Where to find a incubator?

[AppleCrisp]

Hey!

I'm going to be incubating some eggs soon, and I need some help.
Can I find a decent bator for around 50$? I've tried craiglist, kijiji, and buysell and nothing.

Now I'm going down to the states (I'm in Canada) for a few days and we are going to Fargo, and will be passing through Grandforks. Are there any good stores there that I could find a decent bator for a decent price? I'm having trouble finding one.
I also found a design for a home made bator (http://www.cyberquail.com/incubators.html) would it work? And what temp. does my bater have to be at? As well as what humidity?
And my final question is how can I make a homade egg turner? I heard something about a carton method. Thanks!

 

[BirdBrain]

The learning center (link at the top of the page) has a good article about dry incubation. There are also charts that tell what temps and humidity should be as well as the length of incubation for different birds.

Search BYC for "gopher bator" and "log cabin bator". I am making a turner like the gopher bator except it is a frame work of half inch PVC pipe with two 18 count egg cartons hot glued to the frame. I cut the bottoms out of each egg cup then cut the top and bottom of the carton apart. I then set the bottom in the top and hot glued them together at the corners and one spot on each side. This gave ridgidity to the egg holders and also air movement all the way around the eggs. Buy a wafer thermostat online and use a fan from an old computer for air circulation. Set the fan out from the inside wall about an inch to allow for proper air flow.

Also search this site for other incubator plans. A bunch of folks have made them and perhaps you will find more ideas. As always, when you finish making your bator, share pictures of your design. We have been taking pictures as the project gas progressed and will share those when we are done.

 

[magikchick]

I use a home made bator, a lot of people on here do. Mine works well and I've have great hatches out of it. Do a search and you'll find tons of ideas.

 

[Chicken Woman]

I got 2 used Little giants for free on freecycle.com. They work great ! They were a little dirty but after a soak in the bath tub with bleach and hot water they were like new.
Of course I took them completely apart before sanitizing and cleaning. Then reassembled everything after they dried.

 

[spookyevilone]

Yes! Fleet Farm: 3730 36th St SE, Fargo, ND 58102 - Phone: 701-298-7700. They sell the Little Giants still air 'bators and the fan kits and turners. Call first to make sure they have them - they can order them from another store in 24 hours if they don't, usually.

'Bator was around $46, fan kit was $24, turner was $42. However, you could turn by hand and build your own fan kit for dirt cheap with an old computer fan and a charger cord.

My only advice with the LG is to take the wire out, seal up the bottom holes with silicone, and put the wire back in. I had major issues with keeping the humidity stable until I did that. My Hovabator doesn't have bottom holes and that doesn't seem to affect anything when I incubate or hatch in it, and all the bottom holes in the LG were doing was draining water onto my floor.

Hope you get one!
-Spooky

 

[AppleCrisp]

Thanks alot!

*Runs off to look at articles*