Making my own incubator....

[Corey NC]

I am wanting to make my own incubator, with a shoebox and a light. I would have a thermometer and make sure the temperature is always 100.5. Would shavings be ok for the bottom and would turn 3x's daily. What can I do for the humidity? Has anyone had success with something like this?

 

[Keisha]

I myself am wantign to give a go at making my own incubator. i've heard that the homemade stryofoam incubators acutally work, which really excites me. I have never heard of using a shoe box though..

 

[Keisha]

As for humidity, possibly a small pan of water, or a small container?

 

[SkeeredChicken]

Quote:
We are talking circulated air, right? Still air has to be set a tad bit higher.

 

[Corey NC]

idk, I have never used an incubator still-air or circulated. You tell me what I should do, like I said never used an incubator before (cant afford to) just done it with broody momma.

 

[tiffanyh]

IMHO....Im not sure a shoebox would work. They have styrafoam (sp?) coolers around that would work better. A shoebox seems it would absorb the mositure from the humidity and fall apart, or not hold it so that they eggs can get the proper humidity. You can pick up a cooler like that at Walmart and sometimes store will give them away when they receieve orders in them. Anyway, a shoebox may also be difficult to keep a temperature in, to much air flow and I would worry about a fire hazard with a bulb hot enough to warm up to 100F up that close to it.

There are some threads on here on how to make a styrofoam incubator for under $20.

Hope things work out for your incubator!!!

 

[tiffanyh]

Oh, you know, I did my first hatch in a cooler, like the one you take your lunch to work in or pile sodas in for a picnic. I had a small lunch size on in the house and when my hen decided not to sit on the eggs anymore, I used that with a large dispoable tupperware container in it. It actually held the temp quite well and I left the top on the tupperware container to keep in the moisture. It seemed to work okay.

 

[Newchickenmom&kids]

Corey NC: Read this thread...maybe it will help you.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1166