GreenAus' Home-made Incubator

greenaus · **Posted:** Wed Aug 13, 2008 2:34 pm

Update: The incubator is still at Chad and Lori's place. They must be doing a fantastic job of turning the eggs and looking after the humidity, etc.

They've hatched 10 out of 12 so far, including all eight of the ones due a couple of days ago.

Two of the first four eggs had 4 days to go when I disconnected the incubator and drove up to Toowoomba. The other two had 8 days. One hatched from each due date. The trip may have affected them more than those that had an extra week to go.

greenaus · **Posted:** Thu Aug 21, 2008 11:31 pm

I picked the incubator up from Chad and Lori's this afternoon and spent some time earlier this evening adding some more "insulation" to the egg end of the box. I added an extra layer of styrofoam by cutting up another box. I fixed it in place with duct tape. I can't use zip ties for everything. ;-)

It is sitting on a folded blanket and has a double-layered blanket draped over it.

I have 17 Australorp eggs in there and dozen (or more) turkey eggs arrive Saturday and go in on Sunday.

Perhaps a dozen more Australorp eggs will go in each week to ten days.

Due to the space required, all eggs are being placed directly on the mesh rack, rather than the baskets with rice beds. This meant some will be close to the walls, which is why I added the extra layer of styrofoam.

I've taken these extra steps to try to ensure the temperature is stable everywhere. The fan is also circulating the air nicely and there's still some provision for ventilation. Even if there wasn't I have to open the lid for a few minutes 3-5 times a day to turn the eggs. This allows plenty of air exchange.

cisco · **Joined:** Wed Nov 05, 2008 6:48 pm **Posts:** 1

great setup! i have a few questions as this is my first time making one.what should the humidity and temp be kept at? do you need a fan or is it possible without one? and why did you use rice instead of something like cottonballs?

thanks heaps

greenaus · **Posted:** Thu Nov 06, 2008 10:07 am

Because I don't have cotton balls.

greenaus · **Posted:** Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:43 am

I've just read every post in this thread. I'm a little disappointed with the last one. It could very easily be considered rude since I didn't answer the other questions. I hope that's not the reason it was that new member's only post.

The answers to the other questions are pretty well covered in other Incubation and Chick Rearing threads.

Humidity: Varies depending on location, personal preference, etc. I try to maintain 50% + for the first 18 days and then increase to 70% +. The incubator sitting in my bedroom with only one fertile egg in it (the 8 Buff Orpingtons sent from down south were infertile) belongs to a mate and all the eggs were his. My digital hygrometer has told me from the beginning that the humidity is around 30-45%. It has a water tray in the bottom and it is full (surface area is the same regardless so doesn't matter how full.

Temperature: 37.7 no ifs, buts, or maybes.

Fan: A fan seems to be beneficial. I don't think I'd ever build an incubator without one.

So, why did I just read all the posts in this thread?
I was looking for a photo of the thermostat I use so I could see which socket I'm supposed to plug the power board into. I'm setting up the Kevatron again ready for the weekend.

...and now it's heading for 1am. I guess I shouldn't have kept reading. :oops:

bunyanuternie · **Joined:** Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:31 pm **Posts:** 2903

I think Rice is a great idea . I don't use anything other than My patented wire Racks which I invented and have now passed on to a few other diehard bellsouth fans , If I could incorporate rice , I think I would .

greenaus · **Posted:** Thu Jul 02, 2009 11:41 pm

If I make another little one like that one, I'd consider using rice again.

I "decommissioned" that original one discussed in this thread last year. And, the kids "sunk" it out in the yard. It is long gone.

I'll be using the Kevatron.

Ann@Nanango · **Posted:** Wed Jul 08, 2009 11:49 am

Hi Greenaus.

I've been looking through this thread, and no I don't think you were rude (to cisco), although he/she definitely didn't come back. I just thought it was funny, as in ha ha not weird.

My question is, how do you increase the humidity in the incubator. Put more water containers in? I have a dozen Lights Sussex eggs in my friends Bellsouth, but she sort of looks after them (she's also got 2 dozen eggs in there). I am frantically getting together information on building my own incubator, cause I want to have a little bit more control over my "babies".

Have posted another homemade incubator question here, providing I figure out how to link it.

greenaus · **Posted:** Wed Jul 08, 2009 1:35 pm

Ann@Nanango wrote:

My question is, how do you increase the humidity in the incubator. Put more water containers in?

Increase water surface area.

example 1 Add more water containers

example 2 Add a sponge or two

The sole White Wyandotte (I say that loosely because it looks grey and white to me) egg in my mate's incubator hatched overnight. After it pipped yesterday, I stood a few sponges on their ends in the water tray at the bottom to increase humidity. The tray takes up almost the entire bottom and there was no room for more water containers.

youridreezen · **Posted:** Thu Feb 11, 2010 7:23 pm

i use the same thermostat in me fridge incubator, all i can say is WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP (sorry not your incubator the thermostat)
i get a 1.5-2.5C difference in between heating and cooling, also i found i had to set it at 38C.

i'm going to put this one in the bin and build one out of wood with a wafer thermostat.

will post it in a thread on here with it.

but the one i'm building will hold a few 100 eggs.

regards youri.

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