im making a incubator can i just use a heating pad other then a light

[chickenmama109]

hi i have been wanting to make a incubator and im going to make one out of a plastic tub and was wondering if i could use a reguler heating pad that poeple use will this keep it at the right temp and will it hurt the chickens any tips are welcome and thanks to all help

 

[Pyxis]

No, a heating pad for a heat source in an incubator isn't likely to work out well. You wouldn't have a way to regulate the temperature, and a heating pad is more contact heat than ambient heat, which is what an incubator should have.

It's better to use a light bulb as a heat source, hooked up to a thermostat like a wafer thermostat.

There are lots of incubator builds in the Learning Center. Those should help give you ideas on how to get started making one for yourself

 

[hillbillyreefer]

If I was going to go that route, I’d use a pad approximately the same size as the bottom of the container, and use an auto turner rack above the pad. Hack the cord to the pad and put a “good” temperature controller inline to run it. Mount the sensor on the bottom of a turner rack. Then put a small computer fan in it to move air around. Don’t forget to use a large enough container to place a water bowl in for humidity, and a vent for air exchange.