Homemade incubator~help!

[StephenieR]

Hey everyone,
I am having a big dilemma. I am a total newb to the chicken life. I mean, I was raised with chickens but never had my own.
ANYWAY!
I made my own incubator with a foam cooler, got the info online and every one said the same thing. Cooler, thermometer/humidity gauge, water/sponge, 25w bulb, wire, window, yadayada. I followed all the directions but can't get my humidity and temp to stabilize so I can finally get my eggs. I use a 25w bulb the temp is too low, but the humidity is perfect, I use a 40w bulb, the temp is too high and humidity sky rockets! I open up an air hole and the whole thing craps out.
I'm only planning on doing this the one time, but I could use some suggestions. I have the incubator in the garage, should I bring it in the house? If I do that, will the humidity be more effected? Grrr.
I incubated duck eggs a few years ago for a project with my daughter (she was 7) and we enjoyed every bit. We had a 2 ducks out of the dozen eggs. The ducks are now on a farm because they would fly into my neighbors yard and get picked on by their dogs, we were worried they would get into the road and squished. Chickens seem like a better idea for the suburbs.
Does the humidity really need to be exact or am I just making this harder on myself? Any advice would be appreciated, even if it's not just about my incubator.
Thanks!

 

[Yiannisk]

Humitidy does not have to be very exact but temp has to be as exact as possible so consider using a reliable thermostad

 

[Sweetlilbaby]

My used incubator that I bought is the home made type. it's a plastic cooler with window, and lightbulb... Try putting a wire rack in the bottom of it to lift the eggs up higher. Mine had to be lifted 2 inchs to get the right temp. The higher up in the incubator they are the warmer they will be.
It took me 2 failed hatches before I got it perfect. Because I had it set up keeping the right temp and humidity then when I put eggs in the firs time the temp decided it was going to go crazy. Second time a container with water cracked and flooded my eggs. Also good reason to have eggs on a wire rack above the bottom. If water spills your eggs wont drown.
On my third attempt and all is going well. My temp is staying right at 99.8, Humidity is at 50% and I am only a week away from my hatch date. The previous times there were issues by now.

 

[quintinp]

If you are heating an incubator with a light bulb, you HAVE to get a fan. You will also need a thermostat to get the temperature more exact.

Are you wiring savvy? Can you follow simple instructions for wiring your incubator to a thermostat, and adding a fan?

 

[mohillbilly]

you will never stabilize it without a thermostat

 

[kg7il]

I just installed a 3122 Wafer Thermostat and spent about an hour adjusting it.
It is just the thing for a homemade incubator. My previous "King Line Thermostat" just didn't have the accuracy.

I fabricated an aluminum angle to mount it, but other than that, it should wirenut to your setup.

Google Shopping Search http://www.google.com/#q=3122+wafer...f.,cf.osb&fp=fcbb4b48610c48b&biw=1193&bih=600

 

[StephenieR]

Well, to let you all know. My incubator was a total disaster! I couldn't keep my temp or my humidity within a decent range and the temp outside was a lot higher than we started the process. It fluctuated so much I almost lost hope.
HOWEVER!!!
By day 10, I found an infertile egg and a failed growth. But without installing a fan or thermostat, I hatched all 18 remaining eggs more successfully than I could imagine! So what does this make me???? I failure at incubator science but a genius as a broody hen!
So, after all my stresses, I have 18 healthy babies pooping up a storm! I wonder if it was the fact that it was so unstable like mom. Even on the 20th day, the temp dropped to 87 and the humidity fluctuated. It's pretty crazy how fantastic it was to watch the babies just do their thing....

 

[cva34]

An Incubator without a thermostat is like a car without a steering wheel going down the road ...cva34

 

[StephenieR]

Well, apparently I did something right.
I had two thermometers and humidity readers but no fan.
I don't feel bad about my hatch rate!

 

[nurse_turtle]

I am able to keep a stable temp using a dimmer switch, but the incubator is in a closet with no AC vent and temperature fluctuations in the room don't seem to effect the bator temp as much. I would think the smaller the incubator, the harder to maintain temps. Not as much "room for error".