Styrofoam Incubator

[AussieGirl]

Ok this is my first ever Incubator that Ive ever built. Im using the directions from this website http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-styrofoam-quotstill-airquot-egg-/

This is the styrofoam box i have at the moment its 2 1/2 feet x 1 1/2 x 1 1/2

and the supplies

The only items i need is the pc fan and 12v transformer which looks like ill have to get online but I was wondering if anybody else has made an incubator like this and how in the world do you make a half hitch for the wire to sit in the cup of the light? Also is there a better way to make this and is there anything else i should consider while making this?

 

[3forfree]

go here for some ideas https://www.backyardchickens.com/chicken-coop-incubator.html

modify a hot water heater thermostat, and you will get better heat control. stryofoam works. read a lot of the stuff here on byc, test your bator after you learn what to do, and enjoy.

here's a youtube link to modifying the thermostat, do this cause it works.

 

[shelleen]

I made one off some instructions on YouTube. I used a water heater thermostat & no fan for the 1st hatch. It was semi-successful. I had purchased some eggs off eBay & they were shipped during a freak Spring snowstorm, so I'm not sure of their viability. We also had lots of "peeking" by my in-laws who live with us (80+ yr olds who couldn't see well enough through plexi window:/) I also did not remove shells as they hatched & the smell got to be TOO MUCH for my sensitive hubs, so he chucked the whole works after 12hrs of no hatching. (Upon later inspection of the eggs, he felt awful, because a couple were alive, so he "helped"--they did not make it)

The 2nd time, I went to a computer store in our small town & they had a fan. I was unsuccessful at wiring it to an old cell phone charger, so I hooked it up to a 12v flashlight battery. It took 2 batteries for the hatch, but worked like a charm. Much more successful hatch than in my commercial incubator, percentage wise.

I'm not sure what you mean by half-hitch for the light. I used a porcelain ceiling fixture (little over $1) & wired an extension cord & themostat to that using the YouTube instructions. I duct taped it to the side of cooler. Very "high-tech"!! My best advice is buy a thermometer with humidity at Walmart or somewhere & don't freak out about temp. fluctuations. I had 95-109 degrees for small amounts of time & still had over 90% hatch. I work all day, and sometimes someone was here to turn/monitor eggs. Momma hens are good, but they don't have watches & I've seen them leave nest for extended periods of time.

Good luck...I'll look for the YouTube link & try to post for you.

 

[shelleen]

Here's the link:

There are tons of videos on how-to...this is the one I used as a guide.

 

[cmom]

It kind of looks like the same cooler I used when I made mine.

 

[jmc]

you can use a desk fan for the unit, which is cheaper. they can be nice and small also, even if a little bit more space consuming than a pc fan. and you already have all the wiring done for you with a desk fan. no adaptor etc. to buy.

optimus makes a nice little 4 in. fan for under 10.00--if you can find it. but there are others avail.

some swear to death by wafer thermostats for their bators. some use the water heater ones. test about.

good luck

 

[quintinp]

Here is a diagram I made for people that needed it. I do the thermostat modification to all of my water heater thermostats, and it is definitely something you want to do. Don't be scared to do it either.

 

[AK Michelle]

Quote:
Don't buy a fan, just start asking everyone you know. Most people have 2 or 3 old computers in their homes that they might let you canibalize. If you know any teenagers, they are experts at finding parts. Post on Facebook and at least one of your friends will have something that will work.

I got an excellent wiring diagram from Mrs. AK-Bird Brain, much easier to understand than the directions I got online.

I had a blast building mine with my son, we ended up building two, using the 2nd one as a hatcher. Here's our story: https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=25270-home-made-brooder I still have the roo from the last picture on the page, that was 4 or 5 years (and a few hundred birds) ago

Good Luck and have fun.

 

[quintinp]

Here's the second diagram.

 

[AussieGirl]

Awesome thanks for all the great info. I have another question though is there a trick to getting the hardware cloth to lay flat? I've tried walking on it but it kinda made it worse.