Incubators Anonymous

[Faraday40]

Quote:

I love the logic.

 

[ChickyChickens]

M6y incubator will be here in like 4 weeks!!!

 

[Bazy]

How do you turn a wine cooler into a chick/egg heater?

You obtain a temperature controller, heating element, source for humidity, fan to circulate the air and a mini fridge or something else more appropriate if you mini fridge has wine in it. Or remove the wine and drink it and make an incubator out of the fridge. Of course any future wine purchases must be consumed immediately because wine does not fare well at 99.5 degrees.

Pretty much just re-create the atmosphere you get with a desktop incubator with attention paid to air circulation. I'm going to use a digital thermostat, and I scored a humidifier from incubator warehouse with a hygrowatermetermeasurer thingy.. (automatic humidity switch) Apologies..too rushed to look up the spelling...I'm on the way to pick up CCL eggs and Silkie eggs and duck eggs (for eating..just the duck eggs. I can't grow ducks because I have no pond...) I'm going to hatch the CCL and Silkies...and some pure Ameraucanas and some Ameraucana/RIR EE's, and some sexlink EE's and some BLRW EE's and some Marans EE's I have 55 places on that egg turner, right? I'm buying the duck eggs so DH will have something for breakfast tomorrow.

Anyway I'm new to making an incubator too, so I'm learning as I go...Debating on making this full view a hatcher because I have a bigger mini fridge with no window that will fit my LG egg turners better.....hmmmmm

 

[Sustained]

M6y incubator will be here in like 4 weeks!!!e

Ooooo what kind??? :-D mine is getting mailed out today!

 

[Faraday40]

You obtain a temperature controller, heating element, source for humidity, fan to circulate the air and a mini fridge or something else more appropriate if you mini fridge has wine in it. Or remove the wine and drink it and make an incubator out of the fridge. Of course any future wine purchases must be consumed immediately because wine does not fare well at 99.5 degrees.

Pretty much just re-create the atmosphere you get with a desktop incubator with attention paid to air circulation. I'm going to use a digital thermostat, and I scored a humidifier from incubator warehouse with a hygrowatermetermeasurer thingy.. (automatic humidity switch) Apologies..too rushed to look up the spelling...I'm on the way to pick up CCL eggs and Silkie eggs and duck eggs (for eating..just the duck eggs. I can't grow ducks because I have no pond...) I'm going to hatch the CCL and Silkies...and some pure Ameraucanas and some Ameraucana/RIR EE's, and some sexlink EE's and some BLRW EE's and some Marans EE's I have 55 places on that egg turner, right? I'm buying the duck eggs so DH will have something for breakfast tomorrow.

Anyway I'm new to making an incubator too, so I'm learning as I go...Debating on making this full view a hatcher because I have a bigger mini fridge with no window that will fit my LG egg turners better.....hmmmmm

Definitely use the wine cooler. The big window will be awesome & it's already made to be insulated. Before I made my incubator, I read through many options on BYC in the "coops" section. (There are links to many DIY incubators.) Once I had my materials ready, I watched YouTube videos on how to put it together. (Rush Lane Poultry had a lot of variations using different materials.) It was easier than I thought. I don't think it saved me any money, though. Farm & Fleet sells still air incubators for $35-40. Add a free scavenged computer fan & that would have been more economical. However, I really like the big window I added to mine & maybe it will last longer. I'm already wanting to build another one. It was a fun project & almost as addictive as hatching.

BTW- Does anyone else stay up all night to watch eggs hatch? My daughter & I looked like raccoons the last time we hatched eggs.

 

[Faraday40]

Another question:
Does anyone turn the fan off during hatching?? Someone mentioned to me that the fan may dry out the membrane & cause shrink wrapped chicks.

My incubator got put away in July, so I'm already looking forward to & planning next spring's hatch.

 

[Sustained]

Definitely use the wine cooler. The big window will be awesome & it's already made to be insulated. Before I made my incubator, I read through many options on BYC in the "coops" section. (There are links to many DIY incubators.) Once I had my materials ready, I watched YouTube videos on how to put it together. (Rush Lane Poultry had a lot of variations using different materials.) It was easier than I thought. I don't think it saved me any money, though. Farm & Fleet sells still air incubators for $35-40. Add a free scavenged computer fan & that would have been more economical. However, I really like the big window I added to mine & maybe it will last longer. I'm already wanting to build another one. It was a fun project & almost as addictive as hatching.

BTW- Does anyone else stay up all night to watch eggs hatch? My daughter & I looked like raccoons the last time we hatched eggs.

YES! Just can't help myself. It's just amazing that the plain ol' eggs that I put in the bator have a living creature inside after 3 weeks. I love it and am absolutely fascinated by it

Another question:
Does anyone turn the fan off during hatching?? Someone mentioned to me that the fan may dry out the membrane & cause shrink wrapped chicks.

My incubator got put away in July, so I'm already looking forward to & planning next spring's hatch.

I read about that too but I don't have a fan so I can't offer personal experience. Sorry. July??? Now that's some impressive self control

 

[ladycat]

Another question:
Does anyone turn the fan off during hatching??

No! The temp won't stay stable without the fan. As long as there's enough humidity, you won't get shrink wrapped chicks.

 

[ChickyChickens]

Ooooo what kind??? :-D mine is getting mailed out today!

Awesome!! I am getting the JN-96 egg automatic!!!

 

[Sustained]

Nice!! I'd like to know how you like it and how it does. I've considered getting one of the janoels. Might get one of the little ones for my kids to try their hand at hatching. They're very interested in it and who am I to not encourage their interests?