Homemade incubator help.

[Valeriemichelle]

Okay, I made a incubator out of a plastic cooler.
Instead of the chicken wire mesh at the bottom of the incubator is it okay to just lay a small kitchen towel down?
Is this going to do anything or mess something up? I've only seen like 1 other person that did it.

I need some advice.

 

[bahamas]

i dont think theres anything wrong with it. you may want to dampen it a little bit with warmish water to add a little humoidty but not to damp. LIghtly damp.

 

[mrbstephens]

I used a piece of hardware cloth on the bottom and put a plastic container under it for water. Look here;

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=7562-The_GopherBator

 

[Valeriemichelle]

Quote:
OKay thank you. In your incubator i see you used a hot water heater thermostat. Do you have temp swings?

 

[mrbstephens]

Quote:
OKay thank you. In your incubator i see you used a hot water heater thermostat. Do you have temp swings?

That's not my incubator. This is my incubator;

I used a hot water heater in mine too. I left it running for 24 hours to get the temp stabilized. It swings from 98.5 - 101 which averages about 99.5 so that should be fine according to others on this forum. This is my first time. It's been running for 3 days now and the temps are staying in that range. I have a pc fan set up in there and 4 small canning jars full of water with lids to help keep the heat even throughout the bator. This morning I needed to add a little warm water to the container because the humidity was dropping a little. I'm keeping the humidity around 42 - 45 %. I have a piece of tubing that runs from outside the bator to the container so I won't have to open the bator to add water. I recommend making 3 vent holes. Ventilation is very important, but drafts are bad so put the bator in a protected place. I have mine in my bedroom closet.

 

[Valeriemichelle]

Quote:
OKay thank you. In your incubator i see you used a hot water heater thermostat. Do you have temp swings?

That's not my incubator. This is my incubator;
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/32358_101_4591.jpg
I used a hot water heater in mine too. I left it running for 24 hours to get the temp stabilized. It swings from 98.5 - 101 which averages about 99.5 so that should be fine according to others on this forum. This is my first time. It's been running for 3 days now and the temps are staying in that range. I have a pc fan set up in there and 4 small canning jars full of water with lids to help keep the heat even throughout the bator. This morning I needed to add a little warm water to the container because the humidity was dropping a little. I'm keeping the humidity around 42 - 45 %. I have a piece of tubing that runs from outside the bator to the container so I won't have to open the bator to add water. I recommend making 3 vent holes. Ventilation is very important, but drafts are bad so put the bator in a protected place. I have mine in my bedroom closet.

see, I have a hot water heater thermostat, pc fan and a large jar and small jar of water in my incubator. My temp swings from 102 to 95. Which is an average of about 98.5. do you think thats a good temp?

 

[mrbstephens]

I think 95 is too low for the temp to drop. Maybe the thermostat is too far from the lamp. It should be about 4-5 inches from it. I have four small jars full of water covered with lids that are placed evenly throughout the bator. How accurate is your thermometer? I have a digital one and a candy thermometer too. The candy thermometer was calibrated so I know it's accurate. Do you have the incubator in a drafty area? I also made sure there was about an inch between the wall of the cooler and the pc fan to allow more air to get behind it. Oh, and a piece of foil pan or cardboard wrapped in foil infront of the light bulb (that's not in the pic).

 

[Valeriemichelle]

Now the temp swings are 102-96. Is that still bad?

In my incubator, my light is on the top (on the lid). My thermostat is on the side of the incubator level with the light bulb. And it is about 4-5 inches away.

I also do have the fan about an inch away from the wall. its in the corner of my incubator. & no its not in a drafty area.

I'm really not sure how accuate my thermometer is. I just picked up a cheap one from lowes when I bought my thermostat.

I probably should have bought a better one. You think?

 

[mrbstephens]

How long have you had it running? Did you put the jars with water in there?

 

[Valeriemichelle]

It's been running for about a day now. & No, I've had the jars in it.