incubator of the home-made kind

[Mazimay]

Hey there. I am in need of help please. I have 12 pekin bantam fertilised eggs and waiting on an incubator but by the time it arrives the chickens will have already been hatched, maybe. I've hand reared lots of birds, domestic and wild ones. one and two weeks out of the egg. I have a two-foot aquarium with a heat lamp 19 inches above the eggs, there I have placed two bowls of water a temp gage which reaches between35 and 37c. I'm going to get a humidity reader to place inside the tank as well. Out of 12 eggs it looks like only two have taken. It is too early to tell yet because it only day three, but some are full of yoke and nothing else. I'm concerned that the embryos are not going to make it either because of the temperature or humidity. I received these eggs, and my sister ordered an incubator, but it won't arrive until after the due date of the chicks. I am or wanting to keep two and I have homes for any others that may hatch. The temperature is quite stable I turn the eggs about 3-4 time per day, but it's the humidity that concerning me, when the humidity requires increasing, how do I accomplish this, do I place more bowls of water in the tank? This is why I'm asking because I just don't know. I've looked on the web as much as I can learn from it in theory but in practice if someone has had firsthand experience with homemade incubator, we need your help. Thank you

 

[tlcmurphy]

@The Moonshiner I believe you’ve used many types of incubators. Can you offer any suggestions?

 

[Tstraub]

I have had some success with a homemade incubator but things were pretty inconsistent so I have switched to a little giant incubator I got purchased used for a good price. Is hard to make any specific suggestions without knowing exactly what your working with so I’ll just share some general knowledge I have on the subject

Temperature is a lot more important than humidity for success

Consistency is more important than having everything exactly right. It’s better to be consistently a little cool or a little warm than having big swings in temperature or humidity

Making big changes during incubation is not a good practice to get into. If things fail you won’t have any real good data on what needs changing to make it work better

Temperature and humidity both rise having a solid top on the incubator with adjustable ventilation holes goes a log way to make adjustments. You can open up the vents to vent off temperature or humidity but keep in mind they will both be affected so you might have to add or subtract water containers to balance it out

It is usually better to keep the water containers at or below the egg level because the humidity will rise. If the water is mounted above the eggs very little of the humidity will fall onto the eggs

Temperature is absolutely critical in the early stages of incubation. Once the embryo gets more developed it can somewhat regulate its own temperature because it is a living warm blooded animal.

I hope this unorganized bit of rambling helps. Good luck with your project I hope it turns out well.

 

[The Moonshiner]

This is a type of set up I'd never use. Mainly because I'd never get a correct or stable temp. If you've done that then congrats.
Yes more bowls (more water surface area will cause higher humidity. You mention you will get a gauge. Do you have an idea of what humidity is currently? If it's anywhere near stable?
Also curious about this aquarium incubator. Sounds like it has an open top? That would probably not work well for humidity level.
I dry hatch which means I don't need to really add water for the first 18 days. Humidity in the room is sufficient. No idea your situation. The more you need to raise it the harder it's gonna be. Come lockdown idk how you'll do it without covering at least most of the top and that's probably gonna interfere with your heating it? Closing as much of the top as possible would be very helpful.
Idk maybe someone that has been successful with a simular setup will show up to better help.

 

[Debbie292d]

Day 3 is hard to tell. I'd wait until at least Day 5-7, as you'll for sure be able to clearly see veins.

 

[Mazimay]

This is a type of set up I'd never use. Mainly because I'd never get a correct or stable temp. If you've done that then congrats.
Yes more bowls (more water surface area will cause higher humidity. You mention you will get a gauge. Do you have an idea of what humidity is currently? If it's anywhere near stable?
Also curious about this aquarium incubator. Sounds like it has an open top? That would probably not work well for humidity level.
I dry hatch which means I don't need to really add water for the first 18 days. Humidity in the room is sufficient. No idea your situation. The more you need to raise it the harder it's gonna be. Come lockdown idk how you'll do it without covering at least most of the top and that's probably gonna interfere with your heating it? Closing as much of the top as possible would be very helpful.
Idk maybe someone that has been successful with a simular setup will show up to better help.

The fishtank lid is lifted up with the lamp clamped on it and hanging down 19 inches down. I have the entire tank covered with vents to circulate air flow. Water is in bowls at ground level eggs are point down in ice cube containers. Temp is stable. Humidity i have no idea hence getting a gage to monitor. Another embryo has developed now 3. My concern is the critical stage few days before they hatch if they make it this far. Thank you for your input

 

[Mazimay]

I have had some success with a homemade incubator but things were pretty inconsistent so I have switched to a little giant incubator I got purchased used for a good price. Is hard to make any specific suggestions without knowing exactly what your working with so I’ll just share some general knowledge I have on the subject

Temperature is a lot more important than humidity for success

Consistency is more important than having everything exactly right. It’s better to be consistently a little cool or a little warm than having big swings in temperature or humidity

Making big changes during incubation is not a good practice to get into. If things fail you won’t have any real good data on what needs changing to make it work better

Temperature and humidity both rise having a solid top on the incubator with adjustable ventilation holes goes a log way to make adjustments. You can open up the vents to vent off temperature or humidity but keep in mind they will both be affected so you might have to add or subtract water containers to balance it out

It is usually better to keep the water containers at or below the egg level because the humidity will rise. If the water is mounted above the eggs very little of the humidity will fall onto the eggs

Temperature is absolutely critical in the early stages of incubation. Once the embryo gets more developed it can somewhat regulate its own temperature because it is a living warm blooded animal.

I hope this unorganized bit of rambling helps. Good luck with your project I hope it turns out well.

Im making little changes where needed totally monitoring the temp etc. Very careful not to cause drastic measures. I dont know if this will be successful but another embryo has developed i just hope that at least some will be strong enough to survive.