So, how many hatches did YOU have before building your own bator?

[spiritdance]

I built my very first incubator before I hatched anything. It's built out of an old cooler, uses a heater fan, a ceramic heat emitter, and a repto 5000 thermostat. I rigged a tray on a pvc pipe that goes across the bator about half way up and sticks out the side. I can tilt it back and forth to turn the eggs. I have room right under the emitter and fan for a sponge during lockdown, and that end is separated by a screen divider so I can just shift eggs from the tilt tray to the bottom of the cooler for hatching. It's worked great for the most part, although I have switched to dry hatches and my hatch rates have gone up. Its only drawback is that it's pretty well maxed out with 40 eggs in it, and that's with really creative stacking! I'm gathering the materials now to build a cabinet bator, and the cooler will be used for lockdown or specialty hatches.

 

[3forfree]

I did my first with a styrofoam cooler, the one i'm on now, day 13, is with a larger steel sided cooler, but I don't like it. I junk picked the cooler along time ago, and raised night crawlers in it, it doesn't have a top, I draped a piece of indoor outdoor carpet over it to keep the heat in, it's working ok but I'm wondering about when I lockdown, I won't be able to see anything or monitor the heat and humidity, I'll have to make somekind of a window.

 

[youngbiddy]

Alright, I'm waiting for the thermostat to arrive and I'm getting an old computer fan from my parents (they never throw anything away), so now I'm going to finish the construction. After lining the inside with heavy-duty clear packing tape, I filled the bottom 3/4 inch deep with aquarium rocks. I ended up using a grease spatter screen I found in the pantry over the top of the heat lamp and scattered more rocks over it.

I drilled three vent holes across both the short ends at the top, three intake holes in the bottom, and five more vents on the long sides. The temp held perfectly steady at 102 once all the rocks heated up. I laid the mercury thermometer in several different places around the bottom and it stayed the same. Now I just need the wells for the sponges, the screen floor, the legs, and the rest of the electronics. The legs, floor, wells, and fan are happening tomorrow, but the thermostat might not be here till Tuesday. Fun, fun!

 

[gryeyes]

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I have just found myself in that condition. I accidentally bid on an auction I won. I may have to stack some eggs.... Don't think I can get a Brinsea 'bator here in time. Crud. Why the heck do my fingers twitch for those egg auctions??

 

[sweeterdeeter42]

O-M-G. Finally something to do with all of my empty diaper boxes!!! Great idea, gonna have to try it!!!!!!!

 

[galanie]

That is a great idea for a homemade incubator! Very original and I can't wait to see how well it works! Keep us updated

Oh, and my first and only hatches have been in my homemade one. I couldn't afford a decent incubator that would hold more than a few eggs so I made mine which cost me about $12 and it is working great.

 

[youngbiddy]

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$12? That's great! Got any pics? I love to see how creative people can get with this.

 

[3forfree]

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Found an old wood framed window in the barn that just happens to be the same size as the top of the cooler. It'll work perfect.

 

[aprophet]

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X2 I " played" with mine for 2-3 weeks before I ever set any eggs. Learned what loss of humidity/water did to the temps , adjusted wattage levels on the bulbs etc made sure of what it was going to do before I put eggs in