A homemade incubator can be made in several ways from scrap materials. It will work no worse than a store counterpart, but it will turn out to be much more economical. The capacity is chosen based on personal needs, and the mechanism for turning the tray can be either manual or automatic.
At home, you can assemble an incubator from:
- Expanded polystyrene,
- Thick cardboard
- Plywood sheets,
- Washing machine,
- An old refrigerator.
The dimensions of the incubator are selected individually and depend on:
- The required number of eggs for laying,
- Locations of heating elements.
An average incubator with dimensions: 45 * 30 cm contains:
- up to 70 chicken,
- up to 55 duck,
- up to 55 turkey,
- up to 40 goose,
- up to 200 quail eggs.
Regardless of material or dimensions, each device consists of:
- Covers (with or without window),
- Housings,
- Tray and grates,
- Lamps,
- Containers with water to maintain humidity,
- Thermometer.
Models with automatic or semi-automatic rotation of the tray are also equipped with a digital timer.
Manual pan models
Making simple incubators at home requires a minimum of materials and tools, and they can be made in a few hours. Cons - insufficient thermal insulation, fragility and manual overturn of the grates with eggs.
Styrofoam incubator
The advantages of this model: lightness and compactness, inexpensive cost and ease of manufacture.
You can make an incubator from polystyrene as follows: the walls are cut from a sheet of expanded polystyrene, at least 5 cm thick.The recommended size of the sidewalls is 50 * 50 cm, the end is 50 * 35 cm. Drawings will help to assemble the body and correctly distribute the interior space. The walls are held together with glue, or they can be glued together with wide tape. 3-4 ventilation holes are punched in the bottom.
The styrofoam incubator is equipped with a lid with a glazed viewing window. The glass does not need to be firmly fixed: if there is a need to lower the temperature, it can be moved aside. To make the lid fit more tightly and not loosen the structure, you can glue the sides made of wooden bars. The thermostat and thermometer are installed next to the window.
Incubation of chicken eggs in a foam incubator takes place under the influence of three incandescent lamps with a power of 25 watts. In a given volume, this is sufficient to maintain the required temperature. A water tank is installed at the bottom of the chamber. The lattice for eggs is assembled from a solid galvanized mesh with a mesh size of 2.5 * 1.6 mm. Each side of the tray is lined with strong gauze: if this is not done, the chicks can be injured. To install the trays on top of each other, sides are built up around the perimeter, at least 10 cm high.
Air circulation inside the incubation chamber will be better if a regular computer fan is attached to the bottom.
The styrofoam chicken egg incubator can be equipped with an additional heated indicator that fits under the grates.
Incubator out of the box
The incubator for chicken eggs made of cardboard is economical and simple, and the assembly of such a structure does not take much time. The device is made from an ordinary box for household appliances. It is not recommended to take a large one - it will be difficult to warm up the volume, and it is dangerous to use more powerful lamps. At a distance of 4-5 cm from the bottom, 6-7 ventilation holes are cut out, with a diameter of 3 to 7 mm.
From the inside, wooden slats are attached to the side walls at a height of 9-10 cm from the bottom. The very bottom is covered with cellophane or oilcloth, and wooden beams are placed on top. A tray of water is placed on the resulting pallet, and a regular store tray for eggs is placed on the slats. To supply fresh air from above, 3-4 more holes are made in the lid, with a diameter of about 5 mm. A thermometer is hung next to them and one additional hole is punched for the wire from the lamp.
To heat the incubator, incandescent lamps with a power of 25 watts or more are used. Air humidity is regulated by opening the lid.
Plywood incubator
This model differs from the previous ones in greater strength and better heat-saving characteristics. How to make an incubator:
- The walls are cut from a sheet of plywood. More thermal insulation can be achieved by making them double,
- The dimensions of the device are selected individually,
- The lid is also cut out of plywood, and is made removable,
- To control the process, a small window is sawn in the lid,
- Along the perimeter of the lid - ventilation holes, no more than a centimeter in diameter,
- From the inside to the walls of a homemade incubator, they mount yards for installing trays,
- 4-5 holes are drilled in the floor for air exchange,
- The heating element for the incubator is usually incandescent lamps, but for a large volume, you can also use a tubular electric heater (ten),
- The minimum distance between lamps or heating elements and eggs is 25 cm,
- The minimum distance between trays (if there are several) is 15 cm,
- A frame-type egg tray, assembled from a metal lattice and sheathed with gauze mesh,
- Containers of the same size for water are installed at the bottom.
- The finished egg incubator is placed in a warm room with good ventilation on a flat surface, and connected to a regular electrical network.
Automated models
There are several ways to make a DIY incubator with automatic egg flipping, uninterrupted power supply and good heat conservation.
Incubator from the refrigerator
How to make an incubator with backup power: the incubator body is assembled from the refrigerator. For this, the inner space is cleaned and well rinsed with a disinfectant solution. A pair of viewing windows are cut into the door, which are glazed from the inside and outside.
From the inside, the chamber is divided into two parts. Lower - incubation, equipped with trays. The upper one is the outlet, a fixed shelf is installed in it. The partition is cut from a sheet of plywood, and several holes are punched in it for air exchange. To circulate air, a small fan is installed at the bottom of the incubation chamber, and a couple of holes with a diameter of about a centimeter are drilled next to it in the side wall. For air outlet, similar holes are made in the upper part of the case.
The electrical diagram looks like this:
- Thermostat for the hatcher and incubation chamber,
- Emergency thermostat,
- Voltage stabilizer 10 V,
- Hatchery heater,
- Heater for hatcher,
- A spare heater connected to the backup power unit
- Back-up battery for 12 V incubator,
- Psychrometer,
- Tray turning mechanism,
- Regulator of the humidity level inside the hatcher and incubation chamber.
In automatic mode, the operation of the incubator with backup power is provided by the control unit, which controls all the main units. The set temperature in the chambers is maintained by independent thermostats and heating elements, and electronic thermometers are responsible for temperature control. You can assemble them yourself using various ready-made circuits, but if you have little experience with microelectronics, it is better to buy. The heating system is assembled from 20-25 W bulbs, or a heating cord is laid around the perimeter to save energy.
The automatic egg turning mechanism in the incubator works every two hours, turning the trays 45 °.
A temporary electronic relay, which is assembled from a low-speed motor and a gearbox, is responsible for the operation of the mechanism. The output gear shaft should make a full revolution around the axis for 4 hours. You can replace a homemade relay with a similar device from an old drum washing machine. The mechanism is driven by a motor from a car wiper. To reduce the speed, it is supplemented with a step-type chain reducer.
On the main axle, to which the gear sprocket is attached, the lower egg rack is installed. Two additional trays are hung above it, and the distance between them is at least 15 cm. For simultaneous rotation, all trays are connected by a pull.
The scheme of an incubator for eggs assumes the presence of two power sources: universal and uninterrupted. The incubator is powered by a battery or a power supply unit. The power of the power supply is 120-150 W, and the battery for the incubator is from 12 V.
To maintain humidity, a container with water and a fan are placed at the bottom of the incubation chamber.
Automatic incubator
Another option is how to make your own incubator with automatic egg turning. The frame can serve as a frame from a washing machine or an old bee hive.
The incubator looks like this:
- Frame,
- Tray system,
- Heating system,
- Fan,
- Lattice turning mechanism.
In order to maintain the set air temperature inside, it is necessary to insulate the walls of the incubator. For this purpose, they are sheathed with foam. To ensure air exchange on one side of the wall at the bottom, and on the other - at the top, we make holes. Diameter - no more than a centimeter. The holes can be equipped with plugs. A viewing window is cut into the lid, which is glazed. The glass is not fixed firmly: if it is necessary to lower the temperature inside the chamber, it is pushed back.
The trays are collected from a metal lattice with a cell pitch of about 2.5 cm, and covered with a mosquito net so that the hatched chicks do not damage their legs. Do-it-yourself auto-rotate for an incubator is done like this: holes are cut in the frame of the grate, and they themselves are attached to the axis. All parts of the mechanism are fastened together, and reduction motors with a power of up to 20 watts are used as a drive. For a smooth movement of the tray, it is recommended to take a chain with a pitch of 0.52 mm. A time relay is responsible for automating the process.
It remains to install a heating system for the entire structure. The heating element for this incubator is a spiral from old irons. Attach the spirals to the walls with ties or staples so that they can be easily replaced if necessary.
The minimum distance of the heating element from the tray is 20 cm.
In a do-it-yourself chicken incubator made according to this scheme, a thermometer must be hung, and a container with water is placed on the bottom. For better air circulation, a fan can be attached to the lower grill. There must be a psychrometer in the cell. The device measures moisture indicators, and you can buy it at any pet store.
For a small farm, compact devices for hatching young animals are needed. At home, it is easy to make an incubator with your own hands using materials at hand.
The main focus is on the case, which must provide a stable temperature regime. For this purpose, an old refrigerator or a box made of polystyrene is suitable. Trays are inserted inside, into which eggs are laid. The work on turning them over and maintaining the required temperature can be automated.
- 1. A hand-made device is cheaper.
- 2. You can make a product in accordance with your needs for the required number of eggs.
- 3. A device made from improvised means is cheaper to maintain.
- 4. It is possible to install an additional power supply. It will be necessary in the event of a power outage.
- 1. Additional space is provided in the incubator housing to be able to increase the volume of rearing of young stock.
- 2. The focus is on the heating method and thermal insulation.
- 3. Availability of ventilation. For this, holes are drilled on the side and in the bottom. When made from a refrigerator, fans are installed inside.
- 4. The device must have a reliable power supply system that would not fail.
- The box can be taken ready-made or put together yourself.
- Inside, the space is sheathed with plywood to cover the cracks.
- Holes with a diameter of 10 mm are drilled from above and covered with glass. These will be observation windows.
- Supports are made of polystyrene for the installation of trays.
- In the lower part, wiring and cartridges are being installed.
- Holes are drilled at the top. One for ventilation purposes, and the rest for incandescent lamps.
- In order to preserve heat, the walls of the refrigerator are sheathed with expanded polystyrene.
- Trays are installed. If possible, refrigerator shelves are remade for them.
- In the upper part, outside, a thermostat is being installed. The sensor is located on the inside.
- At the bottom, 3 holes of 1.5 x 1.5 cm are cut for ventilation.
- Fans are located near the lamps and below. They provide air circulation.
- 2 sheets of polystyrene with a thickness of 50 mm and dimensions of 100 x 100 cm.
- Glue or tape.
- 4 incandescent lamps with 25W sockets.
- Fan.
- Thermostat.
- Trays.
- 1. The first foam sheet is cut into 4 equal pieces. They will become the side walls of the incubator.
- 2. The second is divided first in half, and then one of the halves is cut into sheets 50 x 60 and 50 x 40. The first will become the lid, and the second will become the bottom.
- 3. A groove of 13 x 13 cm is made in the lid. It is simultaneously both a viewing and a ventilation opening. Closed with plastic on top.
- 4. The first sheet, cut into 4 parts, is glued into a frame. The bottom is glued from below.
- 5. The entire body with the bottom is tightened with adhesive tape.
- 6. Foam supports are attached along the walls and trays are installed on them.
- 7. At a distance of 1 cm from the bottom, a soldering iron burns out 3 ventilation holes with a diameter of 12 mm.
- 8. For rigidity of the cover, bars are attached to it from all sides. They are also made of foam. They are spaced 5 cm from the edge and go inside the case. Fitting tightly to the side walls, the lid is securely fixed.
- 9. A hole is pierced with an awl in the cover. Outside there is a thermostat, and inside there is a sensor.
- 10. Incandescent lamps are attached.
- 11. The trays located inside should be 5 cm away from the walls so that the ventilation process is not disturbed.
- The body of the microwave oven is lined with foam for better heat retention.
- To ensure the flow of fresh air, a ventilation hole is made at the top. The door is not insulated.
- A tray with eggs is inserted inside. Directly below it is a container with water for humidification.
- 1. Movable mesh. Typically used in small structures. The principle is that the eggs lie in the cells, and a net is laid under them, which moves slowly. During its movement, the eggs begin to rotate. The disadvantage is that they may not roll over, and the mesh will pass idle.
- 2. Roller system. Finds less often use in the manufacture of their own hands. The system consists of rollers with bushings on which the mesh is stretched. It is difficult to make this at home.
- 3. Tilt the tray at an angle of 45 degrees. Eggs located in the cells do not roll. But as the nets move, they begin to turn.
Show all
Advantages
A homemade device has several advantages:
Requirements
The beginning of work consists in the preparation of construction drawings and the development of an electrical part diagram. At this stage, the necessary requirements for the device are laid down:
The incubator is located in a warm and dry room with a temperature of at least 20 degrees and a humidity level of no more than 20%.
Simple incubator
The easiest way to make an incubator is the wooden version. The property of wood to heat up slowly and give off heat at the same rate makes it a convenient material.
Manufacturing Description:
This kind of incubator, made out of a box, refers to a simple design that you can make yourself.
For quails
For quails, a box is taken in which humidity control is provided. It is supported by ventilation holes and water containers located in the incubator.
The nets on which the quail eggs are located must be able to rotate at an angle of 45 degrees. This is achieved by a lever brought out from the body.
From the fridge
To make an incubator from the refrigerator, remove the freezer and all the shelves from it.
After drawing up a drawing and a connection diagram, the following steps are carried out:
The advantages of such an incubator are its dimensions, which can hold up to 500 eggs.
Incubator from the refrigerator
Styrofoam
This material is optimal. It has low weight, low price, and has thermal insulation qualities.
The materials used are:
Step-by-step instructions for making an incubator for chicken eggs:
To keep the heat in an incubator made of foam plastic longer, you need to additionally insulate the walls and ceiling. Foil insulation is suitable for this.
From the microwave
An incubator is made from a microwave oven according to the same principle. The disadvantage is its small size. Therefore, it can be used to hatch quails.
Manufacturing features:
Homemade incubator connection diagram
Automatic egg flipping
In order to successfully carry out the incubation process, the eggs must be rotated 180 degrees. If you do it manually, it takes a lot of time. Automatic rotation is used for this purpose.
Types of mechanisms with automatic overturn:
The latter method has found application in large incubators made from a refrigerator.
Having a household, it is beneficial to have a small device for hatching young animals. There is no point in purchasing an industrial version, which is expensive. A hand-made device will fully meet the necessary requirements and size of the farm. The cost of repairing it is minimal.
All experienced poultry farmers are well aware that one of the main conditions for the successful incubation of eggs, in addition to the correct temperature and humidity, is their periodic turning.
Moreover, this must be done according to a strictly defined technology. All existing incubators are divided into three groups - automatic, mechanical and manual, with the last two varieties suggesting that the process of turning eggs will be carried out not by a machine, but by a person.
A timer will help to simplify this task, which, having a certain amount of time and experience, can be made with your own hands. Several methods of making such a device are described below.
What is it needed for
The egg turnover timer in an incubator is a device that opens and closes an electrical circuit after the same period of time, that is, in simple terms, a primitive relay. Our task is to turn off and then turn on again the main units of the incubator, thus automating the system as much as possible and minimizing possible errors caused by the human factor.
The timer, in addition to the implementation of the overturn of eggs, also provides the implementation of the following functions:
- temperature control;
- provision of forced air exchange;
- start and stop lighting.
The microcircuit on the basis of which such a device is made must meet two main conditions: low current switching with a high resistance of the key element itself.
The best option in this case is the technology of constructing electronic circuits CMOS, which has both n- and p-channel field-effect transistors, which provides a higher switching speed and, moreover, is energy-saving.
The easiest way is to use the K176IE5 or KR512PS10 timing microcircuits sold in any electronics store at home. On their basis, the timer will work for a long time and, what is especially important, without interruption. 
The principle of operation of the device, based on the K176IE5 microcircuit, involves the sequential execution of six actions:
- The system starts up (short circuit).
- Pause.
- An impulse voltage is applied to the LED (thirty-two cycles).
- The resistor turns off.
- The node is charged.
- The system is turned off (open circuit).
Important! If necessary, the response time can be extended to 48–72 hours, but this would require upgrading the circuit with higher power transistors.
Timer,
made on the KR512PS10 microcircuit, in general, is also quite simple, but there is additional functionality due to the initial presence of inputs with a variable division ratio in the circuit. Thus, to ensure the operation of the timer (the exact time of the response delay), you need to choose the right R1, C1 and set the required number of jumpers. 
Three options are possible here:
- 0.1 seconds – 1 minute;
- 1 minute – 1 hour;
- 1 hour – 24 hours.
If the K176IE5 microcircuit assumes the only possible cycle of actions, then on the KR512PS10 the timer operates in two different modes: variable or constant.
In the first case, the system is turned on and off automatically, at regular intervals (the mode is set using the S1 jumper), in the second, the system is turned on with a programmed delay once and after that it works until it is forced off.
To implement a creative task, in addition to the timing microcircuits themselves, we need the following materials:
- resistors of various powers;
- several additional LEDs (3-4 pieces);
- tin and rosin.
The set of tools is quite standard:
- a sharp knife with a narrow blade (to short-circuit the resistors);
- good soldering iron for microcircuits (with a thin tip);
- stopwatch or watch with a second hand;
- pliers;
- tester screwdriver with voltage indicator.
Homemade incubator timer with your own hands on the K176IE5 microcircuit
Most of the electronic gadgets, such as the incubator timer in question, have been known since Soviet times. An example of the implementation of a two-interval timer for incubating eggs with detailed instructions was published in the magazine "Radio", popular among radio amateurs (No. 1, 1988). But, as you know, everything new is well forgotten old.
If you are lucky enough to find a ready-made radio designer based on the K176IE5 microcircuit with an already etched printed circuit board, then assembling and setting up the finished device will turn out to be a simple formality (the ability to hold a soldering iron in your hands is, of course, highly desirable).
Let's consider the stage of setting time intervals in more detail. The two-interval timer in question provides an alternation of the “work” mode (the control relay is on, the mechanism for turning the incubator tray is working) with the “pause” mode (the control relay is off, the mechanism for turning the incubator tray is stopped).
The "work" mode is short-term and lasts within 30-60 seconds (the time required to rotate the tray at a certain angle depends on the type of specific incubator).
Important! At the stage of assembling the device, you should strictly follow the instructions, do not overheat in the soldering points of electronic semiconductor components (mainly the main microcircuit and transistors).
The "pause" mode is long and can last up to 5, 6 hours (depends on the size of the eggs and the heating capacity of the incubator.)
For ease of adjustment, the circuit has an LED that will flash at a certain frequency during the time intervals setting. The power of the LED is matched to the circuit using a resistor R6.
The duration of these modes is adjusted by timing resistors R3 and R4. It should be noted that the duration of the "pause" mode depends on the value of both resistors, while the duration of the operating mode is set exclusively by the resistance R3. 
For fine tuning, it is recommended to use 3–5 kΩ variable resistors for R3 and 500–1500 kΩ for R4 as R3 and R4, respectively.
Important! The lower the resistance of the timing resistors, the faster the LED will flash and the shorter the cycle time will be.
Adjustment of the "work" mode:- short-circuit the resistor R4 (reduce the resistance of R4 to zero);
- turn on the device;
- resistor R3 to adjust the LED blinking frequency. The duration of the "work" mode will correspond to thirty-two flashes.
Pause mode adjustment:
- use the resistor R4 (increase the resistance R4 to the nominal);
- turn on the device;
- measure the time between adjacent flashes of the LED using a stopwatch.
The duration of the pause mode will be equal to the received time multiplied by 32.
Instructions: how to make an incubator timer on a KR512PS10 microcircuit with your own hands
The KR512PS10 microcircuit made on the basis of the CMOS technical process is used in a wide variety of electronic timer devices with a variable division factor of the time cycle.
These devices can provide both a single turn-on (turning on the operating mode after a certain pause and holding it until it is forced to turn off), and cyclic turning on - turning off according to a given program.
Did you know? The chick in the egg breathes atmospheric air, which penetrates the shell through the smallest pores in it. By letting in oxygen, the shell simultaneously removes carbon dioxide exhaled by the chick from the egg, as well as excess moisture.
Creating a timer for an incubator based on one of these devices will not be difficult. Moreover, you don't even have to pick up a soldering iron, since the range of commercially produced boards based on KR512PS10 is extremely wide, their functionality is diverse, and the ability to adjust time intervals covers the range from tenths of a second to 24 hours. 
Ready-made boards are equipped with the necessary automation, which provides quick and accurate adjustment of the "work" and "pause" modes. Thus, the manufacture of a timer for an incubator on the KR512PS10 microcircuit comes down to the correct choice of a board for the specific characteristics of a particular incubator.
If you still need to change the operating time, then you can do this by short-circuiting the resistor R1.
For those who love and know how to solder, and also want to assemble such a device with their own hands, we present one of the possible schemes with a list of electronic components and tracing of the printed circuit board. 
The described timers are applicable to control the inversion of the tray in operation with household incubators with periodic switching on of heating elements. In fact, they make it possible to synchronize the movement of the tray with turning on and off the heater with a cyclic repetition of the entire process.
Other options
In addition to the considered options for basic microcircuits, there are many electronic components on which you can build a reliable and durable device - a timer.
Among them are:
- MC14536BCP;
- CD4536B (with modifications CD43 ***, CD41 ***);
- NE555, etc.
Some of these microcircuits have now been discontinued and replaced by modern counterparts (the industry for the production of electronic components does not stand still).
All of them differ in secondary parameters, an extended range of supply voltages, thermal characteristics, etc., but at the same time they perform all the same tasks: turning on / off a controlled electrical circuit according to a given program. 
The principle of setting the working intervals of the assembled board is the same:
- find and short-circuit the "pause" mode resistor;
- set the desired flashing frequency of the diode with the resistor of the "work" mode;
- unlock the "pause" mode resistor and measure the exact operating time;
- set divider parameters;
- place the board in a protective case.
When making a tray flip timer, you need to understand that this is primarily a timer - a universal device, the scope of which is not limited solely to the task of flipping the tray in an incubator.
Subsequently, having gained some experience, you will be able to equip heating elements, lighting and ventilation systems with similar devices, and in the future, after some modernization, use it as a basis for automatic feeding and water supply to chickens.
Did you know? Many people believe that the yolk in the egg is the embryo of the future chick, and the protein is the nutrient medium necessary for its development. However, in reality this is not the case. The chick begins to develop from the embryonic disc, which in the fertilized egg looks like a small speck of light color in the yolk. The chick feeds mainly on the yolk, while the protein is a source of water and useful minerals for the embryo, which are necessary for normal development.
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11
once already
helped
Many poultry farmers breed chicks from geese to quails using an incubator - industrial or made by hand.
The need for a home incubator is dictated primarily by the fact that the necessary hen may not always be available, and the young need to be raised in a clearly planned time frame.
A selection of photos
It is possible to accurately lay eggs, "incubation", and procreation in the form of chicks only if there is a useful device in the household - an incubator.
Drawings and Description
The frame of this incubator is made of wooden blocks and sheathed on the outside and inside with plywood. Polyfoam is used as thermal insulation.
Under the top of the ceiling of the chamber, there is an axis in the middle, on which a special egg tray is tightly fixed. On the axis with the help of a metal pin, which is brought out through the top panel, turns the tray with eggs.
The tray (25 * 40 cm, height 5 cm) is made of a strong metal mesh, the cells of which are 2 * 5 cm in size and with a wire thickness of about 2 mm, the bottom of the tray is covered with a fine nylon mesh. Eggs are laid vertically, with a blunt end up.
Above the egg tray, a control thermometer is installed strictly along the axis so that when turning the tray, it does not touch the eggs in any way. The scale of temperature readings is brought out through the top panel.
Four lamps (25 W each) installed at the bottom of the case serve as a heating element. Each pair of lamps is covered with a 1 mm thick metal sheet, which are stacked on two red bricks.
To maintain the desired humidity, water trays with dimensions of 10 * 20 * 5 cm, which are made of tin, are installed. U-shaped strips of copper wire are soldered to them, on which the cloth is hung, which increases the evaporation surface.
In the ceiling of the chamber, 8-10 holes with a diameter of 20-30 mm are drilled, in the lower part - 10-12 such holes. This system allows fresh air to flow in, moisturizing from a drying piece of fabric.
From the old refrigerator
The figure shows a general view of the incubator. In order to give rigidity, two boards are attached to the body itself. From below, they are connected with beams and screwed with screws.
A recess is made in the board for the flanges. A bearing is pressed into the center, and a threaded sleeve is inserted to prevent the axle from displacing, which is attached to the axle with a long screw.
All frames are composed of two half frames with protrusions that are necessary to hold the trays in the positions of the pivot angles. A cable is tucked into the upper holes, which is attached to the engine.
The inside of the refrigerator body is sheathed with insulation, as a rule, it is fiberglass, which means that you need to insert the braids of a plastic pipe into all ventilation holes.
Refrigerators have a chute for water outflow, for the incubator it is installed in the opposite direction, on the contrary, to supply water to the fan blades when chicks are removed.
Styrofoam
Such incubators are made of wooden blocks, which are upholstered on the outside with a sheet of tin, and inside are covered with a layer of foam or any insulating and heat-reflecting material, the filling of the incubator is very similar to the industrial one.
Automatic heating system
It is imperative to correctly position the heating elements in a fanless incubator. In different homemade incubators, they are placed in different ways: under the eggs, above the eggs, on top, on the side, or even along the perimeter.
The distance from the eggs to the heating element directly depends on the type of heater. For example, if light bulbs are used, then the distance should be at least 25 cm, and if nichrome wire is chosen as a heating element, then 10 cm is enough. Drafts should not be allowed, otherwise the entire brood will die.
Thermostat and electrical diagram of the device
For the development of the embryo inside the egg, it is necessary to observe a certain required temperature regime, which must be maintained with an absolute error of half a degree.
This error is the sum of the temperature difference over the surface of the tray with the hatching eggs and the error in maintaining the temperature by the device by the thermostat.
You can use bimetallic plates, electrical contactors, barometric sensors as a heat regulator.
Comparative description of homemade thermostats
Each Samodelkin has a choice - which thermostat to adapt to his incubator. But it must be remembered that all these devices are quite fire hazardous. By the way, you can purchase a ready-made thermostat.
Humidity control
Control the humidity in the incubator using the device psychrometer, which can be purchased without difficulty and special material costs in veterinary pharmacies or hardware stores.
Or, alternatively, make your own from two thermometers, which are fixed on the same board. The nasal part of one thermometer should be wrapped with 3-4 layers of sterile medical bandage, the other end is dipped into a container with distilled water. The second thermometer remains dry. The difference in thermometer readings is used to determine the humidity in the incubator.
Modes
Immediately before the start of incubation, you need to check the incubator system for reliability within 3 days and try to set the temperature required for the process.
It is especially important that overheating is not carried out: if within 10 minutes the embryo is at a temperature of 41 degrees, it will die.
In industrially made incubators, eggs are turned every 2 hours, but 3 turns per day are enough. It is necessary to turn the eggs as there is a temperature difference of about 2 degrees between the eggs on different sides.
Culling eggs
For a high percentage of hatchability, the preliminary collection and proper storage conditions of eggs are of great importance.
Store eggs for brood in a horizontal position, turning them periodically, at a temperature not exceeding 12 degrees and humidity not exceeding 80%.
Eggs are discarded with a damaged, thin or rough surface, irregular shape. With the help of an ovoscope device, eggs with two yolks are debugged, with a large chamber made of air.
Eggs before placing in the incubator under no circumstances can be washed, because this damages the film over the shell, which has certain properties. Eggs that are too large are also not suitable for incubation.
Control of the incubation process begins after 5 days of eggs in the incubator. For this they use the same ovoscope.
Differences in temperature conditions for different types of poultry
Different birds have different incubation periods and temperatures. Consider some types of birds:
- Chickens: in 1-2 days the temperature is 39 degrees, 3-18 - 38.5 degrees, 19-21 - 37.5 degrees.
- Ducks: on days 1-12, the temperature is 37.7 degrees, 13-24 - 37.4 degrees, 25-28 - 37.2 degrees.
- Indo-women: on day 1-30, the temperature is 37.5 degrees.
- Geese: on day 1-28 37.5 degrees.
- Turkeys: on day 1-25 37.5 degrees, on day 25-28 - 37.2 degrees.
- Quail: on days 1-17, 37.5 degrees.
First day of hatched chicks
On the first day of hatching, the chickens are settled in cardboard boxes, on the bottom of which they put a newspaper. As the chickens are used to the warmth, they need to create the same conditions for a while. If necessary, place a table lamp in the box.
Cloth bedding is not used because chicks can easily become entangled in it. In the first days of life, young animals are fed a hard-boiled egg at the rate of half an egg per head per day.
In addition to food, chickens constantly need clean, warm water. Starting from the third day, boiled millet, cottage cheese, crackers are introduced.
Video
Vladimir Kalchenko will describe how to make a simple incubator from an old refrigerator.
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In our difficult times, when the prices of goods are growing at an inexorable pace, you will always find an area in which you can profitably apply your practical skills and theoretical knowledge. Looking at the cost of an incubator manufactured in an industrial setting, you can easily calculate the benefits of making such a device yourself. Moreover, making a home incubator with your own hands is not so difficult.
Here is what a forum user says about his homemade incubator with mechanical egg flipping genius.
genius
In short: an incubator for 60-70 chicken eggs, mechanical overturn using a special grate, I don’t do automatic in principle. Heating with bulbs, two chains. Temperature control with an electrocontact thermometer. I don’t trust electronics. The temperature run-up in the corners is 0.5 degrees. Cheap and cheerful. In the presence of components, the incubator can be made in 3 - 4 hours.
The most important thing in manufacturing is to ensure the ability to maintain optimal humidity and temperature indicators inside the device, as well as create conditions for the timely turning of the eggs in order to evenly warm them.
Incubator body
In most cases, the body is the basis of everything. And the incubator is no exception in this case.
When manufacturing the case, special attention should be paid to ensuring good thermal insulation for the future device. This will allow in the future to avoid the troubles associated with the observance of a strict temperature regime in the incubation chamber.
For the manufacture of the case, porous polymeric materials, penoplex (expanded polystyrene) with a thickness of 20 mm, etc. are quite suitable. You can also use fiberboard or chipboard sheets, but double walls should be created with foam, felt or foam filler.
The size of the incubator will directly depend on the number of eggs that are planned to be simultaneously placed in the chamber. In terms of the height of the inner chamber, 50 cm will be enough. The area of the inner base will be equal to the area of the egg tray. But to it it is necessary to add about 50 mm on each side. This is the gap that must be between the tray and the body of the incubator to ensure air circulation. In the lower base of the incubator, it is imperative to drill several holes with a diameter of 10 mm, through which air exchange will take place between the inner space of the chamber and the external environment (the incubator must be constantly enriched with oxygen). For an incubator for 50 eggs, 6 holes are sufficient.
Attention! The bottom holes should be positioned so that they do not overlap with the pan (plate) filled with water, which will be installed in the chamber to maintain a sufficient level of humidity.
To ensure unimpeded air movement between the bottom of the device and the surface on which it will be installed, a gap of 30 ... 50 mm must remain. A viewing window of 100x100 mm, covered with glass, should be made in its top cover. If there is no forced ventilation in the incubator, then the glass should be slightly opened during operation, leaving a gap of 10 ... 15 mm.
And one more nuance: one of the side surfaces of the incubator must have a door for changing water and other actions related to the maintenance of the chamber.
Incubator tray
In order for the eggs to be neatly placed in the inner space of the incubator, we need to make a special tray. In our case, it can be made on the basis of a wooden frame, which is covered with a fine mesh from below. As a mesh, both an ordinary mosquito used in the construction of modern window glass units and a metal (maybe different) mesh with a cell size comparable to 5x5 mm (but no more) are suitable. In order to eliminate the sagging of the mesh, a couple of small slats can be nailed from the bottom of the tray, which will comprehensively strengthen the structure of the tray.
To make it easier to turn the eggs during incubation, the tray should be equipped with a plug-in wooden grate. For convenience, several grids can be made at once, having different sizes of internal cells. So, for quail eggs, a lattice with a cell size of 45x35 mm is suitable, for a chicken egg, cells with a size of 67x75 mm are needed. If you want to lay goose eggs in the incubator, then the cells must be of the appropriate size - 90x60 mm. The width of the grate should be 5 mm less than the tray itself. In length, it should be shorter by 50 ... 60 mm - for quail, by 80 ... 90 mm - for chicken eggs and by 100 ... 110 mm - for goose eggs. Thus, by moving the wire rack along the tray, you can turn the eggs 180 degrees. In order to evenly warm the eggs over time, a similar procedure should be performed approximately once every 2 to 3 hours.
Egg Turning Tray
The height of the sides of the tray itself should be 70–80 mm. The tray should be installed on 100 mm high feet.
This is the simplest tray design and allows all eggs to be turned over at the same time. But in order to make the design of the incubator more modern, the process of turning the eggs can be automated. This will require some technical improvements.
How to make a flip in an incubator
In order to automate the process of turning eggs in an incubator, an electromechanical drive must be introduced into its design, which is triggered after a certain period of time (as we have already said, it takes 2-3 hours). The accuracy of the time interval will be ensured by a special time relay. The relay can be purchased ready-made. Those who like to "dig deeper" in microcircuits can make it on their own, taking as a basis an electronic or even mechanical watch, which is easy to buy in Moscow and in any village.
Here is what the FORUMHOUSE user writes about this.
mednagolov
Now on sale it is easy to buy Chinese electromechanical relays with a cycle of 24 hours. In fact, this is an elementary watch with a plug that is plugged into an outlet, and on the case of this watch there is a socket into which the consumer is plugged in, inside the watch a tiny electric motor is spinning. There is no need to wind them up, around the dial, lined up for 24 hours, there are "push buttons" with which you set the time intervals.
The electric motor must necessarily transmit torque through the gearbox. This will help smooth the movement of the grate and keep the eggs intact.
The grid of the tray should slide along the guides. The walls of the tray can play the role of guides. But in order to avoid accidental jamming, this mechanism can be improved. For this, a metal axis protruding from both ends should be attached along the central axis of the lattice. She will play the role of a reliable guide. The axis will be inserted into special grooves made on the sides of the tray. Such a design is reliable, it can be easily assembled and, if necessary, quickly disassembled.
In order to drive the grate with eggs, we need a reciprocating mechanism, consisting of an electric motor, a gearbox, a crank mechanism and a rod connecting the drive to the tray grate.
A device for turning eggs in an incubator.
As an electric motor, you can use special "motors" for microwaves, which are available on the market. Also, some craftsmen create an electromechanical drive based on a mechanism that is part of car wipers. Or, what a way out of the situation was invented by the forum member mednagolov: the drive of the egg-turning mechanism from e-mail. remote control ball valve motor d = 3/4 220v (has an extremely powerful and durable gearbox, as well as end position microswitches).
He used the power supply from an old computer, and the time relay was a mechanism from a Chinese clock, which was written about a little higher.
The mechanism functions as follows: the relay closes the electrical circuit after a specified period of time. The mechanism is set in motion and moves the grid of the tray, turning the eggs over. Then the end position switches (limit switches) are triggered and the grille is locked in the opposite end position. After a specified time, the cycle is repeated, and the grate returns to its original position. The whole process in a homemade product takes place without human participation.
Incubator heating
The correct placement of the heating elements in the incubator chamber is the key to success in hatching healthy and robust chicks. It is customary to use ordinary incandescent bulbs as heating elements. Ideally, they are best placed over the egg tray, evenly spaced around the perimeter of the incubator. The tray and the heating element must be separated by a distance of at least 25 cm. In a homemade incubator, use low power bulbs, 25 W, etc. The total power of the heating elements used in such an incubator should be 80 watts - for a device designed for the simultaneous hatching of 50 chicks.
The lower the power of the heating elements, the more evenly the heat is distributed in the incubation chamber.
When placing lamps on the walls of the chamber, you should also ensure that they are evenly spaced around the entire perimeter. Be aware that using a series electrical connection of heating elements can significantly extend their life. But the power of each consumer in this case will be halved. This should be taken into account when calculating the number of heating elements, because with the appropriate connection method, the number of consumers will have to double.
Control over temperature indicators
As we already know, the temperature in the incubator chamber must exactly match the specified parameters. Otherwise, such a device is worthless. The optimum temperature for hatching chickens in artificial conditions is from 37.5 to 38.3 ° C. But it should be observed strictly. A conventional thermostat will help maintain the specified range, which can be purchased without any problems in the store. It is essential that this device provides temperature accuracy corresponding to 0.2 ° C. Any error greater than this value can be detrimental to developing embryos.
To connect the thermostat to the heating elements for a person who decided to make an incubator with his own hands, we think, will not be difficult. The main thing is to ensure that the temperature sensors are near the egg tray. The sensors can even be mounted on the tray for more accurate readings. A conventional thermometer should be used as an additional control. Better if it is electronic, capable of showing tenths of a degree. But in extreme cases, an ordinary alcohol thermometer is also suitable. It should be fixed in the chamber in such a way that it is located directly above the tray. In this case, its readings can be taken by looking through the viewing glass.
Heat accumulator
JG_ member of FORUMHOUSE
In order for the temperature to drop more slowly, a heat accumulator must be used. I used water as a TA. It gives humidification and still gains temperature, and when it is turned off, it gives it away for a long time, preventing the temperature from dropping quickly. Only the container with water should be large. You can just put a metal pancake or put a dumbbell inside - why not TA?
It remains to add that without a humidifier in an incubator, all your efforts are doomed to failure. Therefore, a baking sheet or an open plate filled with water can be considered one of the essential elements involved in the incubation process. As for the heat accumulator, a heating pad or plastic water bottle will never be redundant in the interior of your incubator.
Humidity control can be done with a psychrometer, which can be purchased at a hardware store. The optimum humidity in the incubator should be between 50-55% (just before hatching, it can be increased to 65-70%).
Incubator ventilation
Many owners of homemade incubators believe that the fan is an integral part of such a device. But practice shows that a small incubator, the number of eggs in which does not exceed 50 pieces, can do without forced ventilation. Air convection in it occurs naturally and this is enough to support the vital activity of the embryos.
If the chamber of your incubator is designed for a larger number of eggs, or if you want by all means to create an ideal microclimate inside the device, then for these purposes you can use special fans with a diameter of 80 to 200 mm (depending on the volume of the chamber).
The fan can be installed in the top cover of the incubator in such a way that it draws air from the inner space of the chamber. Part of the air flow will go out, and its main volume will be reflected from the cover and pass over the lower intake openings, mixing warm air with cold air and enriching it with oxygen.
That, perhaps, is all. You can find out the different opinions of our users regarding the design, as well as familiarize yourself with their practical developments in this topic. We also have information for those interested in productivity. If you want to create at home more, in the design of which there are powerful components and complex ventilation schemes, then you should visit this section.