shoot down my 'bator bright ideas

[Kaneke]

prowling thrift store yesterday (got 120V>12V power cords, thought about getting a 15V output one as well)

anyone tried using an old crock pot or fondue pot as a 'bator ? seems to me someone had some success using an old electric frypan as heat source ...

fascinated with the challenge of hatching eggs -- but contemplating getting a couple of "ameraucana" (probably EE) chicks this coming week when Del's gets theirs in from the hatchery in Walla Walla

not sure if I want to go over to Del's today for a "chick fix" ... yesterday the RIRs and the CornishXs were doing fine, but the BRs and Black sexlinks were looking awfully .... tired, sad, prostrate ... almost broke my heart to see them just lying there

Candy

 

[hart31]

I'm using an electric fry pan control for a thermostat to control the light bulb heat source.

But I have seen photos where someone had put something like cat litter or floor dry in an electric fry pan and just laid the eggs in it.

I would think you might be able to do the same thing with a crock pot but the crockpots we have do not have an infinite heat control, just low and high

 

[Kaneke]

hmmm -- thank you, I think I *do* have an electric fry pan cord/control around here -- actually it's a griddle not a frypan -- but the griddle was damaged ( alcohol and bad temper involved ! ) .. so cord coule be considered surplus

also thought about installing a dimmer switch in line with the cord on crockpot ... heaven knows there are over a dozen sitting at local thrift shop, very dusty, been there nearly forever ... dinner switch I found was only 600w rating but seems to me there were others with higher ratings ...

C

 

[jimnjay]

I tried using a crockpot in an emergency once when a broody abandoned the nest. It was way to hot on the low setting. A Dimmer would probably work to cool it down. Don't forget to provide some air. The skillet works better in my opinion because you can get them with lids that have a vent and it allows you a bit more room for the water container and thermometer.

If the basics, proper heat, humidity and air circulation are present the incubator will hatch egg.
Does not matter the container.

 

[hart31]

This is a pic of my homemade "tv" bator using the electric fry pan control with the back off for a good interior view.

I have had one successful hatch and have another batch of eggs in it now.

I have made a few changes since the photo.

I added a "fresh air return", a simple tin duct across the top so air is pulled from above the thermostat on the right side of the photo. Air is pulled past the light bulb and down, then the warm air is pushed across the water pan which is under eggs.

In the photo there is a computer power supply at the lower left powering the case fan and with its own fan pushing the air out over the water pan. I was having trouble with uneven temperatures in different areas of the egg floor so I removed the power supply and moved the case fan down and positioned it pulling air through the hole in at the bottom of the hot air box. It now blows air directly across the water pan.

Those changes did not fix my uneven temperature problem.

The problem was the water pan. It was an 9 x 13 cake pan. It was too high and was deflecting the air flow upward. I replaced it with a pan made by bending the sides and ends up on a couple of layers of aluminum foil
This gave me more surface area and it is only about 1/2 inch deep. The air now flows more evenly across the water pan and egg floor temperatures are much more even.

Since the power supply is big and clumsy and no longer mounted inside the air box I replaced it with a 12 volt adapter from an old printer.