talk to me about homemade styrofoam cooler incubators please

[chickmomma03]

pros and cons, best way to build them, any advice/tips/tricks. I can't justify purchasing an incubator until I know hatching eggs is something I plan to do. When/if I do purchase an incubator it's not going to be cheap so I'll have to save for it. What I have right now:

styrofoam cooler
hardware cloth
dish/dishes for water (need to get a sponge)
heat lamp with metal still on (I think I need to plan on removing the metal ring)
rag towel (I was considering nesting the egg in it, but I might do the egg carton trick, if I do, what is better "paper" or styrofoam)
picture frame glass
duct tape
permanent marker
I have an energy saver light bulb, I have read different opinions on watts, the one I used was a 43w that put out 60w
extension cord

I guess I need to invest in a better thermometer with hygrometer. I bought a digital thermometer with hygrometer, and was hatching a duck egg in a makeshift incubator, all went well until hatch, and apparently I had ran my humidity too high so the membrane thickened too much for the duckling to pip out (which is why I think I need to invest in a better thermometer with hygrometer).

I can't build anything too complicated, so I can't get into all these switches and electrical wiring ones. I need simple, straight forward, and working good enough to not kill batches of hatching eggs.

I also need to know how and where to cut vents, how many are needed would help me out too.

This should be simple to me, but I think I'm overthinking and doubting myself too much. After losing my precious little duckling my son and I were hatching, it was heartbreaking. I don't want a repeat of that. I do know that you can't count your chickens before they hatch and anything can happen from start to hatch and even after, but I want to try to prevent it from being something I did to cause it.

 

[zonachick]

I made a Styrofoam incubator from an instructional YouTube video... it has been trial and error thus far but tomorrow is hatching day for my lone fertile egg.... so far development has looked great when I candled the egg so fingers crossed it works out!

 

[zonachick]

Also I can send some pics of mine when I get home.... it might help to get an idea

 

[chickmomma03]

that would be great

 

[MeepBeep]

Wiring in a thermostat and including a fan isn't hard and it will make for a much more reliable incubator...

Without a thermostat you are playing a balancing act with the heat, and any tipping of that balance can result in heat shooting up or down and killing off the eggs...

 

[chickmomma03]

I don't have enough confidence in myself to do wiring work. I have only wired a doorbell and a couple other things WITH supervision. I might be able to get my son's father to help with wiring a thermostat, but I might not, he's not reliable for stuff like this, so I rather just do something simple that I can keep a close eye on (I'm home all day every day)

 

[MeepBeep]

I don't have enough confidence in myself to do wiring work. I have only wired a doorbell and a couple other things WITH supervision. I might be able to get my son's father to help with wiring a thermostat, but I might not, he's not reliable for stuff like this, so I rather just do something simple that I can keep a close eye on (I'm home all day every day)

A thermostat is no harder to wire then a doorbell, it's just two connection points just like a doorbell... The only difference it that you don't want to touch the wires in this case

I'm sure if you asked around someone will lend a hand, neighbor or friend?

You just cut one of the two wires and split it to the two screws on the thermostat, leave the other wire to the light intact and not cut... Locate the thermostat about 1 foot back from the bulb socket so you have some room to mount it a few inches away from the light bulb, and mount the metal back of it on towards the bulb not against the wall as that is where the bi metal disc that senses temp is located...

http://www.lowes.com/pd_362351-135-9008079046_0__?productId=3693208

I'm guessing that if you purchased the bottom/lower water heater thermostat at a local hardware store like Ace or True Value and brought in your light they would be more than happy to wire it up for you... Heck you might even get someone at a big box store to do it as well...

The water heater thermostat isn't the best but they can be very reliable and is more reliable than no thermostat...

 

[chickmomma03]

Quote: I live in the country, there isn't an ace or true value anywhere around here. I have a little local hardware store, but I don't know anyone in there as I've only been in there once in the past maybe 6 years it's been opened (I don't even really drive many places, grocery store, gas station, dr office, dmv once a year, think that's about it, I try to save gas because of prices).

My lamp cord doesn't look like that, it's a heat lamp, so the plastic coating covers both wires together, I don't know what wires are what. I can't afford to really buy much of anything right now which is why I'm trying to work with what I've got (plus the complications of wiring).

 

[funnyfarmmom]

I made a styrofoam cooler incubator by myself without any gadgets or youtube . I set 6 eggsin it, 2 were not even fertile but the other 4 all hatched!

I took my heat lamp, took the wire cage off the front and put a 60 watt bulb in it. Cut a circle in the top of the cooler lid bigger than the lightbulb but smaller than the metal shield of the lamp. Taped the lamp down to it.

Then I cut a rectangular window in the front so it would be easy to turn the eggs and add water. I used plastic wrap for this, but picture frame glass would be better Doing that for next hatch!

I taped my candy thermometer to the wall of the cooler with the end down among the eggs. For days 1-18 I kept one small container of water in there and refilled as necessary. Day 18 I added a second container of water. I thinktwice I spritzed the towel under the eggs with water but that was it. Oh and I put two small holes in each handle, near the top. It held steady at 99-100 degrees the e tire 3 weeks. Ive only done one hatch, but these were even pullet eggs that everyone said wouldnt hatch! Out of 6, 2 were infertile to begin with and the other 4 all hatched! Here's the first hatchling:

 

[chickmomma03]

awww little cutie!