Welcome to BYC. When I started my flock 3 years ago, I started with a home made incubator. Very easy to build. If you could re-wire a lamp if you had instructions, you could build an incubator. And, as far as I'm concerned, it's just as functional as one you could buy. In addition to your heat source, you'll need a decent quality thermostat, a fan, and a stable environment to put your incubator in. I recommend the STC 1000 for your thermostat. You'll also need to have a calibrated thermometer and hygrometer. Most importantly, you'll need knowledge of the process of incubation, both from the standpoint of keeping your incubator stable, and the physiology of development in the egg. You can get all that by reading: Hatching eggs 101 in the learning center. For your build, there is information there. But, you'll also greatly benefit from the many instructional video tutorials by Rush Lane Poultry. Plan to start with local eggs. That will save you a lot of heart break on your first hatch. Learn with inexpensive eggs before moving on to shipped or expensive eggs.
