Incubator or desk lamp?

[4hchknmama]

Well, hi there. I am brand new to this site. I actually joined in hopes of getting some tips on homemade incubators and how to hatch with them. I just built a 'bator myself, so I think I will go ahead and enter mine in just for fun. I will have to get pics and everything tomorrow to post. By the way, you all have made some great incubators and have given this newbie some great info

 

[Lambingfamily]

Wow, you have upped my spirits with your success! We are new to all of this. We always wanted fresh eggs so we were going to buy some day old chicks at our local feed store. I wanted the whole coop building etc. to be a homeschool project for my kids. Then we found this site and got the fever to build a bator. I also found a site at A&M university where they mail you some eggs (White Leghorns) really cheap. I figure for our first time this would be the way to go. My kids want "PRETTY CHICKENS", their words. I promised them we would get more if this worked. With all this said, I am having problems with my temp/humidity. Our bator is a lot like Miss Prissy's. But, if you can do it with a cardboard box and lamp, maybe I shouldn't be so stressed. My husband said, "Do you think the settlers had all this fancy stuff? Don't you think there was a lot of trial and error?" Well, I don't like to fail so wish us luck. We pick our eggs up from the Greyhound terminal today!!!! How crazy is that? Thanks again for the encouragement!!!!!

 

[Fox]

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Sorry for the late reply!

Yes, that would be a fine lamp. I got the cheapest one I could find at Lowe's. I centered the light over the eggs, closer or further away depending on the temp reading of the thermometer. I tried to move the eggs on the outside to the inside when I turned them every now and then, just to vary the position of the heat on them because I thought the edges were a little cooler than the center.

I would imagine the plastic tote would work. I did not have any vent holes in the box as the tops were not sealed down, and cardboard is not very "sealed" to begin with. With plastic you would probably need something or leave a tiny crack up top.

Sometimes I just put a towel over the top to keep all the heat in, but it was definitely "breathing" since it was not sealed off. I opened the lid everyday, several times a day to turn the eggs or to even let out heat it if was too warm. It certainly wasn't perfect. I had some really high temps, I had some below 99 temps, I guess it all just evened itself out as the chicks came out fine.

 

[Fox]

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I'm really quite new here too, but I want to say welcome! There is a lot of good information here! I will have to go check out your incubator!!

 

[Fox]

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What a great homeschool project... one that will eventually provide food for you!

Sure hope it all goes well!! Hope your eggs were in good shape when you picked them up and that your incubation process will go smoothly with great success!!

 

[Delta2 23]

Wow.

DO you think I could do that here in Oz? Temperatures over 40 degrees.

It's a bit dry here though.

that is so cool. I've always wanted to hatch eggs but can't get an incubator.

 

[Fox]

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I have not tried it yet in winter, but probably will soon. I would just test your box out and see what your humidity levels would be and if you could keep a fairly stable temperature. You can even cover the top of the box with a wet towel for added moisture/humidity. I did it here in SC and a friend did it in KY. So far that is all I know of those who have tried... worked well for both of us.

 

[Delta2 23]

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I have not tried it yet in winter, but probably will soon. I would just test your box out and see what your humidity levels would be and if you could keep a fairly stable temperature. You can even cover the top of the box with a wet towel for added moisture/humidity. I did it here in SC and a friend did it in KY. So far that is all I know of those who have tried... worked well for both of us.

Thanks.

I'll try. It would be great if I could get some chicks.

 

[Fox]

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Good luck! I hope it works out for you!!

 

[Mahonri]

What an amazing story. I hear of folks using lamps, crock pots. What's next?

Last night I had a dream that my wife got pregnant and gave birth to a big glob that had huge egg like things in it. I opened the first, it was a boy, 2nd a boy, 3rd a boy, 4th a dark girl!
5th had deformed dead twins in it , 6th was rotten as well as the 7th.

Any dream interpreters out there?

Sorry for the derail.