Home made incubator help

[Anonymous]

Hi,
I am thinking of making my own home made egg incubator as the commercial incubators are far too expencive. I have got a styrofoam thermometer and humidity meter. Can some one please guide me through the process. I am confused between degree temperatur and celcius and farenheit. What temperature I should be setting my incubator and what humidity level should it be on. How many times should I be turning the eggs around and how to turn them around.
Please help me

 

[Anonymous]

Temperature and humidity are going to be dependent upon which type of eggs your hatching. For example ducks are higher humidity then chickens, while turkeys require higher temperature. I use a brinsea incubator myself and if the egg rotation is done manually it recommends at least 4 times a day.

 

[daniellesdogs]

iv an old auto brinsea, works much better than the one i made and a poly box one i got off ebay and i didnt have to run home 3 x a day to turn eggs. i payed £50 for it and its made its moneys worth.
the one i made was a poly box with a bulb on a clip on light i think i used a long life bulb checked the temp every day when i turned eggs just to be on safe side small pot of water on box floor

 

[Frenchchickens123]

Hi, if your thinking of making an incubator you will want a thermostat, trust me. My first hatch didn't and I was constantly worried by the temp which did fluctuate quite a bit. If you want you can purchase a cheap one from eBay for £30 and £10 postage. It's polystyrene box with fan and thermostat cheap and simple but mine works great last hatch got 20 out of 26. If your hatching chickens the temp needs to be 37.5 approx. The humidity should be 50/60% for fist 18 days the last three push it up to 70%. with regards to turning they say 3 but with my last hatch I did it 6 (do this if you have the time!) I found turning more contributed to the good results I had, but dint worry if you can't. That's it really! Hope this helps x

 

[hedgerow pete]

i brought the temp kit from maplins and built it my self it comes with every thing you need extept for a small box to put it in,
a light bulb and holder,
a small fan
poly box

poly box is an old fish box that has been painted so i can try to keep it cleen,
the fan came from an old computer , free,
light holder and buld a £1 fopr the two, the box is a foot square and we use one 12 volt 10 watt bulb

the lot cost about £12 in total to buy and build and we have now had four hatches out of it,

the egg turner is a small block of wood which we shift from one end to another end every time we think of it, humidity is roughly 40% when i rember to fill up the comfort washing liquid cap up