INCUBATING w/FRIENDS! w/Sally Sunshine Shipped Eggs No problem!

[daxigait]

I am new to incubating and to BYC. Please forgive if am not posting this correctly. I will be using a homemade cooler incubator with a thermostat and fan.  My thermostat is set for 100 degrees and it cools to 99 degrees before coming back on. Is that too much of a fluctuation or should I set it for 101 so it doesn't below 100?  Thank you for all your help.

oops I should have read further. I just saw it shift to ducks and wanted to be sure someone capable answered.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

By popular demand...Finally got pictures to upload. This one shows one end, with the door installed (which has since been painted). The other end is behind it.


This is one of the two ventilation panel that will go under the roof overhang, one on either side


Both ends, both sides bolted together, to make sure everything matched up.


One of two hinged lids set in place (again, to make sure all the pieces of the puzzle fit)
Shown below the lid, standing out from the lower part of the side, is a hinged clean-out door, a departure from the original coop upon which this one is modeled.


Raised platform the coop will sit on. Plywood screwed to the legs, legs braced, plywood covered with vinyl sheeting for easier cleaning.


Finished coop (corner molding added after photo taken). Entire coop, with the exception of the roof, was built & assembled in the basement (out of the wet & cold, and close to the tools), where more than a few screw-ups were corrected. Then the whole thing was disassembled (all carriage bolts; not a nail in it, except in the roof shingles), carried out piece by piece, & reassembled at its final location.

Unlike the original coop (barely visible @ extreme left center), this one is enclosed within the run, which is approximately 5'x12'. Pressure treated fence posts, 6' apart, with 5' T-posts between, support the 4'x 2"x4" welded wire fencing, which will have 1/4" hardware cloth zip-tied to the bottom. Visible through the door mesh is the platform I had to add 'cause I neglected to rotate the coop 90 degrees to allow room for the ramp (major attack of the dumb-ask on that one)

The people door, also assembled & screened in the basement, actually came out square, much to my delight and surprise. It swings to the inside so I wouldn't have to remove any soil to accommodate the sloped terrain...I own two shovels, neither of which fit my hands very well.

I used materials on hand as much as possible. I had to buy the plywood for the coop, the hinges, the carriage bolts, washers, & nuts, & some of the 2"x4" welded wire & hardware cloth, the 5 T-posts, & a quart each of primer & paint. Everything else was left over from other projects. Costs for new materials approximately $150, not counting far too many trips to Lowes due to PPPP (pee-poor-prior-planning).

Tools used:
Radial arm saw...........to rip 2x4's for the 2x2 framing & door molding
Circular saw...............for whatever the radial saw wouldn't handle
Mitre saw...................for angle cuts
Cross-cut hand saw....for small cuts when I didn't feel like setting up any of the other saws
Battery-operated drill..for carriage bolt holes & pilot holes for screws
Many cups of coffee..for regrouping whenever I screwed up, or just felt like taking a break

Would I tackle it again?
Yes, I would. Not only was the total cash outlay less than the $300+ that I paid for the original kit coop, not counting the materials I already had on hand, but I had the satisfaction of producing it myself. Of course, I didn't have a 9-5 job to work around, or a completion deadline to meet. The biggest payoff, for me, is the fact that this one has sturdier materials in it than the kit coop, plus a few modifications to make it more user-friendly for my particular circumstances. It all depends, I guess, on how much time you have, & what you figure that time's worth.


The 1st resident of the new digs

She's what you'd call an "easy keeper". She don't lay much anymore, and she's never raised a chick, but she requires little care & I don't have to clean up behind her.
Actually, she was made by my Grandmother many,many moons before she died in '66, and was used as a doorstop. The partially visible plastic horse in the background was also hers. Both are among my most treasured possessions.

I hope at least some of you enjoy this little pictorial as much as I enjoyed putting it together & bringing it to you.

This looks amazing!!!

Thanks for posting all those details!

Between you and Ur, I'm getting the motivation I need to start building again - I'll be planning out the modifications and making cut lists tonight, I think.

- Ant Farm

Edit to add: My doors never end up coming out quite square...

 

[daxigait]

By popular demand...Finally got pictures to upload. This one shows one end, with the door installed (which has since been painted). The other end is behind it. This is one of the two ventilation panel that will go under the roof overhang, one on either side Both ends, both sides bolted together, to make sure everything matched up. One of two hinged lids set in place (again, to make sure all the pieces of the puzzle fit) Shown below the lid, standing out from the lower part of the side, is a hinged clean-out door, a departure from the original coop upon which this one is modeled. Raised platform the coop will sit on. Plywood screwed to the legs, legs braced, plywood covered with vinyl sheeting for easier cleaning. Finished coop (corner molding added after photo taken). Entire coop, with the exception of the roof, was built & assembled in the basement (out of the wet & cold, and close to the tools), where more than a few screw-ups were corrected. Then the whole thing was disassembled (all carriage bolts; not a nail in it, except in the roof shingles), carried out piece by piece, & reassembled at its final location. Unlike the original coop (barely visible @ extreme left center), this one is enclosed within the run, which is approximately 5'x12'. Pressure treated fence posts, 6' apart, with 5' T-posts between, support the 4'x 2"x4" welded wire fencing, which will have 1/4" hardware cloth zip-tied to the bottom. Visible through the door mesh is the platform I had to add 'cause I neglected to rotate the coop 90 degrees to allow room for the ramp (major attack of the dumb-ask on that one) The people door, also assembled & screened in the basement, actually came out square, much to my delight and surprise. It swings to the inside so I wouldn't have to remove any soil to accommodate the sloped terrain...I own two shovels, neither of which fit my hands very well. I used materials on hand as much as possible. I had to buy the plywood for the coop, the hinges, the carriage bolts, washers, & nuts, & some of the 2"x4" welded wire & hardware cloth, the 5 T-posts, & a quart each of primer & paint. Everything else was left over from other projects. Costs for new materials approximately $150, not counting far too many trips to Lowes due to PPPP (pee-poor-prior-planning). Tools used: Radial arm saw...........to rip 2x4's for the 2x2 framing & door molding Circular saw...............for whatever the radial saw wouldn't handle Mitre saw...................for angle cuts Cross-cut hand saw....for small cuts when I didn't feel like setting up any of the other saws Battery-operated drill..for carriage bolt holes & pilot holes for screws Many cups of coffee..for regrouping whenever I screwed up, or just felt like taking a break Would I tackle it again? Yes, I would. Not only was the total cash outlay less than the $300+ that I paid for the original kit coop, not counting the materials I already had on hand, but I had the satisfaction of producing it myself. Of course, I didn't have a 9-5 job to work around, or a completion deadline to meet. The biggest payoff, for me, is the fact that this one has sturdier materials in it than the kit coop, plus a few modifications to make it more user-friendly for my particular circumstances. It all depends, I guess, on how much time you have, & what you figure that time's worth. The 1st resident of the new digs She's what you'd call an "easy keeper". She don't lay much anymore, and she's never raised a chick, but she requires little care & I don't have to clean up behind her. Actually, she was made by my Grandmother many,many moons before she died in '66, and was used as a doorstop. The partially visible plastic horse in the background was also hers. Both are among my most treasured possessions. I hope at least some of you enjoy this little pictorial as much as I enjoyed putting it together & bringing it to you.

Great job! I am glad to finally see it!

 

[BantyChooks]

With us you truly are famous! Which sure beats infamous

Aww!

 

[Pensmaster]

Oh, and I made the cheese myself from raw milk from local Jersey cows - it's that wheel of Monterey Jack I made back at the end of January. The only think not local is the whole wheat flour (though, now that I think about it, Richardsons Farm sells whole wheat flour...) - Ant Farm

Topped off with some home made beer wow.

 

[BantyChooks]

Welcome and good luck. Chime in read page one info. links, ask questions, blather on, or be sarcastic and you will fit right in here.

 

[LocalYokel]

By popular demand...Finally got pictures to upload. This one shows one end, with the door installed (which has since been painted). The other end is behind it.


This is one of the two ventilation panel that will go under the roof overhang, one on either side


Both ends, both sides bolted together, to make sure everything matched up.


One of two hinged lids set in place (again, to make sure all the pieces of the puzzle fit)
Shown below the lid, standing out from the lower part of the side, is a hinged clean-out door, a departure from the original coop upon which this one is modeled.


Raised platform the coop will sit on. Plywood screwed to the legs, legs braced, plywood covered with vinyl sheeting for easier cleaning.


Finished coop (corner molding added after photo taken). Entire coop, with the exception of the roof, was built & assembled in the basement (out of the wet & cold, and close to the tools), where more than a few screw-ups were corrected. Then the whole thing was disassembled (all carriage bolts; not a nail in it, except in the roof shingles), carried out piece by piece, & reassembled at its final location.

Unlike the original coop (barely visible @ extreme left center), this one is enclosed within the run, which is approximately 5'x12'. Pressure treated fence posts, 6' apart, with 5' T-posts between, support the 4'x 2"x4" welded wire fencing, which will have 1/4" hardware cloth zip-tied to the bottom. Visible through the door mesh is the platform I had to add 'cause I neglected to rotate the coop 90 degrees to allow room for the ramp (major attack of the dumb-ask on that one)

The people door, also assembled & screened in the basement, actually came out square, much to my delight and surprise. It swings to the inside so I wouldn't have to remove any soil to accommodate the sloped terrain...I own two shovels, neither of which fit my hands very well.

I used materials on hand as much as possible. I had to buy the plywood for the coop, the hinges, the carriage bolts, washers, & nuts, & some of the 2"x4" welded wire & hardware cloth, the 5 T-posts, & a quart each of primer & paint. Everything else was left over from other projects. Costs for new materials approximately $150, not counting far too many trips to Lowes due to PPPP (pee-poor-prior-planning).

Tools used:
Radial arm saw...........to rip 2x4's for the 2x2 framing & door molding
Circular saw...............for whatever the radial saw wouldn't handle
Mitre saw...................for angle cuts
Cross-cut hand saw....for small cuts when I didn't feel like setting up any of the other saws
Battery-operated drill..for carriage bolt holes & pilot holes for screws
Many cups of coffee..for regrouping whenever I screwed up, or just felt like taking a break

Would I tackle it again?
Yes, I would. Not only was the total cash outlay less than the $300+ that I paid for the original kit coop, not counting the materials I already had on hand, but I had the satisfaction of producing it myself. Of course, I didn't have a 9-5 job to work around, or a completion deadline to meet. The biggest payoff, for me, is the fact that this one has sturdier materials in it than the kit coop, plus a few modifications to make it more user-friendly for my particular circumstances. It all depends, I guess, on how much time you have, & what you figure that time's worth.


The 1st resident of the new digs

She's what you'd call an "easy keeper". She don't lay much anymore, and she's never raised a chick, but she requires little care & I don't have to clean up behind her.
Actually, she was made by my Grandmother many,many moons before she died in '66, and was used as a doorstop. The partially visible plastic horse in the background was also hers. Both are among my most treasured possessions.

I hope at least some of you enjoy this little pictorial as much as I enjoyed putting it together & bringing it to you.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Quote:
That would be SO good - I don't have that skill (yet!)...

 

[kwhites634]

Quote: Don't feel like the Lone Ranger; this is the 1st of mine that ever did.

 

[mlm Mike]

Quote: If you haven't, I would move the thermometer around to different spots in the incubator, even with a fan there can be cool spots. If you find some I would go with the higher, 100-101, otherwise I don't think it would matter much. I'm assuming the thermostat is measuring air temp, which temp will drop quicker than the egg. Watch for other answers tomorrow though, When do you plan on setting eggs?