Old incubator information? Someone has to know about this thing!

[dday911]

I recently found this old incubator and was able to obtain it. I wanted it working or not. To my surprise, It works like a champ!
I was wondering if someone could give me some information about it. I have searched the internet but cannot find another like it. I would like to know when it was made, and what it is worth. Obviously it would be useless to "non" chicken folk, but I think it is a cool piece of history.
Here are some pics and info....
It uses a wafer system like most foam one's use. It has an adjustment screw on the outside, and has a lightbulb indicator when it is heating or "on"
It has a simple round heating element in the top very similar to today's foam ones.
It has a large felt pad that covers the bottom to hold water and provide humidity. It is mostly intact.


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The bottom tray contains the foam pad seen here bottom left. It swells up when wet, like a peat pellet.


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The tag reads....
Makomb Steel Products Co.
Makomb Ill.
Model E 4 22


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Let me know if you have one....have seen one.....or know anymore about it!
Thanks!

 

[CedarRidgeChicks]

Wow..I bought one almost identical last weekend at an auction, only larger..and it is a Brower. (I haven't checked mine out re: working etc.)..I wonder if the Brower parts would interchange???..check their web site..I know several people ..Bargain being one..on here that have the old Browers. (there were several Browers on ebay too).

 

[dday911]

I don't think its a Brower....anyone know???

 

[dbcooper02]

That's an easy one, its a Makomb. lol I seriously doubt the pad on the bottom is intended to be soaked. Gosh what a germ growing factory that would be. Browers use a disc of a masonite like material there that provides some insulation value. The humidity is supplied by a small pan that sits on the disc under the screen where the eggs sit.

 

[yotetrapper]

You're right, not much info out there. Seems they made waterers and feeders also, as well as a chicken clock, lol. Found a catalog online from 1949. That is cool, especially since Macomb is right on down the road from here....

 

[CindyG]

this is my old Brower, shape certainly is similar. I also doubt that the bottom lining should be used for water, a dish goes under the mesh in mine.

 

[dday911]

The bottom disc makes sense..... it looked absorbent so I was thinking it held water. You guys are right, it would be a mess. I guess my dish is missing. I thought it was odd myself that there was no info out there on it. With the internet today, one can find pretty much anything in an instant. It seems more rare than the Browers. There seem to be lots of those about. Do I have the only one in existence???
If there are more out there....the people on BYC will be the one's to know!!!

At this point... I am going to proclaim myself as the only one who has such a rare and unusual find and estimate it's value at 25,000 dollars......any takers?

 

[Junglebob]

Quote:
I had a friend that lent me one of those old Brower incubators, it worked when he used it but I plugged it in and the heating element wouldn't heat up. I checked with the company and recall the element was $30 maybe $35. It also has a 100 watt heating element, not 25 watt like the styrofoam ones. Maybe if it was better insulated you could replace it with one of the 25 watt ones. I think you may also be able to get the heating element wire material. If you were just using it for a few eggs maybe a bulb set in the center in a fixture with the eggs around it?

 

[dbcooper02]

Sorry, Its not the only one. Bluedog420 got one about a year ago in Kentucky.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=110&p=699

 

[1253ricochet]

I bought one exactly like it at the flea market June 9, 2012. I gave $35.00 for it , and I have eggs in it right now. It seems to be working fine, I should know for sure July 4th week.