Recently in Do It Yourself Category

I made another incubator.

I found this potato box at a thrift shop for $8.

We cut out a place in the lid and routed a channel so that a pane of glass can be inserted for observation. The glass is out now because the glare from my kitchen lights made it impossible to see inside.

The light is wired in the bottom part of the box where the little drawer is.

The thermostat is wired in the compartment where the eggs will rest.

A water wiggler, thermometer/hydrometer and the set up is complete and ready to regulate the heat.

For those who are still unsure about the wiring I made a photo of how the wiring is completed.

I cannot explain any better than I have in the other two incubator posts so maybe looking at this photo will help take away the rest of the mystery.

For those who have questioned the water wiggler. This is a digital thermometer/hydrometer with a probe and a water wiggler.

The probe on the thermometer is threaded into the water wiggler and placed along side the eggs. The temperature on the inside mimics the temperature of the inside of the eggs. The ideal hatching temperature inside the egg is 99.5 degrees F.

Use this setting of 99.5F to regulate your thermostat to turn on and off the light bulb to maintain the correct heat.

I am very pleased so far with this bator. The temps are steady and holding. The probe temp is holding at 99.9 and the humidity is around 40% and holding.

I have 11 true blue/black Americauna eggs set in the potato box 'bator. We are currently on day 8. I have candled the eggs and see veins and the embryos. The chicks are growing! I have had a real heck of a time with all of the sudden changes in the weather. The humidity went crazy when the rains came (not complaining!). The temperatures began to swing with the rain and the box had to be moved to the study where the servers are keeping that room a constant 77 degrees. As if that wasn't enough the other day the buld blew and the temps fell to 80 before I knew it.

Wish me luck on a good hatch.

I wish you could see the real color of these eggs. They are such a lovely shade of blue.

Other links: my styrofoam cooler incubator and my bread box incubator.

Good luck to all of you who are inspired to build your own incubator.

I have been wanting to set up a smaller incubator than the one I made back in the summer. The original incubator is huge and can set a flat of eggs (2.5 dozen) at one time. I don't want to have to regulate and run that big box just to hatch a few eggs at a time.

I was trying to think outside of the box and away from the the styrofoam coolers. I asked myself what can a chicken loving housewife use to make a small incubator out of inexpensively? How can she do it safely and without worrying about the electrical and know she did it right?

So, I built a new one.

I used an old breadbox with a plexiglass window insert that I found at the goodwill for $7. You probably have one or know someone with an old one they don't use any more. If I was back home in Georgia I know my sister has 2 I could have gotten!

I picked up one of the $11 thermometer/Hygrometer with probe combos by acurite (I have one but I wanted a second one incase I decided to use both bators at one time), a water wiggler $0.88, $5 a bottle lamp kit, and an $8 single pole hot water heater thermostat. I already had some little wood screws, electrical tape and a surge protector.

First I secured my thermostat to the upper top corner of the breadbox. I did so because I want the thermostat as far away from the heat source as possible. I want to be sure the eggs on that side don't get too cool.

Next I drilled a hole for the lamp kit making sure the lamp neck was placed so that when the lid closes the light bulb is not touching or extended out too far.

Using the bottle lamp kit I threaded the hollow metal tube through the hole and then threaded the electrical wire through the tube and screwed down both ends to make it tight.

Following the lamp instructions I wired the ribbed wire to the brass screw (see #1). I then cut a piece of the wiring and ran that from the silver screw through the side hole to the thermostat (see #3). I took the other wire coming into the box and threaded it through the side hole and wired it to the other screw on the thermostat (see #2).

It wasn't hard. You can do it. Take your time. If you wire it wrong when you plug it in your breaker will trip. You'll know then what to do. LOL

I then cut a piece of shelf liner and laid it in the bottom so the eggs would be coushioned and not roll.

The light works, the thermostat works.

I did caulk around the little window so that warm air wouldn't easily escape and cause the light to run more than it needed.

I did not drill any vent holes in mine for 2 reasons. The humidity in my house is at 52% and has beed holding that for the past week. The lid has a lillte gap along one side that I think will let the bator breath properly. If I need more venting it won't take 1 min to drill out a hole. We'll see.

If you build one you might need to drill holes and plug them with a cork as needed.

I also went back and added some of the weather stripping you put around dorrs and windows to stop drafts around the inside where the lid closes down. I was loosing alot of heat that way.

Now it is sitting and warming up. It will run from now until the Blue Orpington eggs I am getting have their 21+ days in the incubator.

I am not one to count my chicks before they hatch so wish me luck. Eggs went in the mail yesterday to be shipped to me. I am on pins and needles hoping they make it to me intact. The post office damaged the last batch I got.

This little bator can sit on my kitchen counter and not be in the way. The big bator I had was always in the way no matter where we had it while testing it. We ended up keeping that one on the dining room buffet with the last batch of eggs.

This one is pretty and won't look out of place on the countertop.

Nothing is wrong with functional and decorative! :D

P.S. Those of you who teach school (Mary!) this is a great idea for spring time. Set eggs in late March and 21 days or so later they would hatch in April.