Making this incubator...

[chicken boy sam]

For my 4-H project, I would like to make my own incubator. I can't hatch anything out of it because of my parents, but I think it would be very cool to enter into the county 4-H Fair. Here's the picture that I found and I REALLY like the design.

I figure I'll need:
Thermometer and Hygrometer
Tinfoil
Hardware Cloth
Water Dish
Plexiglass
Plywood
75 Watt Light bulb with a Dimmer

I don't think I'm going to put a fan in or an auto turner because it's more of a hobby than commercial. I've read that the humidity should be kept at 50-55% and the temperature should be kept around 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I've also read that lock down is on day 19 out of 21 and is when you do not turn the eggs 3 times a day anymore. Is this correct? What else should I add to it or is it good enough.? What else do you think I should know?

 

[darkmatter]

Have you read this information?

http://www.fastonline.org/CD3WD_40/LSTOCK/001/agrodoks/34-e-2004_screen.pdf

My grandparents used a kerosene heated incubator, this includes those type of incubators and others.

 

[chicken boy sam]

thanks, that information is VERY helpful!

 

[chicken boy sam]

I'm going to make the incubator 12" by 12" on every side. The top will be wood instead of glass and it will have ventilation. The glass on the one side will slide from the top and bottom and it will be plexiglass (more durable). The bottom will be a thinner piece of wood with aluminum foil over it to reflect the heat. The foil will have a metal water dish on it. Over that I will have a layer of hardware cloth slanted down a centimeter so the eggs will be at the right tilt. On one of the sides, I will have a thermometer and hygrometer. In the center of the back piece of wood, I'll have a 75 watt light bulb with a dimmer on it. I hope this works! chicken boy sam

 

[chicken boy sam]

Does anyone think this will work? Will the light bulb be enough? chicken by sam

 

[hoppy]

a light bulb should be fine, the wattage may need to be adjusted depending on the size of your incubator and how much heat it retains. I have hatched in a chick-a bator- it's a little yellow incubator heated by a night light bulb (holds 3 eggs)

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
you may have better luck with 2 25 watt bulbs or 2 40 watt bulbs I kina built that bator I changed it like you are going to and I insulated it a little.

http://urbanext.illinois.edu/eggs/images/woodeninc.gif

http://urbanext.illinois.edu/eggs/res20-incubator.html

scroll down and red the plywood incubator part it is a plan of sorts HTH

 

[chicken boy sam]

Quote:
I've looked at t before and it looks like a great deal. What did you think? I don't even want to incubate that many eggs if any.

 

[chicken boy sam]

Quote:
you may have better luck with 2 25 watt bulbs or 2 40 watt bulbs I kina built that bator I changed it like you are going to and I insulated it a little.

http://urbanext.illinois.edu/eggs/images/woodeninc.gif

http://urbanext.illinois.edu/eggs/res20-incubator.html

scroll down and red the plywood incubator part it is a plan of sorts HTH

Instead of using a 75 watt light bulb with a dimmer, I'm going to use a 52 watt bulb that I'm going to salvage out of an ikea lamp. I'm also going to make it 10" by 10" and use sponges instead of a water pan.

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
you may have better luck with 2 25 watt bulbs or 2 40 watt bulbs I kina built that bator I changed it like you are going to and I insulated it a little.

http://urbanext.illinois.edu/eggs/images/woodeninc.gif

http://urbanext.illinois.edu/eggs/res20-incubator.html

scroll down and red the plywood incubator part it is a plan of sorts HTH

Instead of using a 75 watt light bulb with a dimmer, I'm going to use a 52 watt bulb that I'm going to salvage out of an ikea lamp. I'm also going to make it 10" by 10" and use sponges instead of a water pan.

if you only have one bulb and it burns out then your bator goes cold if you have 2 lamps and one burns out it does not go cold. a dimmer does not nearly as well as a thermostat I bought one from cutler a right good while back it was only like $20 I have been using one on a hova bator I got not long ago it has really done good for me temps has been rock steady .