Homemade Incubator - Picture Heavy

[BirdBrain]

I shouldn't rag on him too much. He is reasly terrific and puts up with a lot of hair brained (or in this case birdbrained) ideas and projects from me. He tends to over engineer things but in the end he is always right.

 

[BirdBrain]

Things are coming along nice. We are into day 7 and temps are holding rock solid. I had problems with humidity being too high until I used a smaller cup for water, thus decreasing the surface area. I candled and could see good development in some of the eggs.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
LOL That is just our nature, we love to over think things, my bator project is turning into a NASA type event. But I do think it will be super cool.

AL

 

[BirdBrain]

We must see pictures of course!!

 

[Country Guy John]

I wish that I had your technical skills.

 

[BirdBrain]

errr.....you mean my husbands technical skills. He is the one who directed me as I did the wiring. He was dead dog sick and I had a deadline so I propped him up in bed and brought everything in there. He told me what to do and I did it. Now that I see how it is done, it is a breeze and very logical, but before, I couldn't wrap my mind around what the wiring diagram meant. I plan to draw up a picture one of these days for anyone else who wants to try.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
That was nice of you to bring the project to the bedroom so he could help. Me and the DW do the same thing she may need my input on an artsy fartsy project, and I seek her out when I need help with some tedious detail work, she loves that.

Good job you two
AL

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

Is it ok that the bottoms of the eggs are covered? Is that enough ventilation? I'm making one like yours and i was thinking the bottoms should be left open, like make a smaller hole in the bottom of one carton and only use that...or i could put wire over it? Also what angle should they go to? My cooler is smaller so I think i'll only fit 20 so the boxes will be narrower...What do y'all think?

 

[BirdBrain]

I don't think it matters greatly if the bottoms of the eggs are covered. I don't know if it is real clear in the pictures, but I cut the bottom off each egg cup and then for stability hot glued the bottom of the egg tray to the lid of the egg carton. I glued it at the corners and the middle of the long sides. Then gave the whole affair more rigidity and still allowed for circulation of air around the eggs.

I think mine turns about 45 degrees to each side. I put an egg at the outside of each tray and supporting the turner with both hands rotated it from side to side to see how high in the bator it needed to go to get a good turning angle and still keep the eggs in the turner. Not rocket science, just a guestamation.

I think you'll do just fine. Be sure to post pictures when you get it done and be sure to enter the bator contest.

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

Thank you so much for the specifics! I will post pics once we finish it

Hubby said he would help this weekend...he's the electrician

Good luck on your hatch!