I need help on all details please!
What kind of light works the best?
What kind of light works the best?
I Need help ASAP with making my own incubator please help
- Thread starter Katiesduckies
- Start date
Im no expert but i think alot use hallogen bulbs, also a standard 40 or 60w house bulb tends to be very popular, Im going for the 12v hallogen route as i think it will give off sufficent heat and yet keep the running costs down. Hopeing for the thermostat to arrive on Monday then i can start to build. Take a look at the coops section and have a look at the incubators some are amazing. also i have spent alot of time on you tube looking at how others have made them, and the parts that they have used, theres loads of info on there. Good luck
Any incandescent (or other heat producing) light bulb that can keep the temperature in your incubator (container) correct.
In a small container it might be a 40 watt bulb, in a large container may need 100 watt bulb.
You also need a way to protect the bulb from humidity and chicks.
and the container works best if it is water proof and an insulated (like Styrofoam)
Also it will need vents to exchange air as the chicks use the porous shells to breathe.
You will need a thermometer to check the temp, and possibly a hydrometer to check humidity.
Good Luck.
In a small container it might be a 40 watt bulb, in a large container may need 100 watt bulb.
You also need a way to protect the bulb from humidity and chicks.
and the container works best if it is water proof and an insulated (like Styrofoam)
Also it will need vents to exchange air as the chicks use the porous shells to breathe.
You will need a thermometer to check the temp, and possibly a hydrometer to check humidity.
Good Luck.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #4
Thank you everyone!! I'm hoping to find some cool stuff around the house to use I know I have a lamp that I can dissect and things like that I just hope it works. How do you do this whole process? Do you just put the eggs in the incubator and turn them 3x a day for 21 days and hope they hatch? I'm really clueless but I want chicks and my hens are halfa$$ sitting on their eggs lol so I'm going to take over and do it for them!!
Hi Katieduckies I have just pm'ed you with some info
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/homemade-chicken-egg-incubator-designs-pictures
Have you tried this link.
Unless you make a big one a small watt bulb will work
A small fan helps circulate the heated air
An accurate thermometer
Something to keep the chicks away from the lightbulb
Some way to add humidity
Im shure more people have better info then me good luck
Have you tried this link.
Unless you make a big one a small watt bulb will work
A small fan helps circulate the heated air
An accurate thermometer
Something to keep the chicks away from the lightbulb
Some way to add humidity
Im shure more people have better info then me good luck
You should get a thermometer a glass thermometer, or digital thermometer.
For heating, most people use a 75 watt light bulb. (You need something to control the heat while you are gone)
That's where a thermostat comes into play.
Many people use a dimmer switch. They are fairly easy to wire, and use.
I used a Water Heater thermostat.
Water heater thermostats aren't sensitive to temperature changes. So you have to drill holes into the thermostat, so that hot/cool air can come in contact with the thermostat sensor, and the thermostat can react quicker.
When heating an incubator with a light bulb, you will NEED a fan. This helps to keep the bulb's light from getting certain areas MUCH hotter than others.
If you need any info on wiring the lamp fixture to the thermostat.
Obtaining the fan, or any thing like that, JUST PM ME
I'll be there as soon as I can be.
For heating, most people use a 75 watt light bulb. (You need something to control the heat while you are gone)
That's where a thermostat comes into play.
Many people use a dimmer switch. They are fairly easy to wire, and use.
I used a Water Heater thermostat.
Water heater thermostats aren't sensitive to temperature changes. So you have to drill holes into the thermostat, so that hot/cool air can come in contact with the thermostat sensor, and the thermostat can react quicker.
When heating an incubator with a light bulb, you will NEED a fan. This helps to keep the bulb's light from getting certain areas MUCH hotter than others.
If you need any info on wiring the lamp fixture to the thermostat.
Obtaining the fan, or any thing like that, JUST PM ME
I'll be there as soon as I can be.
I like the idea of using 2 light bulbs. In the event one burns out the other will keep things close enough. My incubator is the size of a bottom under-counter kitchen cabinet. I use two 100 watt halogen spot lights. Probably overkill but.... From the experience of others, it seems that if you use a fan it helps distribute air better and if the air is blown over the light bulb, the light bulbs last much much longer.
You Say; How do you do this whole process? Do you just put the eggs in the incubator and turn them 3x a day for 21 days and hope they hatch? I'm really clueless but I want chicks and my hens are halfa$$ sitting on their eggs lol so I'm going to take over and do it for them!!
There are some key variables you will deal with. Some are very critical and others where there is some differing opinions about. For the most pat everyone agrees that the temp should stay around 99.5 or so. Humidity is arguably the most controversial variable we deal with. Read about it and decide. Another issue is to either stand your eggs up on end or lay them on their side as they are in the nests. I personally stand shipped eggs and lay down local eggs.
Go to YouTube and type in "INCUBATOR" then try "Thermostat for incubator". Youtube has some very instructive videos. You just have to be specific in your search. Then, there is a place in the Learning Center here at BYC with an entire section with homemade incubators like crazy. Many of them have photos taken of the entire build project. If you have any mechanical aptitude,or help, you can quickly determine who's incubator is most like the one you want, and build one. You will get very quick responses when you come back here to ask any questions you might have. Right now, your questions are too general for us to help you. Give us an idea of how many eggs you want to incubate at once. How much do want to spend? How big of an incubator did you have in mind? I still think the"Homemade incubator" section will help you decide which type most suits your needs.
Some folks try to get by with a dimmer switch to raise and lower the temp by making moves manually. I never even considered that route. A $20.00 dollar thermostat will turn the heat source (light or element) on and off automatically, keeping your eggs at a constant temp ALWAYS! Quintinp and others very successfully, use a water heater thermostat that costs only $10.00. I would certainly trust one of those that have been drilled.
You sound like you're in a hurry to get those eggs out from under those chickens. It would be a great idea if you could cram-read all you can, very quickly before you just throw something together and snatch the eggs away from under the hens. Try the Learning Center here at BYC on actual incubation of eggs. There are wiring diagrams for the simple little set-ups that we use. This stuff is easy. You just GOTTA know a little before you take off.
The "search box" here is an incredible source of information. Type in "fan", bingo, all you wanna know. The same with "heat sources", "insulation" "humidity". I bought a digital thermometer/hygrometer at Walmart. It gives me a reading of the temperature and humidity on one little meter. Now this little meter ONLY READS, it does not CONTROL anything.
So, if you use the "search box" here at BYC, then visit YouTube, and come back here and read some more for a while, you will be asking questions from a much more learn-ed position. And, armed with you new tidbits of knowledge, we can easily direct you or, at the very least make some suggestions you might be interested in. I promise you can build a very nice, first class incubator on your first try!
Looking forward to helping you along.
You Say; How do you do this whole process? Do you just put the eggs in the incubator and turn them 3x a day for 21 days and hope they hatch? I'm really clueless but I want chicks and my hens are halfa$$ sitting on their eggs lol so I'm going to take over and do it for them!!
There are some key variables you will deal with. Some are very critical and others where there is some differing opinions about. For the most pat everyone agrees that the temp should stay around 99.5 or so. Humidity is arguably the most controversial variable we deal with. Read about it and decide. Another issue is to either stand your eggs up on end or lay them on their side as they are in the nests. I personally stand shipped eggs and lay down local eggs.
Go to YouTube and type in "INCUBATOR" then try "Thermostat for incubator". Youtube has some very instructive videos. You just have to be specific in your search. Then, there is a place in the Learning Center here at BYC with an entire section with homemade incubators like crazy. Many of them have photos taken of the entire build project. If you have any mechanical aptitude,or help, you can quickly determine who's incubator is most like the one you want, and build one. You will get very quick responses when you come back here to ask any questions you might have. Right now, your questions are too general for us to help you. Give us an idea of how many eggs you want to incubate at once. How much do want to spend? How big of an incubator did you have in mind? I still think the"Homemade incubator" section will help you decide which type most suits your needs.
Some folks try to get by with a dimmer switch to raise and lower the temp by making moves manually. I never even considered that route. A $20.00 dollar thermostat will turn the heat source (light or element) on and off automatically, keeping your eggs at a constant temp ALWAYS! Quintinp and others very successfully, use a water heater thermostat that costs only $10.00. I would certainly trust one of those that have been drilled.
You sound like you're in a hurry to get those eggs out from under those chickens. It would be a great idea if you could cram-read all you can, very quickly before you just throw something together and snatch the eggs away from under the hens. Try the Learning Center here at BYC on actual incubation of eggs. There are wiring diagrams for the simple little set-ups that we use. This stuff is easy. You just GOTTA know a little before you take off.
The "search box" here is an incredible source of information. Type in "fan", bingo, all you wanna know. The same with "heat sources", "insulation" "humidity". I bought a digital thermometer/hygrometer at Walmart. It gives me a reading of the temperature and humidity on one little meter. Now this little meter ONLY READS, it does not CONTROL anything.
So, if you use the "search box" here at BYC, then visit YouTube, and come back here and read some more for a while, you will be asking questions from a much more learn-ed position. And, armed with you new tidbits of knowledge, we can easily direct you or, at the very least make some suggestions you might be interested in. I promise you can build a very nice, first class incubator on your first try!
Looking forward to helping you along.
Last edited:
- Aug 2, 2010
- 150
- 3
- 103
Others posted great deal of good info. From my personal experience:
Enjoy the show
- Do not try to come up with own design (first time anyway). Pick an existing one from those links and just do it
- You need room for lot of things. Bulb, Waster, Sponge, Chicks to move away and not bother still hatching eggs, wiggle room for your hands etc.
- Safety. I am realizing that chicks get attracted to light bulb (hot) and are crafty to sneak through small places.
- Steady temperature - invest in either dimmer, thermostat or other type of temperature controlling devices.
- Temp and Humidity monitor - visually knowing whats going on gives peace of mind.
- Think about brooder (and get ready with one). I delayed this until last minute and now scrambling to make one
Enjoy the show
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #10
I'm giving up on making an incubator 
thanks for trying to help me though I got the concept just have no way to get supplies cheap enough...
thanks for trying to help me though I got the concept just have no way to get supplies cheap enough...Similar threads
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