My winter project.

[redneck]

I have given my last incubator to a friend, now I am without one. I have been searching the internet for some time and I think I have found a design that I really like.
www.the-coop.org/wwwboard/discus/messages/1/6496.html
I want to modify it a little by adding a hatcher on top. Both will have a separate heating and humidity control. I have some Nichrome wire that I can use to make a heating element, and I will use a water heater thermostat. I want to be able to use an automatic egg turner in this one. I am thinking of building something that is about 24" high x 17" deep x 17" wide. I will use exterior grade plywood. I want to build a box with the above dimensions and then insulate it with 3/4" insulfoam. Then build an outer shell using the same plywood. This will be like a sandwich, plywood-insulation-plywood. Should retain heat very well. All sides of the plywood will be epoxy coated and the joints will be glued and nailed. I want to put a window on top for the hatcher that will have a hinged lid. and a window on one side for the incubator, the side will have a door also for the incubator. I tried to give a general idea of what I want to build, If anyone has any sugestions or criticisms please make a post.

 

[MissPrissy]

I will be excited to see what you build. You inspired my first box.

I have made 2 new ones.

My bread box incubator and a potato box incubator. Both have eggs set. I have my fingers crossed.

 

[redneck]

You are very generous, but I have to say that I would have stopped with my first one if it were not for you. Your first bator was and is a standard that all others are compared.

 

[seminolewind]

Really nice, how does that egg turner work?

 

[Corey NC]

Quote:
thats my question, too.

 

[redneck]

Store bought turner for the hovabator

 

[MissPrissy]

Quote:
You are the one being generous. I think I am blushing.

 

[speckledhen]

MissPrissy is quite the inventor, isn't she? Just goes to show that you dont have to pay inflated prices for a glorified styrofoam box when you can easily make your own. red, this wooden bator my DH built works very well, but the pieced top seemed to warp in spite of metal bars across the back of it when the humidity was high. We've hatched several chicks in it before. Being about 22" square (inside dimensions) made it very roomy to put a commercial turner inside.

DH wasn't quite satisfied, so he tore the guts out of the wooden one and put them in a dorm fridge. In the upright position, we could never get it to stay regulated, probably due to the "two story" design of the fridge, so we had a brainstorm at the same time and turned it on its back like a chest freezer, put the components in more suitable places for the new position and it is holding temps perfectly! For two days, the air temps have been 98.6-99.3 and the weasel temps have been 99.1-99.7, no higher, no lower. The humidity is right now between 70-74%. The eggs will be on Day 18 in the HovaBator on Thursday and will go in it. I think the Hova turner will fit in it if we decided to incubate in it, but I'd have to measure that to be certain.

 

[redneck]

I am a little concerned about the wood distorting with high humidity. I plan on using epoxy resin, the same stuff used when building wooden boats. I will coat inside and outside with it.

 

[speckledhen]

We had some of that Helmsman Spar Urethane that is used on bar countertops, etc and did put a coat of it on the lid, but we didn't have enough for two coats. Probably a good thick layer of that would do it. It sure worked well on the dresser we retrofitted to be a bathroom vanity.