrical and hardware were at least $40

I did it cheaper than the GQF turner, but I had the tools to build it.

 

[aprophet]

there are a coupla ways of doing it here are a few maybe they will give you hubby some Ideas

this type you could set on the shelves in the fridge

this type is the type a lot of cabinet incys have HTH