let me know what you think if this crazy incubator idea

[Bock_Bock]

i just drew it up in like 5 mins let me know what you think

 

[onthespot]

I don't think it's crazy. I was thinking of using an aquarium heater in a couple gallons of water in a larger home made incubator as a heat source, humidity source, heat sink, to stabilize temps. Wait, just thought of a possible problem. you need air exchange, and generally the holes in the bottom let in new air and the old air goes out the top... hmmm... well, if you had tubes that would siphon cold air down to the bottom of the unit, and it would be warmed by the heater/heated water, whatever, then it would rise and go out the vented area at the top, whatever you made for that. Passive air exchange is the only problem I see with this so far. I like it and it makes my wheels turn in my head. Thanks. I have a sixty gallon show, which means tall and skinny, front to back, that would be GREAT as a HUGE, home made incubator, plus it has all the under gravel filters for it, which could be re-purposed for keeping the eggs and hatching chicks abive water level.

 

[Bock_Bock]

ok a little revision
now with vent and air supply

let me know what you think now

 

[onthespot]

Edit, forget my whole last post. I see you already have an air pump. Next, you need a fan. As tall as this thing is, there will be several degrees difference in a foot of still air, or however tall your aquarium is.

 

[deerman]

Have seen fish tanks used before, but the fan and heating unit was all mounted in the lid.

Also work as brooders.

Not sure how heating the water will work??? air needs to be at 99.5 . you would need a fan to move the air around.

 

[Bock_Bock]

Quote:
no need for a fan this is going to be a still air vented bator the air pump pumps air in and the water heates it it rises and pushes the other air out of the vent

 

[UrbanMama]

I had something similar kicking around in my head....

A week ago, I wanted to keep some straggler button eggs warm while I cleaned out the hatcher for the next batch. I warmed up a cast iron pan, put warm water in it and floated the eggs in a tupperware bowl. It worked well and made me think you could do something similar for an incubator.

Your diagram made that a reality! It could really work...and you wouldn't have the temp spikes or hot pockets that you could otherwise have. Now you'll need to build it...and let us know how it goes. You never know, that may be the future of incubators!


PS
If it works, you'll have to enter it into the homemade bator contest at the top of this page

 

[Bock_Bock]

too bad i just ordered a bator a couple days ago and i dont really have time to get this set up even tho it wont take more then half hour lol

 

[onthespot]

I think you would get a better hatch rate with a fan, but it is a moot point (for now, until you get a full blown addiction going and need seven incubators.)

 

[Bock_Bock]

im already addicted to chickens now i just aint got the room for bators i did order one online but the wife and inlaws im living with dont know it