MechaChicken- The Iron Hen, My homemade Incubator and egg turner

[Elwood Lightfoot]

I Built my first ever Incubator from an old fridge and a pile of other scrap I had laying around and think it turned out rather cool if Ido say so my self
So this in my entry page for the contest:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=48473

This being my first attempt at building an incubator and an egg turner I placed eggs in it on 6-21-10 so in 21 days I'll see how well the attempt went but I think I got it right, I did a lot of research on it before constructing and through the whole process the olny plans were in my head but I'll try to add a wiring diagram later as I update the page, Thanks for Viewing

So I fixed the wiring and now the turner moves once every 6 hours turning the eggs from one side to the other, is every six hours or 4 times a day enough?

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I made a wiring diagram of my Iron Hen I hope it might be helpful and you can see it, seems a bit fuzzy here so if you like you can copy it and see it better in paint or another program, Let me know what you think

Any help would be most welcome, Thanks for stopping by, EL

 

[allieloveschickens]

To upload pictures go up to UPLOADS in the top blue bar, then you can upload pictures from your computer and re-size them as necessary. Then to add a picture just copy the image link (img)
and paste it into your thread. Hope that helps!

 

[perolane]

Halito El....just viewed your pics of the building of your "McChicken"

.....what a creative way to get the job done!

I can't help you with your questions as I'm not mechanically inclined, but I'm sure someone will come along soon.
How are your temps holding? Good luck to you!!

Pat

 

[Kedreeva]

I think if there's a way to get it to tilt just once every 2 hours, that would be better. Going back and forth several times in 15 minutes sounds like scrambled eggs to me.

 

[Elwood Lightfoot]

Thanks that was most helpful I am able to add pic's now and I have figured out how to stop the trays after just one rotation each way I had installed two switches to stop the trays one on each side but had trouble getting them to do what I had wanted them to do, they would either not stop the trays from tilting back and forth of they would stop it and then not start again the key was running a jumper from one switch to the other and then to the motor with both timers suppling power to just one switch each the negitive wire and the ground go straight to the motor, The timers are set to come on at =Midnight & noon and the other at 6pm & 6am thus every 6 hours the motor can come on and tilt the trays till it hits the limit switch and stops power to the motor 6 hours later the other timer comes on and sends the trays the other direction, so no more scrambled eggs LOL

 

[muddstopper]

Need more pic's

 

[SweetMotherOfMars]

I agree with muddstopper!

This is a fantastic reuse for a fridge. I can't wait to see more images.

 

[Kedreeva]

What you explained with the switches makes me dizzy, but I am very glad to hear you were able to get it to work by whatever means necessary! More pics and try some eggs in there if no one else can find fault! I'd like to hear about some mecha chickens being hatched!

 

[Elwood Lightfoot]

The rest of the pic's are on my page just click the link to it in the left hand side, I will add more as I update but there are about 18 so far, I put 177 eggs in it on 6-21-10 I will add some candling pic's and if everything goes well hatch pic's as well,
Thr new wiring works very well it turns the eggs once every 6 hours but I can adjust it no problem, Any suggestions?

 

[eggman6117]

I made an incubator but used an upright freezer.
It is open from top to bottom so I got good circulation and can heat with 1 100 watt bulb
But I used two in case one burns out.

I am going to make another one But this time I will use a heating element for a water heater. It won't burn out ,it will take less room
And I will use a better thermostat.. And I am going to build an auto turner to hold more eggs.