Just curious.......how much does running a still air foam incubator that holds 45 eggs cost for 21 d

[HeavensHens88]

I was just wondering......................................................................................

 

[gpop1]

under 10c a day in electricity

if you want the real cost then you will need to know the kwh charge plus the line charge divided by the hours in a month from the electrical bill,

you will also need to know how long the heater is on/off during the hour and what the max rated watts of the heater is.

so 40 watt heater on 45 mins out of the hour is equal to a 30watt constant draw

1kwh = 1000w/h / 30watts = about 33hrs and the cost per kwh is about 10c

21 days about $2

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I want Kilowatts for 10 cents an hour. We pay near 15 cents in these parts and we're close to Canadian Hydro. Ugh, government.

The stryofoam incubators like my Hova-bator use a 25W heating element. The fan doesn't draw much either, 40W total (fan and heat) is a good guess.

Still air: 21 days X 24 hours/day X 25 W X .15 dollars per KW / 1000 = $1.89

Forced air: 25/40 = 1.89/X ; X= $3.02

 

[HeavensHens88]

Wow, $2.00! That's so cheap! Thanks so much for the info guys!

 

[HeavensHens88]

Total cost to (try) to hatch over forty eggs.................... even if I only get twenty chicks............THAT'S SO MUCH CHEAPER THAN BUYER CHICKS FROM AN HATCHERY!

 

[gpop1]

Total cost to (try) to hatch over forty eggs.................... even if I only get twenty chicks............THAT'S SO MUCH CHEAPER THAN BUYER CHICKS FROM AN HATCHERY!

careful its additive.

main cost is the time in the brooder as you will need to set up a area that's warm but where the chicks can move out of the heat. Heating a incubator is cheap but trying to heat a area is way more expensive.

 

[Drewnkat]

careful its additive.

main cost is the time in the brooder as you will need to set up a area that's warm but where the chicks can move out of the heat. Heating a incubator is cheap but trying to heat a area is way more expensive.

Well, you would STILL need the brooder and all that if you bought chicks from a hatchery. The difference is instead of using $2-3 worth of electricity for 40 eggs, you are paying at least that much PER CHICK plus shipping if you can't pick them up yourself.

And there are other ways to provide a heat source in the brooder besides a 250 watt heat lamp. If you use a heating pad, you can provide a source of heat that mimics the darkness and secure feeling of being under a broody hen, and that has less risk of fire. I looked up the average cost of running a 65 watt heating pad, and even if you used it at full power for 6 weeks (most people tend to turn it down after the first week or two) it would only be around $7-8 worth of electricity.

Still cheaper than the cost of buying hatchery chicks (which, again, would still need the brooder after being brought home from the hatchery).