Homemade incubators? Do they work?

[AlleysChicks]

I made one with a dimmer switch and killed my eggs on day 7. Temp spiked in the night after staying constant for 10 days.

 

[AlleysChicks]

I’ve made 2 that successfully hatch eggs. It depends on what you use.

 

[Lrosell31]

I want to get a temperature gauge that tells the humidity also.

 

[Rose Quartz]

I want to get a temperature gauge that tells the humidity also.

you can find those pretty cheap on amazon or ebay.

 

[Boonie Stomper]

Can a heated pad like come in pet carriers work?

 

[cmom]

I incubate in a cabinet incubator but hatch in my homemade incubator/hatcher.

 

[jvls1942]

if you can get the temps up to 99.5F and hold it right there, just about any heat source will work. the key is to have a good sensitive thermostat..
try to avoid a heat source that emits heat even after it is turned off. you want a heat source that cools off quickly..

 

[Lrosell31]

if you can get the temps up to 99.5F and hold it right there, just about any heat source will work. the key is to have a good sensitive thermostat..
try to avoid a heat source that emits heat even after it is turned off. you want a heat source that cools off quickly..

. Is there better light bulbs than others. Or what would you advise for a heat source. The one I saw on you tube said just to use a light bulb and a dimmer switch but she didn’t say how many watts to get.

 

[Rose Quartz]

. Is there better light bulbs than others. Or what would you advise for a heat source. The one I saw on you tube said just to use a light bulb and a dimmer switch but she didn’t say how many watts to get.

it really depends on your size of box. this one that I made I used a 60w incandescent.

it worked without the car headlights on thermostats it just required constant adjusting. especially just before bed and first thing in the morning.

^ that's 20"

this held 36 eggs in the front section. it took an hour a day to turn the eggs 5x by hand.

with out the car headlights and thermostats I think this cost about $150 CAD

the purple board in the bottom is humidity barrier insulating board it helped significantly with keeping humidity in for lockdown. I can't remember the cost of the thermostats or headlights but it wasn't too expensive. it made it so I didn't have to adjust it all the time. for lockdown I had to add a second 60 watt light.

 

[cmom]

I put 2 15 watt incandescent bulbs in mine I originally had a single bulb with a dimmer switch in but one time it burned out and the dimmer switch was hard to use to get the heat correct. I have since put a wafer thermostat in at now it hold the temperature beautifully.