Is it possible? another homemade incubator question

[rizq]

I am starting to plan to build a homemade incubator at some point in the very near future. I am going to use plywood because I want it to look decent (it has to live in my bedroom and these styrobators look like crap). I may insulate it with styrofoam and line it with plexiglass to make cleaning easier and prohibit mold/bacteria growth.

I have a couple of questions.

1. I always run staggered hatches, so I have 2 bators running at a time. Would there be any problem with building a double cabinet ... i.e. hatcher built on top of the bator ... if they have separate doors, heating elements, thermostats, and power sources? Or even one plug for two heating elements and a fan in the bator (I like my hatcher still air)? Maybe that would be too much for one plug ... two would not bother me. I just want them attached and one on top of the other to save space as I have precious little.

2. I am not looking to build a huge incubator, 50 eggs would be fine ... have not decided exactly how large though. Would the thermostats, heating elements, and fan from my styrobators work? Or do I have to go a different route? The inside of the cabinet would not likely be much larger than the the styrobators. I think they hold 40 some eggs, if I remember right. I would just have to watch the cubic feet inside the bator and try not to go too large. My main objective in building the bator is not to add more egg space, I have plenty for my uses. I just want a better looking bator and NEED something that takes up less space.

Sorry about asking yet another homemade bator question, but I have not been successful in finding the answers myself.

Thanks

 

[minna]

I have a bator made of plywood. It's a good bator. It's bigger than what you want, but it works, so a smaller scale ought to work. My problem is that mine has a plywood door and I like to be able to look inside without opening the door, so my dh is either going to install a window or a glass door. Mine doesn't have auto turners yet, but I will be ordering some this year, I hope. It should work fine, especially if you are keeping it in the house.

 

[Wifezilla]

I am not looking to build a huge incubator, 50 eggs would be fine

LOLOLOL

My cigar humidor-incubator-inator can hold 6 duck eggs. SOrry...50 does sound like a huge amount to me. Just for those 6 eggs I am taking up 1'x1'​

 

[the1much]

i would put the hatcher part on the bottom,, so all the "yucky" from the hatchies doesnt go down,,, and i wouldnt even have different doors,, 1 door is fine.

edit to add : i wouldnt have the hatcher still air either,, the fan does ALOT of the "drying" work.

 

[rizq]

I will have to get another fan then

Should not be too much trouble. Now I wish I had salvaged the fan off that dead computer I through out a few months ago though. I guess I will have to post an ad on Craigslist for a dead computer with a working fan.

Hatcher on the bottom sounds like a plan to me. I was figuring on two separate doors because I do not use an autoturner and do not want to open the door on the hatcher to turn the eggs in the bator. BUT ... I have an idea for a manual turner that I can operate from the outside, so maybe separate doors would not be necessary after all. Simpler is always better

 

[the1much]

 

[rizq]

Quote:
LOLOLOL

My cigar humidor-incubator-inator can hold 6 duck eggs. SOrry...50 does sound like a huge amount to me. Just for those 6 eggs I am taking up 1'x1'

lol

I have never set 50 eggs at a time ... but my obsession is growing

 

[rizq]

Awesome ... I will proceed as soon as I get paid and can get some styrofoam and plexiglass, lol.

*is exited about bator I have been dreaming about* LOL

 

[jvls1942]

I built a wooden bator to hold three hovabator turners.. I have all types of rough sawn lumber and a planer, so I do not use plywood..

the idea of having an incubation and a hatcher area is not new.
I have 3 2900 egg bators that have seperate compartments like that. a scaled down version should work.. the one sportsman model I have has a hatching tray in the same compartment as the turning trays and it works just fine also..

lining it with plexiglass is a good idea, although a bit pricey, maybe..

I would spring for a plexiglass door, though. I am going to have to replace my wooden doors on the homemade bator.. I have two doors and they warped to a point where I cannot keep a good seal,,..

one point you hould keep in mind.
make sure you have plenty of verticle space between your shelves.. You will want to be able to reach in and remove eggs without taking the whole tray out.

especially handy if you are doing a rotation/staggered hatch..

 

[rizq]

Agreed, the vertical space is a good consideration. I always run a staggered hatch so definitely need to make sure I have room to reach

Vertical space I have, lol ... just out of that horizontal stuff ... It is too crowded in here!

I think I have a decent source of custom cut plexi that is not too bad, but I may have to wait on lining the whole thing. I will have to refresh my memory on the price to see. I actually just came up with a scrap bookshelf that I may be able to use (at least for the short term, probably will not last forever). It is yucky press-board, but is lined on both side with that plasticy, cheap, fake wood stuff. I may give that a try and see how it works. I have it here, so if it needs to be replaced after a cycle or two, I really have not lost anything and can get plywood and plexi at that time.

I already have the plexi for windows on the doors so I can see in.