- Mar 15, 2009
- 183
- 2
- 109
Walmart styrofoam cooler, hole cut in the top just big enough for a desk lamp, a 25 watt bulb in the desk lamp (line the edges of the styrofoam with aluminum foil, it can be adjusted to open or close the top hole for humidity/temperature control.) Oh, and this desk lamp does have a ceramic fixture and the rest is metal, not plastic.
Line the bottom with foil, fill an old clean jar with warm water, put a clean new sponge in sticking out the top to put enough humidity in the air. Make sure the water level stays high enough to get into the sponge.
Adjust for too much humidity (if that happens) by poking a few holes with a pencil or something like that in various places. They can be taped back up when humidity needs raised. Three or four holes are good for air circulation, too, but there's a lot of air leakage around the top where the light is, too, though you can use foil to kind of seal that a bit.
I did cut a window in the side, and used caulk to put a piece of clear plastic from a photo frame in it. The thermometer is a $1 one from Walmart. I pop the hygrometer in occasionally from our other homemade 'bator which needs more constant temp change/regulations. So far the temp and humidity have stayed very steady in this one.
This is in an unused bathtub in the bathroom, keeps a very steady temperature right about 100. I've got duck eggs, quail eggs, chicken and guinea eggs in it. All are developing nicely. I expect quail to start popping out in the next few days. The chickens and ducks and guineas will be longer.
Very cheap, very quick and easy, I made it in just a few minutes, gave the caulk time to dry, voila! Maybe not as good as the pricier store bought ones, but it is working just fine.
We have another styrofoam bator we made with the light under the egg shelf, and it works nicely too, but it is more variable in temperature, the light is closer to the eggs and they have to be moved more to keep them even temps. We just hatched three out of four guinea eggs in it a few weeks ago as a test. It's full of chicken eggs for hatching right now too.
Don't bother with the little plastic thingy, just make yourself a 'bator!
You can fit way more eggs in it, too!
Line the bottom with foil, fill an old clean jar with warm water, put a clean new sponge in sticking out the top to put enough humidity in the air. Make sure the water level stays high enough to get into the sponge.
Adjust for too much humidity (if that happens) by poking a few holes with a pencil or something like that in various places. They can be taped back up when humidity needs raised. Three or four holes are good for air circulation, too, but there's a lot of air leakage around the top where the light is, too, though you can use foil to kind of seal that a bit.
I did cut a window in the side, and used caulk to put a piece of clear plastic from a photo frame in it. The thermometer is a $1 one from Walmart. I pop the hygrometer in occasionally from our other homemade 'bator which needs more constant temp change/regulations. So far the temp and humidity have stayed very steady in this one.
This is in an unused bathtub in the bathroom, keeps a very steady temperature right about 100. I've got duck eggs, quail eggs, chicken and guinea eggs in it. All are developing nicely. I expect quail to start popping out in the next few days. The chickens and ducks and guineas will be longer.
Very cheap, very quick and easy, I made it in just a few minutes, gave the caulk time to dry, voila! Maybe not as good as the pricier store bought ones, but it is working just fine.
We have another styrofoam bator we made with the light under the egg shelf, and it works nicely too, but it is more variable in temperature, the light is closer to the eggs and they have to be moved more to keep them even temps. We just hatched three out of four guinea eggs in it a few weeks ago as a test. It's full of chicken eggs for hatching right now too.
Don't bother with the little plastic thingy, just make yourself a 'bator!
