Homemade Incubator

[broberts]

Good evening. I am starting to think that I want to build an incubator (seems a lot cheaper than buying a cabinet model). I am interested in something like this:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=37494


Does anyone have any detailed plans? What is the best type of fan to use? I am wondering if a cpu fan will work. Another thing I am trying to figure out is the heating element. Would a light fixture with a light bulb will be enough heat? I want one that will do between 250 and 500 quail eggs.


Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


Brian

 

[wpalmisano]

Hey, nice idea. I also see a lot of people making them out of mini fridges. I was at our local dump this morning and noticed a small deep freeze and a mini fridge waiting to be recycled. I own a Sportsman 1502, which I love, but if I was going to build my own, that would be the ticket. Starting with a free cabinet would leave extra to spend on a few gadgets.

 

[broberts]

I really like the Sportsman, but don't know if I could get away with the purchase. Would probably have to spend a few nights in the chicken coop over that purchase.

 

[JJMR794]

I Have 2 Self Built Cabinets, Tho Much Bigger Than That. Heating Elements And Controls Are Readily Available From Gqf. I Used The Standard Cheap Lil Desk Fans From Big Lots For 5 Bucks Ea... But My Cabinets Are A Full 48 Inches Tall... So The Air Really Needs Moved Around Pretty Good....

 

[JJMR794]

THIS IS AN ADAPTATION OF THE CABINETS MADE BY RENEGADE RIDGE... THE ENTIRE CABINET CAN BE MADE FROM 1 4X8 SHEET OF PLYWOOD, THE PARTS ARE READILY AVAILABLE FROM GQF AND THE ENTIRE THING TAKES ME ABOUT 1 DAY TO MAKE.. AROUND 200 +/- 20 BUCKS

 

[JJMR794]

Oh Almost Forgot... Tsc Has The Lg Turners On Sale Thru The End Of The Month

 

[aprophet]

somewhere Georgia quail farms has dimensions on their web site

 

[galanie]

Quote:
Not sure about the CPU fan. If you mean the fan that actually goes on the processor, maybe not. If you mean a fan from a computer case, then yes - many of us use those. You need an old 12V power supply for them. Any old cord from a cell phone charger or zip drive or whatnot will work, just make sure it's 12V. You can use lesser voltage ones but the fan will spin slower.

Check the links in my sig below for some tips.

 

[Jenlyn9483]

Very Nice JJ. I have three, Actually 4 but one homemade im not using. One is made out of a 48qt cooler. it has a pc fan, two light bulb units and a $50.00 digital thermostat. These thermostats work pretty good. The second one is a regular hovabator and the third is a Really Large cooler. It also has two light fixture a fan i picked up at a yard sale for a dollar and the same digital thermostat. The only thing is tho. Now that I made the 48qt into a hatcher I want to get egg turners but i dont know if they will fit in my coolers. May be too narrow.

 

[srsmith69]

JJ, I saw pictures of your bators, but couldn't tell for sure if there was a false back in them to move the cool air from the bottom up to the fan. If so, can you tell me how much space there is between the back of the bator and the false back. Also, how much of an opening is there at the bottom of the bator under the false back. What do you use for a hatcher.