Since we want to hatch our eggs and not cook them we have to regulate the heat. A 25 watt bulb will raise the temperature well above 125 degrees F. If you just plug the light into the socket and put it in the cooler it will get very hot. The plug end was broken so I spliced in a plug that I had lying around. I just made a hole a tiny bit smaller than the socket and slowly worked it in. It plugs into an outlet and I assume it is most often used as a nightlight or a light that stays on permanently. Some people will use a socket from a kit or from a lamp, but I prefer this very simple socket. To achieve the heat we will use a 25 watt light bulb.To power the bulb we will use a socket adapter. The heat in circulating air incubator must be 100 degrees F. Various tape, screws, zip ties, wire nuts, solder, and heat shrink (free)ĭrill with 3/4 spade bit and 3/16 inch drill bit You might have some of this stuff lying around like I did or you may have to buy it all.ġ light bulb (red 25 watt party bulb from walmart $1.88)ġ light bulb socket adapter (walmart $1.27)ġ cord with polarized plug (from a broken electric can opener free)ġ 12 V computer fan (computer parts pile free)ġ piece 1/2 inch cpvc approximately 15 inches( free)ġ piece of screen or hardware cloth (free)ġ electronic thermometer/hygrometer (ebay $1.98)ġ DC12V Heat Cool Temp Thermostat Digital Temperature Control Switch -50-110☌ F5 (ebay $3.60) However, I use free, or very inexpensive materials to do it. I am a little older now and I want to do better. In fact there are some plans for homemade incubators that are essentially that. I was able to hatch 2 of 6 eggs from that. When I was 8 years old I made an incubator with an old lamp, a wooden box and some tin foil to hatch out some eggs that my aunt gave me. The basic models of Hovabator and Little Giant will cost about $50 or so. The Hova-Bator and The Little Giant are considered good starter incubators and many people use them for years to increase their flock or do classroom experiments. You can find some very terrible incubators for sale starting at $20 but they are tiny and usually don't work very well or at all. A commercially manufactured incubator can cost upwards of $150. I started this project because I had some things lying around that I knew I could turn into an incubator. My incubator is very similar but not an exact copy of his design. I would like to thank Rush Lane Poultry and Game Birds for posting videos of his coolerbator. I am entering in the egg contest and the animal contest because if all goes well I will start with eggs and end with chickens. I will refer to chickens from here on out, but much also applies to other fowl. This incubator is for chicken eggs, but it could be used for quail, duck, or goose eggs also. This doesn't always happen when it is convenient for a would be poultry owner. There are a few things to do to help her out, but in essence, that is how it goes. If you have fertile eggs and a broody hen you can isolate her from the rest of the flock and about three weeks later you have chicks. The natural method is to have a hen that becomes broody and decides to do all the work for you. Chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, and quail eggs can all be found for hatching. You can usually find chicks for sale just as easily as fertile eggs but if you cannot find chicks or pullets or you want to have a certain type of chicken or game bird then you might want to incubate some eggs. Mine is ready to go minus the heating, I even have a peeking window done.It is springtime in the northern hemisphere and it is a good time to hatch some chicks. I need a heating method where I can keep the temp steady in the whole cooler, preferably without worrying about a severe fire hazard. Not to mention the headache of maintaining a constant temp by trying to hook a thermostat or dimmer onto a bulb. The other method of a light bulb gives me pause.an electric heat source not designed for water, styrofoam, humidity and water in a confined space just seems like a bad idea to me. Would a submersible heater under a few inches of water really heat the whole cooler to the 87-89 range? Humidity would be fine, but the temp too? and does it not need ventilation holes? I saw this video in the breeding section here and was confused, every Youtube video had a heating element like a light bulb, but this had only a heater under water and eggs above. I am using an Omaha steaks cooler which is CRAZY thick, right at an inch and a half. Alright I am trying my hand at a DIY incubator.
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