My Homemade Cooler Incubator!

[eastereggerlady]

I do open the lid but it's only for a minute and everything stays the same. Sometimes humidity will go down but it come back to correct levels in about 5 minutes. I don't think it affects the eggs any considering mama hen would have to leave the nest to eat, drink and poo.

 

[Mamashash]

Thanks so much! And it does make sense. Now maybe I won't be so worried and paranoid!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I do open the lid but it's only for a minute and everything stays the same. Sometimes humidity will go down but it come back to correct levels in about 5 minutes. I don't think it affects the eggs any considering mama hen would have to leave the nest to eat, drink and poo.

You are right, it doesn't effect the eggs. Some of the newer incubators (Brinsea I know) have added a cool down feature to mimick the time that the mama leaves her nest for her daily "break". I myself hand turned my last two hatches and I also spot candle nightly. Loosing humidity the first 17 days is not detrimental when opening the bator and as long as your bator regains and holds your temps once it's shut is not an issue.

 

[eastereggerlady]

Update on my incubator!! So I have my incubator warming up for some eggs I will be setting Friday and I was checking the temperature and holy moly that light bulb was flickering so badly. So I replaced it with my spare bulb and I'm recalobrating the bator as I type. I'm glad it happened now instead of in the middle of the incubation period. But that bulb was used in my last hatch so it's understandable for it to blow.

 

[eastereggerlady]

I set some buff orpington mixed eggs In my cooler bator tonight.

These eggs are kind of my "test eggs" to see if my incubator can successfully hatch out some chicks. Because in about 9 days they are going to be move to the incubator i just recently got from amazon.

It's at the post office now, I can't wait to go pick it up tomorrow afternoon! I will test and calibrate this incubator for 6 days before I transfer my buff orpington mixed eggs from my homemade bator. On August 1st I will be receiving a dozen amerucana eggs and putting them into my new bator! I'm excited to find out my hatch rate! I'm also excited to see what I get from my BO mixed eggs! I know his hens were RIR, BO, BR, white Leghorn, and brahma. Hatch day for the BO mixes is August 12th and my amerucanas should hatch on the 21st!

 

[caesargirl]

Ohhhhhh, good luck!!!!!!

 

[pimento72]

Thank you so much for posting this! I am in the process of making one. the dimmer light is a great idea. so is the egg turner. thank you for the tips. you seem to have good turn outs.

 

[eastereggerlady]

I've never set more than a dozen eggs in my cooler bator and Ive always gotten at least 7 to hatch with I think is good enough

 

[ourrune]

Hi i have a couple questions. One for the egg turner, dont we have to turn the eggs a quarter way around 4 times a day? I planned to lay mine in their side originally. If its just rocking from one side to the other is that really enough? Not trying to be snarky! I only ask because i would love to make something to turn my eggs so i dont have to keep lid open for so long and loose all the humidity and temp.

My second question is, i have a styrofoam cool with bottles of water, rocks, pan of water with sponge, a small fan, and a 25watt bulb with dimmer switch. i have several holes all around bottom and some on top. And i have the light at about same level as eggs. (Read on one site to do that) Im in fl its humid here and the levels in the house make it fluctuate so we put it inside of a non working mini fridge. Now my question is my hubby says to leave the lid closed on the fridge and when i go in 4 times a day to turn eggs it will produce enough oxygen. but i say no they need venilation and the fridge door will at least need proped open to let oxygen get in and carbon dioxide out at all times. Or will the holes in the cooler with the lid only proped open still not be enough? What do you all think about that? I was thinking about put duct tape all around my styrofoam and/or cutting up another styrofoam cooler and tapeing it to the outside of the existing one to add more insulation since the plastic coolers seem to give a higher hatch rate according to ones i have seen. Any thoughts tip or ideas? Thank you!!!!

 

[eastereggerlady]

I've always turned my eggs by using the 3/4in pipe on a cut down egg carton. I seem to get a very good hatch rate normally 7 or 8 per 12 set eggs. As for the humidity I've never had a problem my bator is very stable and I have never had a problem. Sorry hopefully someone else can help!