Incubator Questions

[SeaHen]

Has anyone had experience hatching duck eggs in a cheap home-made incubator? I'm going to attempt to build one out of a styrofoam cooler because I'm too cheap to actually buy one made out of the same material. I understand duck eggs are more difficult to incubate, so I'm wondering what the chance of success might be. If you wouldn't recommend a home-made 'bator, do you think the LG or Genesis would suffice? I normally have broody banty chickens around this time of year, but of course now that I want them to be they aren't cooperating!

 

[LarryPQ]

Just go build an incubator, and all your banties will go broody. Easy peasy.

 

[SeaHen]

I think you're right!

 

[FenDruadin]

I say, give it a shot. I've never made a homemade incubator, but it doesn't seem like it would be that difficult--you just need an insulated container, heat source, thermostat, and a fan.

Duck eggs are not all that hard to incubate. They just take longer. I don't do anything special humidity-wise--in fact, I've had my best hatches with eggs that are kept at a very low humidity (i.e., using no water in the incubator) throughout until the lockdown, and then just getting it up as high as I can. My last hatch was only 76% but the two before that were above 90%--in fact, with the exception of the most recent hatch, I've never had one below 80%. I don't mist them, and I use a standard chicken egg turner.

Those of us who love to do research also tend to over-think things. Sometimes, you gotta just do it and see what happens. Have fun.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

I have two homemade bators both of them are made from a large styrofoam cooler. I use one an incubator and the other as a hatcher. I have had good success hatching duck eggs with them. My suggestion is to hand turn the duck eggs. If you want any pics of my bator, just PM me. I will be glad to help.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

I made two homemade incubators out of the large styrofoam coolers. I use one as the bator and the other was the hatcher. I was doing a staggered hatch. I have had good success from them. I do suggest hand turning duck eggs. If you would like to see pics, just PM me. I will be glad to help.

I don't know how that double post happened. I didn't hit the submit twice. Sorry.

 

[classroomducks]

theres a great thread on this forum about home made incubators...i think it is a sticky in one of the sections...let me see if i can find it...

yep its a sticky in the incubator section...it was a contest they did on here but some great ideas...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=316076

 

[1lpoock]

Quote:
I think you should just make a thread here showing all the pics!