Looking for product suggestions for homemade cabinet

[KaleidoChick Hatchery]

Hi there. I'm not new at all to chickens or incubating. I did briefly search to see if there was already a well established thread on this and I was unsuccessful...

I already have the cabinet, and the insulation for it I've reviewed some ideas online for ways to heat it evenly, the fans. The only thing I've actually picked out are the internal racks with turners and baskets. That part was easy lol

The cabinet is slightly over sized so I can change my mind on the number of turners, etc.. I have not seen anyone try to make a "heat box" in a separate spot, where the fans blow the heat into the cabinet, so that the eggs closest to the heat source, do not get cooked.

Are the number of plugs/splices avoidable? or is there a box I can buy that will work the heater, etc. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed about having to do electrical stuff like that on the off chance I burn something down lol. I'd rather not spend a lot on this, but if its for safety I will bite it and make it happen lol.

I'm already stack hatching using 2 incubators. I sorta started the cabinet idea but haven't put much money into it just yet, and I'm debating on if I should just buy another incubator and do the cabinet on the side? I'm barely able to cover my hatching orders at this point with weekly hatches. It would be better for me (and everyone else lol) if I could just bang out a bunch of birds in a couple goes.

 

[Debbie292d]

Have you combed through the DIY cabinets in this forum yet?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/categories/incubators-brooders.27/

Something in one of those may help you.

In the meantime, I stagger hatch too, with three incubators, setting usually 2 1/2 doz every 5 days. They are all Brinsea 56EX so hold 64 silkie eggs. The third one is for lockdown.

 

[KaleidoChick Hatchery]

I really just saw brooders and not incubators. But I can check again when I get the chance.

https://www.amazon.com/WHISPERHEAT-...prefix=desk+heater+thermostat,aps,152&sr=8-37

I'm looking at something like this for a heater. I would be attaching it to an outside sensor shut off as well as utilizing the internal thermo controls. I'm hoping to create a more stable heat and avoid hot/cold spots as much. the cabinet is pretty big and this would still allow for several inches of space between the heater and the eggs. I still plan to utilize fans (1 up, 1 down to circulate)

Has anyone tried this before?