Features you love in an incubator

2270 Views 21 Replies 15 Participants Last post by OJ Rallye, May 13, 2010

lilachill

Discussion Starter · Apr 28, 2010

For when I do not have a broody hen,I think it is time to move up from the neighbor's styrofoam incubator (which BTW I am very happy to have the use of.)
The most eggs I would need to hatch at one time are 15 goose eggs or 25 chicken eggs.
For those that incubate eggs, what are your favorite features or construction details?
With the college students leaving soon, should I be looking for a broken 'frig on campus?
I know I want something I can clean properly and that turns eggs
Thanks

1 - 20 of 22 Posts

Cyngbaeld

· #2 · Apr 28, 2010

You want an accurate thermostat. I use a proportional digital thermostat that keeps the temp dead even.

RiverPines

· #3 · Apr 28, 2010

Circulated air!!
Still are bators IMO are not worth the time or egg waste.

I use Styrofoam bators that are circulated air and have a 98% success rate in hatching. The few that sometimes dont hatch are usually not fertile to begin with.
I have easily hatched ducks and chickens, and quail with great success.

eam

· #4 · Apr 28, 2010

I second what both River Pines and Cyngbaeld said - a good thermostat and a fan of some kind. If you're building your own, the little fans that go into computers are perfect.

Elizabeth

LFRJ

· #5 · Apr 28, 2010

... and if your an addict like me, windows are nice.

RiverPines

· #6 · Apr 28, 2010

LFRJ said:
... and if your an addict like me, windows are nice.

OMG! Windows!!! Yes!!!
Definitely a need for any obsessive peekers!! LOL

I have to have the windows or I will grow smelly eggs instead of chicks.

Gotta look....all the time!!! LOL

||Downhome||

· #7 · Apr 28, 2010

my first and most likely my last, just built and its working perfect.

the two fans and the cross circulation (one pulling from the bottom/ blowing out the top and the other pulling from the top and blowing out the bottom) keeps the cabinet at the same temp , top to bottom. the two fans move 160 cu feet per minuit or 80 cfpm each.the cab is 20 cu feet. so it may be over kill but I think it helps a lot.

yes window is a must I suggest double insulted or at least double glazed mine keeps the heat in pretty good.

auto turner is another must have feature. mine was suppose to be auto but I wasnt thinking right, it will take a slight modification but I was in a hurry to get some eggs going so all it takes is a flip of the switch I figure I can handle that for a hatch.

I wanted to use a fridge or freezer but could not find one when I was ready. if you can find a old stand up freezer that would be better then a fridge.

if you build I would suggest a wafer stat, took me a while to get the hot water heater stat to play nice but its working good after I found some info on placement and a slight modification it drifts less then a degree.

though if I do build another it will have a hatching/brooder drawer and 4" of foam for sake of efficiency and a safe gaurd for when the power goes out. maybe even a concrete heat sink top and bottom.

if you go homemade please insure you have proper clearances for you heat source from any flamables.

I was looking at this little space heater I have hear its has thermostat and fan something like that may very well simplify a incubator build. it will use more power then a
light bulb or heat lamp though.

good luck on your quest and I say the larger the better!

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Kringees Mom

· #8 · Apr 28, 2010

Downhome - could you post a pix of your homemade incubator? I am very curious...

||Downhome||

· #9 · Apr 29, 2010

its a sticky at the top of the board. title is I'm going to have a incubator this weekend.
(it took a few weekends longer then anticipated.)

Our Little Farm

· #10 · Apr 29, 2010

I highly reccomend
http://www.amazon.com/Brinsea-Octag...ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1272499816&sr=8-3

Brinsea Octagon 20 ECO Auto Turn Egg Incubator

If you are just incuabting chicken eggs, but to go up to the
http://www.amazon.com/Octagon-Advan...2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1272499816&sr=8-2

I have the older version of the more expensive of the two, and have used it with great success.

If you could build something similar to one of these, you would be in very good shape.

Stephen in SOKY

· #11 · Apr 29, 2010

4

For me, an electronic thermostat is a must have as opposed to wafer. When I built mine the GQF preset electronic thermostsat was around $70, but it's totally unaffected by changes in baromeric pressure and holds temp perfectly. My tabletop uses the mechanics from a HovaBator 1590 which is also preset electronic thermostat controlled. I never say never, but I can't imagine ever going back to wafer thermostats. Here's my cabinet bator:

And my tabletop I use most often as a hatcher:

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mullberry

· #12 · Apr 29, 2010

I would like one with legs.

That way it might run away from home & I would not have it full all the time :grin:

||Downhome||

· #13 · Apr 29, 2010

lol mullberry !

I like you bators stephen, most folks are on a budget though that 70 you spent was almost half what I have into mine. I can always upgrade later I did want a digital though just could not justify the cost. maybe if I can sell some of these chicks I may upgrade.

VA Susan

· #14 · May 1, 2010 (Edited by Moderator)

I saw these two links that mentioned a reptile thermostat. Have you heard of that?

Thermostat for reptiles
http://www.cheappetproducts.net/Repti_-_Temp_500WATT_THERMOSTAT_with_PROBE-P69363.html
25.16

Cyngbaeld

· #15 · May 1, 2010

The cheaper reptile thermostat will not handle much in the way of wattage without melting down eventually. I had one nearly set the house on fire.

The Herpstat is a better thermostat and is the one I use with the Dickey. It is more expensive, but well worth the investment.

VA Susan

· #16 · May 4, 2010 (Edited)

Cyngbaeld,
I can't afford to spend much money on mine. Would it be safe to use that thermostat with a small styrofoam incubator? If not, do you know any cheap thermostats that would work well? My incubator is pretty small. It's made from a cooler that came with an order from Omaha Steaks. The space inside is 11 by 13 by 4 3/4 inches high and I use a 15 wt bulb.

Cyngbaeld

· #17 · May 4, 2010

You can try one of the wafer thermostats. They can be a bit touchy but some folks have pretty good luck with them. I think the secret is usually to have a room that doesn't vary temperature wise and keep the bator in there. My house has wide temperature swings (no central heat and air).

TheMartianChick

· #18 · May 4, 2010

Our Little Farm said:
I highly reccomend
http://www.amazon.com/Brinsea-Octag...ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1272499816&sr=8-3

Brinsea Octagon 20 ECO Auto Turn Egg Incubator

If you are just incuabting chicken eggs, but to go up to the
http://www.amazon.com/Octagon-Advan...2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1272499816&sr=8-2

I have the older version of the more expensive of the two, and have used it with great success.

If you could build something similar to one of these, you would be in very good shape.

I love my two Brinsea Octogons! I have the more expensive one as well as the Eco model. The nice thing is that the hoods are interchangeable so I was able to swap them back and forth a couple of times per day to make sure that the temp and humidity were right.

They also rebound quickly... You know all that stuff about not opening an incubator during the hatch? It doesn't seem to apply with the Octogons. I got fantastic hatches out of shipped quail and chicken eggs last year. I was also fortunate to be able to get my incubators at the wholesale price because I did some consulting work for a hatchery.

VA Susan

· #19 · May 4, 2010

Cyngbaeld said:
You can try one of the wafer thermostats. They can be a bit touchy but some folks have pretty good luck with them. I think the secret is usually to have a room that doesn't vary temperature wise and keep the bator in there. My house has wide temperature swings (no central heat and air).

Yeah, that's the problem here too. We did pretty well without a thermostat keeping it around 100 degrees, but we had to check it regularly. In the morning it usually had dropped down to 98 except that one morning when it overheated to 104! I'll check out the wafer thermostats. Thanks!

suelandress

· #20 · May 5, 2010

Will someone please explain the need for a fan? Seems a mama hen doesn't have any wind blowing under her

Are you using them just for temperature control?

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