My 14 yo sons homemade Bator- questions??

[patandchickens]

IMO it is advantageous to have SOMETHING like a water wiggler, b/c it tells you how much temperature fluctuation an egg is experiencing, which is really the thing that matters (air temperature does not matter except insofar as it affects what the egg temps do).

I couldn't find one either, though, so what I've wound up with, which I'm pretty happy with, is a plastic easter-egg with a hole punched in one end to insert the thermometer probe, and a balloon with a few tablespoons' worth of water knotted into it (sized to *just* fit the egg, so it entirely fills the egg when the egg is taped closed) nestled in there with the probe sitting in the center of it.

For sure you need a thermostat -- while a few people have achieved successful incubation without one, your odds of success are extremely low, especially if you have a poorly insulated 'bator or it is in a room whose temperature fluctuates.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[momiphouph]

I think I have convenced the boys to go ahead with the thermostat, dh has been reading a long with me. He said he thinks TSC has paper cartons, since I really dont want to buy a dozen eggs. lol
Good to know I can leave it with little to no water... whew ok! Although I have smaller containers for the water so we can trade that out and see what it does, its all part of the learning process for ds. Science class at its best, hands on! If anyone knows of some science websites (on incubation) that would be great! I am getting excited... looks like we dont have much more to do before we start this first hatch! YAY!!

Not sure yet what we will do about the water wiggler situation... we'll just see what we find.

Thanks all!!! I love BYC!!!
I have a friend that I am always saying.. "well on my chicken forum" She says, "oh you and that forum". hahahahahaha!!! I love it here!!!!

 

[kelseygirl707]

You guys will have to enter the home made incubator contest, I just finished my entry last night. I actually had a lot of fun doing the BYC page for it.

You can check it out here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=24137

 

[momiphouph]

kelseygirl707 Thats a great idea! I think we will have to fix a few things and see if I can get a page done in time. Thanks!!!

 

[momiphouph]

One Mans Garbage is another Womans Incubator!

I dont know how I missed that when I looked at it before but I totally love the title!!!

I love it!​

 

[fivestring]

That's some good thinking to put an incubator together from a bunch of throw away items. Very green of you.

And it is aesthetically pleasing as well. Great job, kelsey.

I still like that electronic thermostat the most! I will have one of those! Then I can build a home made incubator and use my LG as a hatcher. Yeah, that's what I'll do...

 

[kelseygirl707]

LOL, thanks guys!

yah the digital thermostat has been awesome, I'm glad I bought two, so I could have one for the hatcher (Which is being used as a second incubator right now, because I couldn't keep my eyes off the auction thread!).

Hope your bator is doing well!

~Kelsey~