Everyone who deals with poultry has at least once observed how hens (hens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and any other bird) turn eggs with their beaks in the nest.

This is done for several reasons, including:

1. When turning the eggs, they heat up more evenly, since the heat source is located on only one side.
2. Eggs “breathe” better (in the case of an incubator this is not as important as with natural hatching, but many farmers even in incubators provide ventilation for the eggs, providing them with an influx of fresh air).
3. Turning the eggs ensures the correct development of the chick (the embryo without moving the egg can stick to the shell, the percentage of hatched eggs can be greatly reduced).

The allantois is the embryonic membrane that serves as the respiratory organ of the embryo. In birds, the allantois forms along the walls of the shell around the embryo.

The time for closure of the embryonic membrane is different in all species of birds.

You can track the process using an ovoscope. When canned, the eggs become dark from sharp end, and in the obtuse one an enlarged air chamber is observed.

The mechanism for turning eggs in the incubator - choosing the optimal method

Eggs should be turned over at least 2 times a day when laid horizontally (180° - half a turn). Although some bird breeders recommend doing this more often - every 4 hours.

The modern range of incubators includes large number device models with different functionality.
The most inexpensive models are not equipped with an automatic flip mechanism. And therefore, the procedure will have to be performed manually according to a predetermined schedule with a timer. In order not to get confused, a special accounting journal is started, and marks are placed on the eggs with a marker.

More functional models of incubators can be equipped with automatic turning.

Mechanical turning of eggs in an incubator Most often there are two types:

• Frame,
• Inclined.

The first type of mechanism works on the principle of rolling eggs. That is bottom part eggs stop due to friction supporting surface, and a special frame, moving, pushes the egg, thereby rotating it relative to its axis.

With this type of inversion, eggs are placed in the incubator only horizontally. The frame can move by pushing in one direction, or it can rotate relative to its axis.

The second type of mechanism involves a design that works on the principle of a swing. Eggs in this version are loaded only vertically.

Advantages of frame rotation

1. The device consumes little energy for turning and therefore can even use a backup current source for operation (in case of a power outage).
2. The rotation mechanism is quite easy to maintain and functional to use.
3. This incubator is small in size and does not take up much space.

Flaws

1. The shear mechanism assumes that the shell is perfectly clean; even a slight contamination can stop the egg, and it will not turn.
2. The shear pitch directly affects the turning radius of the egg. If the eggs are larger or, conversely, smaller in diameter, as specified by the device manufacturers, then the angle of rotation will be significantly changed to a smaller or larger direction (incubators with circular motion of the frames do not have this drawback; all eggs will be completely turned over).
3. Some incubator manufacturers do not take into account the dimensions of the eggs, they make low frames and therefore, when shifted, the eggs can hit each other. If the frame moves suddenly due to equipment malfunction (play, incorrect adjustment, etc.), again, the eggs may be damaged.

Advantages of inclined egg turning mechanisms

1. The eggs are guaranteed to rotate by a given degree, no matter what diameter they are. That is, incubators with an inclined turning mechanism can safely be called universal. They are suitable for eggs of any poultry.
2. This turning mechanism is the safest in comparison with frame ones, since the horizontal amplitude of movements is small, which means the eggs will hit each other less.

Flaws

1. The swing mechanism is more difficult to maintain than the frame mechanism.
2. The cost of incubators with such automatic egg turning is often high.
3. The dimensions of the end devices and power consumption are higher than their frame counterparts.

Choice of the most optimal mechanism, as when choosing any other device, depends on many factors (the final price of the device, other additional functionality, dimensions, power consumption, etc.), as well as the individual preferences of the breeder.

Egg turning tray in the incubator - nuances

The simplest and most functional variant of the mechanism for turning eggs in the incubator– movable. Most often, the choice for incubators with such equipment falls due to the low final cost.

Below we will look at what to look for when purchasing such a unit.

• The tray has a certain volume of egg loading. This indicator is the first thing you need to pay attention to. The capacity of the incubator should be selected based on the planned population of the poultry house. There is no point in taking a large supply, since an increase in the population directly affects the increase in the area of ​​the chicken coop (or premises for raising other types of birds).

• Some models of trays are made in the form of thin frames. They are the most inexpensive, however, the most unsafe (the frames bend easily, which can cause the mechanism to fail; with a large diameter, the eggs can touch each other, hanging outside the cell, which is dangerous when moving, etc.). It is best to choose trays with fully insulated cells (on all 4 sides of the egg) with high sides.

• The cell size and tray shift pitch directly affect the angle of rotation of the egg. Therefore, cell sizes should be selected based on the type of eggs. It is not recommended to place eggs with a small diameter in large cells. For example, for quail eggs the tray should have a smaller cell size, for turkey - larger, etc.

• If you want a universal incubator with auto-rotation for various types eggs, it is best to pay attention to models with trays with removable partitions. They allow you to choose the required size. In such incubators, different types of eggs can be laid at the same time (there should be eggs of the same diameter in one row).

How to make a homemade mechanism for turning chicken eggs in an incubator

In order to make an automatic egg turning mechanism for an incubator, you will need knowledge of mechanics and electrical engineering.

Below we will consider a simple example of creating a mechanism with horizontal displacement of the tray by electric drive.

Due to the wide variety of engines and methods of technical implementation of movement, it will not be difficult to select the necessary materials.

You can always purchase a version of an incubator with auto-rotation, so creating a mechanism with your own hands is justified only when the price of the tools and materials used does not exceed the price of the finished device.

Electrical circuit of the auto-rotate device

Frame auto-rotate for eggs made of simple materials

Basic principles from which to proceed:

• The circular motion of the engine rotor must be converted into reciprocating horizontal motion. This is done using a connecting rod mechanism, when a rod attached to one of the points of the circle transmits the cyclic circular motion being performed into the reciprocating motion of the other end.

• Due to the fact that many rotary engines have a large number of revolutions per unit time, in order to convert frequent rotations of the axis into rare ones, it is necessary to use a combination of gears with different gear ratios. The number of turns of the final gear must correspond to the time it takes to turn the eggs (in ready-made models, the turn is carried out once every 4 hours). That is, one turn approximately every 2-4 hours.

• The reciprocating movement of the rod in one direction should be the full diameter of the egg - this is about 4 cm, or 8 cm - the total length (rotation in each direction will be carried out 180°, that is, for one full cycle of the last gear - 360° rotation of the egg) . To put it simply, the radius of the rod attachment point on the last gear should be equal to the radius of the egg (or slightly larger).

VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS

The assembled mechanism will work as follows:

1. The motor performs rotational movements at high frequency.
2. The gear system converts the high speed rotation of the motor shaft into a low rotation speed (approximately 1 rotation every 4-8 hours).
3. The rod connecting the last gear and the tray with the eggs converts circular movements into horizontal reciprocating movements of the tray (a distance equal to the diameter of the egg).

You should definitely purchase or make your own incubator. At home, this functional device will allow you to acquire chicks in a timely manner and control the conditions in which they are born. We invite you to get acquainted with the operating principle of this design.

Read in the article

How an egg incubator works and works: basic elements

If you are thinking about how to make an incubator yourself, then you will be interested to know that such a device consists of:

• housings;
• heating systems;
• egg trays;
• devices that control temperature and humidity conditions.

Now let's talk about how an egg incubator works. It imitates the conditions typical for the natural brooding conditions of various birds. During operation, the device not only ensures optimal temperature and humidity conditions, but also turns the egg in a timely manner.

How to make an incubator at home - general manufacturing principles

In order for the finished design to allow you to hatch a high-quality egg, you need to know how to make an incubator at home. Such devices must meet certain requirements which we invite you to get acquainted with.

What requirements must the body of an incubator for eggs made by hand meet: characteristics of the material

In order for a self-made egg incubator to function well, materials that have good properties should be used to create it. This element should not only help maintain the temperature inside at an optimal level, but also prevent sudden temperature changes.

What devices are used to heat air, and how the temperature is controlled: thermostats used

As heating element Incandescent lamps are most often used for incubation. Depending on the dimensions of the structure, their power can start from 25 W and reach a maximum possible values. Can be used as:

• electric contactors– mercury thermometers with an electrode sealed into a tube. The second is a column of mercury. As it heats up, the mercury begins to move and, as soon as it reaches the soldered electrode, it closes the circuit. The incubator will turn off;
• bimetallic plates. Heating of this thermostat will cause it to bend due to different thermal expansion of its constituent elements. When you touch the second electrode, the circuit will open;
• barometric sensors. This is a hermetically sealed cylindrical object filled with ether, the height of which is less than the diameter. The cylinder is the first electrode, and the screw, located 1 mm from the bottom of the object, is the second. As the ether heats up, it causes the internal pressure to increase and the bottom to bend. As a result, the circuit closes and the heating system opens.

How to ventilate an incubation system: useful tips

The system must be provided without fail. The state of the air inside the device and the temperature and humidity conditions depend on its presence and stability of operation. To create an optimal microclimate, an average ventilation speed of about 5 m/sec should be ensured.

It is usually used to move air masses. Ventilation holes are drilled at the top and bottom of the housing into which tubes of suitable diameter are inserted. By changing the degree of their overlap, the flow of fresh air is regulated.

Attention! The embryo located inside the egg consumes oxygen from the outside on the 6th day of incubation.

What mechanisms can be used to turn eggs: implementation options

In order for the egg to heat up evenly, it is necessary to provide swivel mechanism for the incubator. It can be implemented in different ways. The simplest option for small structures is using a mosquito net, which acts as the bottom of the structure. The mesh is mounted on two rollers, providing circular movement. The rotation of one of the rollers moves and turns the eggs in the trays. Having provided a relay, timer and electric drive, you can automate the process. The disadvantages include that sometimes this mechanism does not work, and the egg simply moves along the tray.

Inclined mechanisms are more reliable design. The egg inside does not rotate, but simply tilts. To do this, the trays are fixed in the axial direction so that they can be tilted freely. There is a handle on the outside with which you can change the inclination of the trays.

It is possible to use swivel casters. The eggs are placed in trays between rubber rollers, which are connected to each other by a chain that ensures simultaneous rotation. Such a system allows connection. We invite you to watch a thematic video.

How to decide on the size of a home egg incubator: average values

The dimensions of the manufactured device are affected by:

• the number of lamps used to heat the incubator;
• the number of eggs that are planned to be placed in the device at the same time;
• egg size.

It can be tentatively assumed that home incubator for eggs 47 cm long and 40 cm wide, you can simultaneously lay up to:

• 70 chicken;
• 55 turkey, duck;
• 40 goose;
• 200 quail.

Differences in temperature conditions for birds of different breeds

To breed a bird, it is necessary to maintain optimal temperature regime. Maximum and minimum temperature the temperature at which the eggs should be located depends on the breed of birds.

Bird breed	Temperature at the time of laying, °C	Temperature at the end of incubation, °C
Chickens	38-39	37,6
Ducks	37,8	37,1
Geese	38,4	37,4
Turkey	37,6	37,1
Got over it	37,5	37,5

Attention! Overheating of eggs is undesirable, underheating is unacceptable.

Violation of the temperature regime will lead to the development of embryos slowing down, and many of them will simply die. Overheating can affect the health of hatched chicks.

How to make an incubator from an old refrigerator with your own hands

If you still have it at home old refrigerator, we suggest you find out how to make an incubator out of it with your own hands. By following our recommendations, you can create a functional device that fully copes with the task assigned to it.

What tools and materials are needed for the job: an indicative list

To make your own quail incubator, in addition to the body of the refrigerator itself, you should prepare:

• glass;
• low power motor with gearbox;
• metal gratings;
• frames made of wood or aluminum;
• light bulbs of suitable power;
• heat reflecting material;
• computer coolers;
• sealant;
• construction tools.

Preparing the refrigerator body

We begin work by preparing the body.

Illustration	Description of action
	The entire cooling system should be removed from the refrigerator body and all unnecessary parts should be removed. This will increase the volume of the internal space of the incubation chamber.
	We mark the door and secure the glass with screws. We ensure sufficient tightness at the junction of the window and the door.
	We decorate the interior space using panels. We use screws as fasteners. All joints must be foamed to ensure sufficient tightness.

Ventilation system installation

To ensure sufficient air speed, preference should be given to forced ventilation.

Comment

Leading engineer for heating, ventilation and air conditioning LLC "GK "Spetsstroy"

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"Purchase two fans for the incubator. One should be mounted at the top of the chamber, the second at the bottom. In this case, you will be able to better control the humidity and temperature conditions inside the chamber

"

Installation of a heating and thermoregulation system

To heat the incubator, incandescent lamps with a power of 25-40 W should be used. They are connected to lamps.

Attention! It is preferable to use four 25-watt lamps instead of two 40-watt lamps.

Heating elements should be located either at the top of the chamber or along its perimeter. The thermostat should be mounted outside the chamber, the sensor inside the chamber.

We invite you to watch a video that shows the connection diagram of the incubator.

How to make a mechanism for automatically turning eggs for an incubator with your own hands: video and nuances

In order not to miss time, it is worth making your own incubator with automatic turning. Such a system will independently change the position of the eggs after a given time.

It can be made on the basis of a gear motor for a windshield wiper. This video describes in sufficient detail the diagram of such a device.

We think you will also be interested in the video instructions for making your own incubator from the refrigerator.

The nuances of making a foam incubator with your own hands: video instructions

Such structures can be made entirely of polystyrene foam, or this material can act as a. Schemes and drawings for making such incubators with your own hands are presented in the public domain. We offer you to look at photos of the simplest options.

Lamp sockets are attached from the inside, under which slats for a tray or grille are mounted. The latter should be done as a frame type. It is worth laying a construction mesh for puttying or a mosquito net on the gratings.

Pay attention! When choosing the distance between the sockets and the slats, keep in mind that there should be no more than 25 cm between the low-power incandescent lamp and the egg.

How to use an incubator: important points

To ensure a healthy brood, you need to know how to use an incubator. To do this, the chamber is first cleaned and disinfected using a weak bleach solution. Wait until the internal surfaces are completely dry.

Attention! The incubator should be operated in a room where the air temperature is 21-23°C, located away from a source of cold or heat.

Before laying eggs, you should check the functionality of the device for at least 24 hours. If the temperature conditions are met, you can begin incubation. To do this, place the egg in the tray with clean hands, placing it with the sharp edge down.

Initially, the temperature inside the device may become lower than the required values. Over time, the indicators level out.

During the incubation process, the egg is turned over three times a day. 3-4 days before the chicks hatch, the rotation of the trays is stopped. After they hatch from the eggs, you should wait a bit until they dry properly.

How much can you buy an automatic egg incubator - price review

It is quite difficult to create a homemade incubator with automatic egg turning. It is required to have certain knowledge and be able to perform certain manipulations. If it is difficult to perform a manual revolution, it is worth buying automatic incubator for eggs, the price of which depends on technical characteristics And design features. Particularly popular models are:

• "Cinderella". The manufacturer offers devices for different numbers of eggs, which allows you to choose best option for yourself. Can be used for incubating chicken and goose eggs. Operates from a 220 V network. The model for 98 eggs weighs 4.5 kg;

Review of the “Cinderella” model

More details on Otzovik: https://otzovik.com/review_1059377.html

• WQ-48. Comfortable and enough simple model. Made of plastic, which greatly simplifies the process of caring for the device. Equipped with rotating trays. Designed for 48 chicken eggs. Allows the installation of special trays for incubating quail eggs. Weighs 5.1 kg;

Model overview:

• MSN 32. Incubator for 42 eggs. Weighs 2.6 kg. Electronic system control ensures fairly accurate setting of the required parameters;
• "Laying hen BI-1". A universal model suitable for breeding young birds of all breeds. Equipped with an analogue thermostat and an automatic egg turning system.

Review of the model “Layer BI-1”

More details on Otzovik: https://otzovik.com/review_1935873.html

Now you know how to make an incubator from a refrigerator and other scrap materials. You can safely get to work. Share your successes and photos of hatched chickens in the comments.

A homemade incubator can be made in several ways from scrap materials. It will work no worse than its store-bought counterpart, but it will be much more economical. The capacity is selected based on personal needs, and the tray rotation mechanism can be either manual or automatic.

At home, you can assemble an incubator from:

• Expanded polystyrene,
• thick cardboard,
• plywood sheets,
• washing machine,
• Old refrigerator.

The dimensions of the incubation machine are selected individually and depend on:

1. The required number of eggs to lay,
2. Location 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 size, 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 tray rotation are also equipped with a digital timer.

Models with manual tray rotation

Making simple incubators at home requires a minimum of materials and tools, and you can make them in a few hours. Disadvantages: insufficient thermal insulation, fragility and manual turning of the racks with eggs.

Foam Hatching Machine

The advantages of this model: lightness and compactness, inexpensive cost and ease of manufacture.

You can make an incubator from polystyrene foam in the following way: the walls are cut out of a sheet of polystyrene foam, at least 5 cm thick. The recommended size of the sides is 50*50 cm, the end is 50*35 cm. The drawings will help you assemble the body and correctly distribute the internal space. The walls are held together with glue, or they can be glued together with wide tape. 3-4 makes its way into the bottom ventilation holes.

The foam incubator is equipped with a lid with a glass viewing window. The glass does not need to be firmly fixed: if there is a need to lower the temperature, it can be moved away. To ensure that the lid fits more tightly and does not loosen the structure, you can glue the sides made of wooden blocks. The thermostat and thermometer are installed next to the window.

Incubation of chicken eggs in a foam incubator occurs under the influence of three incandescent lamps with a power of 25 W. In this volume, this is enough to maintain the required temperature. A water container is installed at the bottom of the chamber. The egg grill is assembled from a solid galvanized mesh with a cell size of 2.5 * 1.6 mm. Each side of the tray is lined with strong gauze: if this is not done, the chicks may 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 you attach a regular computer fan to the bottom.

The foam incubator for chicken eggs can be equipped with an additional heated indicator, which is placed under the grates.

Hatching machine out of the box

An incubator for chicken eggs made of cardboard is economical and simple, and assembling this design does not take much time. The device is made from an ordinary box from household appliances. It is not recommended to take a large one - it will be difficult to warm up the volume, and using more powerful lamps is dangerous. 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.

Wooden slats are attached to the side walls from the inside at a height of 9-10 cm from the bottom. The bottom itself is covered with cellophane or oilcloth, and placed on top wooden beams. A bath of water is placed on the resulting tray, and a regular store-bought egg tray is placed on the slats. To allow fresh air to enter from above, another 3-4 holes, about 5 mm in diameter, are made in the lid. 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 W 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:

1. The walls are cut out of a sheet of plywood. Greater thermal insulation can be achieved by making them double,
2. The dimensions of the device are selected individually,
3. The lid is also cut out of plywood and made removable,
4. To control the process, a small window is cut into the lid,
5. Along the perimeter of the lid there are holes for ventilation, no more than a centimeter in diameter,
6. From the inside to the walls homemade incubator install yards for installing trays,
7. For air exchange, 4-5 holes are drilled in the floor,
8. The heating element for the incubator is usually incandescent lamps, but for large volumes you can also use a tubular electric heater (heating element),
9. The minimum distance between lamps or heating elements and eggs is 25 cm,
10. The minimum distance between trays (if there are several of them) is 15 cm,
11. A frame-type egg tray, assembled from a metal lattice and lined with gauze mesh,
12. Containers of the same size for water are placed at the bottom.
13. 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 an incubator with your own hands with automatic egg turning, uninterruptible power supply and good heat saving.

Incubation apparatus from the refrigerator

How to make an incubator with backup power: assemble the incubator body from a refrigerator. To do this, the interior space is cleaned and washed well with a disinfectant solution. A pair of viewing windows are cut into the door and glazed on the inside and outside.

From the inside, the chamber is divided into two parts. The lower one is an incubation one, equipped with trays. The top one is an output one; a fixed shelf is installed in it. The partition is cut out of 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 next to it, a couple of holes about a centimeter in diameter are drilled in the side wall. To allow air to escape, similar holes are made in the upper part of the housing.

The electrical circuit looks like this:

1. Thermostat for hatching and incubation chambers,
2. Emergency thermostat,
3. Voltage stabilizer 10 V,
4. Heater for incubation compartment,
5. Heater for outlet compartment,
6. Spare heater connected to the backup power supply,
7. Backup battery for 12 V incubator,
8. Psychrometer,
9. Tray rotation mechanism,
10. Humidity level regulator inside the hatching and incubation chamber.

In automatic mode, the operation of the incubator with backup power is ensured by a control unit that controls all the main components. 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 working with microelectronics, it’s better to buy them. The heating system is assembled from 20-25 W light bulbs, or a heating cord is laid around the perimeter to save energy.

The automatic egg turning mechanism in the incubator operates every two hours, turning the trays 45°.

A temporary electronic relay, which is assembled from a low-speed motor and gearbox, is responsible for the operation of the mechanism. The output gear shaft must make a full revolution around its axis at 4 o'clock. You can replace a homemade relay with a similar device from an old drum washing machine. The mechanism is driven by a motor from the car's windshield wiper. To lower the speed, it is supplemented with a step-type chain reducer.

The lower egg grid is installed on the main axis, to which the gearbox sprocket is attached. Two additional ones are hung above it, and the distance between them is at least 15 cm. For simultaneous rotation, all trays are connected by a rod.

The egg incubator design assumes the presence of two power sources: universal and uninterruptible. The incubator is powered by a battery or power supply. The power supply of the power supply is 120-150 W, and the battery for the incubator is from 12 V.

To maintain humidity, a container of 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 body can be a frame from a washing machine or an old beehive.

The incubator structure looks like this:

• Frame,
• Tray system,
• heating system,
• Fan,
• Lattice rotation mechanism.

In order to maintain the desired air temperature inside, it is necessary to insulate the walls of the incubator. For this purpose, they are lined with foam plastic. To ensure air exchange, we make holes on one side of the wall at the bottom, and on the other at the top. Diameter - no more than a centimeter. The holes can be equipped with plugs. An observation window is cut into the lid and glazed. The glass is not firmly fixed: if it is necessary to reduce the temperature inside the chamber, it is moved away.

The trays are assembled from a metal lattice with a cell pitch of about 2.5 cm, and covered with mosquito netting so that the hatched chicks do not damage their paws. Do-it-yourself auto-rotation for an incubator is done like this: holes are cut into the lattice frame, and they themselves are mounted on an axis. All parts of the mechanism are fastened together, and gear motors with a power of up to 20 W are used as a drive. For smooth movement of the tray, it is recommended to use a chain with a pitch of 0.52 mm. A temporary relay is responsible for automating the process.

All that remains is to install a heating system for the entire structure. The heating element for the incubator of this model is a spiral from old irons. The spirals are secured 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 chicken incubator made with your own hands according to this scheme, you must hang a thermometer and place a container of water on the bottom. For better air circulation, you can attach a fan to the bottom grille. There must be a psychrometer in the chamber. The device measures humidity levels, and you can buy it at any pet store.

Electrical diagram of the egg turning system in the incubator.

The components of the proposed electrical circuit are assembled from the simplest parts and mechanisms.

Automatic egg turning system consists of a mechanical part connected by hinge joints to the cart on which trays with eggs are located, or directly to the trays themselves, and an electrical part, including limit switches (fixed position sensors) and an actuator unit.

Mode switch for the electrical circuit for turning eggs in the incubator.

We used a small quartz alarm clock made in China. The technological equipment of industrial incubators used a system of mechanical clocks with limit switches that were triggered by pressing adjusting bolts installed on the time scale of a disk rotating instead of arrows.

A similar system was taken as a basis.

On the dial quartz watch every 90° (15, 30, 45, 60 minutes) contacts are fixed through which voltage is supplied to the control relay windings. And the contacts are closed by the minute hand, on which a small springy electrical contact is attached to the bottom side.

The dial can be processed in any way: glue slip rings, fuse the wire with a hot soldering iron, place foil getinaks with contact markings, use photocells, reed switches - everything is at the discretion of the designer and everything depends on the materials available.

The spring contact mounted on the minute hand is made of tinned copper wire, it is softer than steel.

The arrow is plastic and it is easy to fuse it with a hot soldering iron or glue a ready-made contact.

The electrical circuit of the incubator rotary system is assembled to a minimum and is easy to assemble.

The operating principle of the electrical system for turning eggs in an incubator.

The control contacts (SAC1) close every 15 minutes. The clock works as usual.

Electric drive unit for the egg turning system in the incubator.

Any drive mechanism can be used: children's electric toys, an electric drill unit, an old mechanical alarm clock, an electric drive mechanism for a car wiper, a rotary mechanism from a household fan heater or fan, an electromagnetic traction relay with a vacuum regulator, use a ready-made one from automatic control washing machine or make your own screw with minimal details (by the way, very simple and convenient). Depends on the design and size of the incubator itself.

If you use a gearbox with a crank mechanism, then the main shaft must have a diameter greater than the stroke length of the rotary frame (with the frame in a horizontal position on the tray). With a screw mechanism, the length of the working threaded part corresponds to the stroke distance of the egg turning system.

Electric drive of the egg turning system in the incubator The screw mechanism is controlled by an electric motor with reversible activation, that is, the engine is turned on alternately in the left and right direction of rotation.

Description of the operation of the electrical circuit of the incubator rotary system.

Powered by a battery, the quartz alarm clock operates in normal mode. At regular intervals, namely: every fifteen minutes of the current time, the minute hand, passing over the contacts fixed on the dial, brings a spring contact to them and closes through them electrical circuit. Thus, a control signal is generated for the control relay (K2 or K3).

WITH reverse side relay (K2 or K3) the electrical signal is sent to the limit switch (SQ1 or SQ2).

There is a rod on the movable mechanism of the rotary system, which, moving together with the movable part of the system, presses on the limit switch key, being in one of the extreme positions and thereby breaking the chain: mode switch - control relay - limit switch.

Simply put, it turns out like this: from the mode switch (modified alarm clock), with its contacts closed, voltage is supplied to the control relay and then to the limit switch. If the limit switch is in the closed state, the control relay will turn on and close the drive relay control circuit with its contacts, which will supply power to the electric drive of the turning system.

The system will start and move the mechanism to one of two positions, carried out when turning the eggs in the incubator. The extreme position will be fixed by turning off the limit switch by pressing the rod moved with the frame onto the switch key.

The circuit with a reversible connection of an electric motor is slightly different in that it adds a second drive relay with two controlled (switched) contacts.

Electronics enthusiasts can use a digital timer with self-starting after a cycle or a time relay, once used by amateur photographers. There are many options. You can buy a ready-made electronic unit. Everything depends on possibilities.

List of some details.

1. SAC1 - mode switch.
2. K3 and K4 - control relays of type RES-9(10.15) or similar.
3. K1 and K2 are drive relays with switching current, respectively, according to the load current.
4. HV - light indicators.
5. SQ1 and SQ2 are limit switches. You can use microswitches (MS) from old cassette recorders.

Hello. Finally finished working on the egg tray turning mechanism for the incubator. All responsibilities for controlling the motor of this device and forming time intervals are assigned to the DD1 PIC12F675 microcontroller. As actuator A ready-made gearbox with a D5-TR engine was used. The connection diagram for the windings of this motor is discussed in the article “”. The diagram of the turning mechanism control unit is shown in Figure 1.

This is a completely completed independent unit, which allows its use in any incubator designs; in my case, it is designed to operate an incubator powered by a 12V voltage, which makes it possible in emergency situations to use a car battery to power the incubator.

The scheme works as follows. When you turn it on for the first time, even if the tray is in an intermediate position, the program will determine that none of the end contacts are open (the end contacts in this circuit work to open) and will move the tray to the position corresponding to the open contact SA1. In this case, the countdown of the time interval of two hours begins immediately. Some visitors will immediately ask why two. Because I couldn’t find anything specific about this period of time anywhere. Near my place of residence there is a farm that breeds chickens, turkeys, quails, geese, ducks and guinea fowl. I asked the poultry farmer of this enterprise about this issue, he said that there are no specific and strict time limits. In short, two and that's it. After two hours, the controller will give a command and the motor will move the tray with eggs to another position when the limit switch SA2 opens. The tray can be moved to the opposite position using the SB1 button. In this case, all time counter data in the controller program is reset, and a new time counting begins. The circuit includes an indicator LED HL2, which begins to light thirty seconds before the tray begins to move. The HL1 LED indicates the presence of 5V voltage. End contacts SB2 and SB3 are additional redundant contacts that de-energize the entire unit in the event of a program failure or a malfunction in the circuit. This is especially true if the connection between the tray and the gearbox is rigid and the motor is powerful. Optotransistors can be used as end contacts, and duplicate contacts can be completely removed from the circuit if a power supply with trigger protection against excess load current is used to power this device. The supply voltage of the D5-TR motor is 24... 27 V, but in this case, to rotate one tray and the existing double worm gear, 12V is enough for power supply. If necessary, the voltage can be increased using a DC-DC converter. The diagram and description of such a converter can be found in the article “”. This is a typical boost voltage regulator circuit taken from the documentation for the UC3843 chip. Appearance The device is shown in photo 1.

All parts, except contacts SA1, SA2, capacitors C6, C7 and diodes VD1, VD2, are installed on printed circuit board, picture below. Diodes 1N4002 or our KD208.