To hatch chickens at home, you will need to either buy an industrial apparatus or make an incubator yourself. The second option is convenient because it is possible to assemble a device of the required size, and required quantity eggs In addition, to create it they use cheap materials, such as polystyrene foam or plywood. All the work of turning the eggs and adjusting the temperature can be fully automated.
What you need to create a homemade incubator
The basis of any type of apparatus for hatching chicks is the body. It must retain heat well inside itself so that the temperature of the eggs does not change sharply. Since due to significant jumps, the likelihood of a healthy brood is noticeably reduced. You can make the body of a home incubator from a frame and plywood, polystyrene foam, a TV or refrigerator case. The eggs are laid in wooden or plastic trays with a bottom made of slats or mesh. There are automatic trays with motors that turn the eggs themselves. Or rather, they are deflected to the side after the time indicated on the timer.
To heat the air in a self-assembled incubator, incandescent lamps with a power of 25 to 100 W are most often used, depending on the size of the apparatus. Temperature control is carried out using an ordinary thermometer or an electronic thermostat with a sensor. To prevent air stagnation in the incubator, natural or forced ventilation is required. If the device is small, then you just need to make holes near the bottom and on the lid. For an incubator made with your own hands from a refrigerator, you will need to install fans, both above and below. This is the only way to ensure the necessary air movement, as well as uniform heat distribution.
To ensure that the incubation process is not disrupted, you need to correctly calculate the number of trays. The distance between incandescent lamps and the tray must be at least 15 cm.
The same distance must be left between the other trays in the incubator, assembled with your own hands, so that the air movement is free. Also, there should be at least 4-5 cm between them and the walls.
Ventilation holes are made from 12 to 20 mm in size, in the top and lower parts incubator.
Before laying eggs, be sure to check whether the fans are positioned correctly and whether the lamp power is sufficient to heat the incubator evenly. This indicator should not exceed ±0.5°C in each corner of the device after complete warm-up.
How to make an incubator from polystyrene foam with your own hands
Expanded polystyrene is one of the most popular materials for creating an incubator. It is not only affordable, but has excellent thermal insulation properties and light weight. For manufacturing you will need the following materials:
- foam sheets 2 pcs. with a thickness of 50 mm;
- tape, glue;
- incandescent lamps 4 pcs. 25 W each and cartridges for them;
- fan (the one used to cool the computer is also suitable);
- thermostat;
- trays for eggs and 1 for water.
Before you start assembling an incubator with your own hands, you should draw up detailed drawings with dimensions.
Step by step instructions:
1 – water container; 2 – viewing window; 3 – tray; 4 – thermostat; 5 – thermostat sensor.
- If desired or necessary, a fan is installed, but in such a way that the air flow hits the light bulbs and not the eggs. Otherwise they may dry out.
The heat inside the incubator, assembled with your own hands from polystyrene foam, will be retained even better if all the walls, bottom and ceiling are covered with foil thermal insulation.
Incubators with automatic or manual egg turning
For the process to be successful, the eggs must be constantly turned 180°. But doing this manually takes a lot of time. Turning mechanisms are used for this purpose.
There are several types of these devices:
- mobile mesh;
- roller rotation;
- tray tilt 45°.
The first option is most often used in small incubators, for example, foam ones. The operating principle is as follows: the mesh slowly moves from one side to the other, as a result, the eggs lying in its cells turn over. This process can be automated or done manually. To do this, it is enough to attach a piece of wire to the mesh and bring it out. The disadvantage of this mechanism is that the egg can simply drag through and not turn over. Roller rotation is less commonly used in homemade incubators with automatic egg turning, since it takes a lot to create it. round parts and bushings. The device operates using rollers covered with a mosquito net.
To prevent the eggs from rolling, they are in cells wooden lattice. When the belt starts moving, all the eggs turn over.
A rotating mechanism that tilts trays is used in incubators. large sizes, for example, made from a refrigerator. In addition, this method performs its task better than others, since in any case, each egg tilts. There are automatic egg turning trays. They come with a motor and power supply. There are several smaller ones in one tray. Each rotates separately after a user-set time.
How to make a device for hatching chicks from a refrigerator or plywood
Before you start making an incubator with your own hands, you need to draw up a drawing and diagram for connecting all the elements. All shelves are removed from the refrigerator, including the freezer.
Step by step instructions:
- Holes for incandescent lamps and one through hole for ventilation are drilled in the ceiling from the inside.
- It is recommended to line the walls of a homemade refrigerator incubator with sheets of polystyrene foam, then it will retain heat longer.
- Old shelf grates can be converted into trays or new ones can be placed on them.
- A thermostat is attached to the top outside of the refrigerator, and the sensor is installed inside.
- Closer to the bottom, at least 3 holes are drilled for air ventilation, measuring 1.5x1.5 cm.
- For better circulation, you can install 1 or 2 fans on top near the lamps and the same number below on the floor.
To make it more convenient to monitor the temperature and eggs, you need to cut a hole in the door for an observation window. It is covered with glass or transparent plastic, the cracks are carefully coated, for example, with sealant.
The video shows an incubator made with your own hands from a refrigerator.
If there is no refrigerator, then the frame is made from wooden beams, and the walls are made of plywood. Moreover, they must be two-layer, and insulation is placed between them. Light bulb sockets are attached to the ceiling, and bars for installing the tray are mounted in the middle of two walls. Another additional light bulb is placed at the bottom for better evaporation of water. The distance between it and the tray should be at least 15-17 cm. A viewing window with sliding glass for ventilation is made in the lid. Closer to the floor along long walls holes are drilled for air circulation.
Using the same principle, incubators are often made from TV cases for a small number of eggs. The process of turning eggs in them is most often carried out manually, as it takes a little time. Trays can be made from rounded slats. This incubator does not need fans, since ventilation occurs every time the lid is opened to turn the eggs. 
A container of water is placed at the bottom of any incubator to create the optimal level of humidity necessary for the eggs.
To hatch a very small batch of chicks (10 pcs.), you can use 2 inverted basins. To do this, one of them is turned over onto the second and secured at one end with a furniture canopy. The main thing is that they cannot move away from each other. A light bulb socket is attached to the ceiling from the inside. Sand is poured onto the bottom, which is covered with foil and hay. The foil should have many holes with a diameter of 3 mm so that moisture can pass through it. To regulate the temperature, use a bar with steps, which is inserted between the basins.
In order for chicks to hatch in any incubator at the same time, the eggs must be the same size, and uniform heating of the entire space of the apparatus is also necessary.
Two-chamber homemade incubator - video
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.
Content:
The desire to receive more and give less is human. But it sometimes leads to the miser paying twice. This postulate can also be applied to incubators. The poultry farmer really needs it. Big, good and high quality is expensive. For example, the price of an incubator for 300 eggs is 29,000 rubles. A cheap one can last one season, and even spoil the hatching eggs. So it turns out that saving does not lead to good things.
But now for those who are “friendly with technology” and have skillful hands, there is an opportunity to both save money and get a reliable (there will be no one to blame) device that is very important for the poultry farmer. We are talking about a homemade incubator. Complete collection kits are available for sale, and the automation necessary to improve them is also sold separately.
Requirements for homemade incubators
Before assembling the incubator, you need to know technical specifications which he must provide.
- During incubation chicken eggs the number of continuous days of its work is 21 days.
- Eggs in the incubator are laid at a distance of at least 10 mm from each other
- The temperature in the incubator varies depending on the stage of development of the embryo in the egg.
- In automatic mode, the eggs are turned over once every hour.
- Optimal humidity and ventilation are maintained. Air speed 5 m/s.
Ready-made kits
To make work easier and increase the reliability of the future design, it makes sense to purchase ready set automation into a homemade incubator. For example, like the one in the picture below.
It includes:
- Thermostat providing automatic visual control of temperature and humidity.
- Sensors that scan the state of temperature and humidity inside the incubator.
- Transformer 220/12 V.
- Universal tray with automatic rotation. You can put either quail or chicken eggs in it.
The price of this set is 5,000 rubles. But you can be sure that the incubation process is going correctly. Temperature and humidity correspond to the specified parameters, and the turning of the eggs occurs on time.
If you are only interested in automatic egg turning, you can purchase a simpler kit.
This photo shows overall dimensions devices. They will tell you how to place it in the future incubator.
This kit consists of the following:
- Reversible motor - 14 W, 2.5 rpm;
- Stars - 1 meter;
- Limit switches - 2 pcs;
- Mounting bracket;
- Connecting wires.
The kit is sold already assembled and configured. It just needs to be connected to the control thermostat. Price - 3990 rubles.
Connecting this device in a homemade incubator looks as shown in the diagram.
But motorized trays must be contained in some kind of housing. And it matters for the incubator. After all, inside it thermoregulation of air exchange is carried out for incubation of the egg. Therefore, the thermal insulation qualities of the material from which the incubator will be made are very important.
Great option for the body this is old refrigerator. Its body also has the properties of a thermostat, and the doors close conveniently and securely.
Converting a refrigerator into an incubator
Before you start assembling an incubator from an old refrigerator, you need to get rid of unnecessary parts in it and remove freezer.
To ensure proper air exchange, you need to establish a ventilation system.
Ventilation and humidity
To ensure ventilation, two holes with a diameter of 30 mm are made in the refrigerator body. One is below, the other is above. Tubes are inserted into these holes. By completely or partially closing these openings, you will regulate the air exchange inside the device.
At the bottom, install a fan on rubber pads. You can use a computer fan. Place a cuvette filled with water nearby. With the help of the evaporation of this water it will be possible to regulate the humidity in the future incubator. Secure the heating elements. These can be ordinary incandescent lamps or heating elements.
Air exchange in this case occurs as follows.
- The air below is heated.
- It is moistened with water vapor from the cuvette.
- The fan drives the air flow upward.
- Part of the heat is transferred to the hatching eggs;
- Some of the air cools and is blown out.
- After cooling, part of the air falls down, and the other enters from the outside through the lower hole.
Heating system
The simplest option heating - these are incandescent lamps with a power of 25 W. Four lamps are taken. Two are installed at the bottom, two at the top. Or you can use more powerful lamps (40 W), but take fewer of them (2 pieces). An alternative to lamps can be heating elements.
Trays and their rotation mechanism
You can buy a motorized tray made in China. They are also of high quality, and are cheaper than imported ones. Their kits include:
- frame on which mini-trays with cells for eggs are installed;
- power unit;
- low-speed engine, eliminating sudden jerks when starting to move.
These are very convenient trays. Their rotation is carried out by a built-in motor, which just needs to be connected to the included power supply. The trays complete a full cycle (90 degrees) of rotation in two hours.
If you don't want to use this very much convenient solution, then you can make the trays yourself. For example, from metal, wood and mesh or any other available material. The main thing is to install them without distortion in the body of a homemade incubator. Secure the rotary axes for the trays with brass bushings or use special bearing supports.
A chain drive can be used as a mechanism for rotating the trays. Its connection diagram is shown in the figure above, and what it will look like in established form in the photo below.
Conclusion
It’s worth making an incubator yourself only if you have plumbing skills and are “friendly” with electrical engineering. Then you can significantly reduce your costs for purchasing this product. It won’t be completely free, but you will be able to purchase and install better and more reliable components.
All components of this device can be easily purchased. This was written about above. To control the entire mechanism, you will need to purchase a thermostat. And then apply your skills in plumbing.
As you can see, this option for equipping the turning mechanism is more troublesome than purchasing a mechanized tray. But the price gain is not so obvious.
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
Incandescent lamps are most often used as a heating element for an incubator. 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 is closed and the heating system is opened.
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. The top and bottom of the housing are drilled ventilation holes, 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
To ensure that the egg is heated evenly, it is necessary to provide a rotating 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 an old refrigerator at home, we suggest you learn how to make an incubator out of it yourself. 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"
Ask a question"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 cartridges 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 installation of special trays for incubation 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.
If you plan to raise chickens at home or in the country, you can build an incubator with your own hands. This way you can save a lot of money and create exactly the device that best suits your purposes. In our article you will find a description of several interesting designs that you can make yourself.
Myth or reality?
Many novice farmers believe that a homemade incubator is a very complex device that requires expensive materials and tools. But in fact, you can make it at home with your own hands and with minimal costs. At the same time, you can make either a simple incubator or a complex device with automatic egg turning and temperature control.
A homemade incubator will allow you to choose the desired dimensions of the device, as well as the presence of various additional functions. In addition, this design will allow you to save a lot, because it will contain almost no expensive materials. But at the same time, during assembly you need to do everything very accurately, because the slightest violation of temperature or humidity can lead to damage to the eggs.
Manufacturing of the device
There are several options for creating an incubator with your own hands at home. You can use an old refrigerator or a box as a base. This device can also be assembled using foam plastic. Below are diagrams of the most popular designs that you can make yourself.
Incubator out of the box
This type of device will be most beneficial with economic point vision. Making it yourself will not require expensive materials and will take place as quickly as possible.
- First, you need to cut a small hole in the side of the box for ventilation, and secure the light bulb sockets in the box lid.
- For 60 chicken eggs you will need to insert 3 25 W light bulbs. They should be located at a distance of 15 cm from the tray.
- For reliability, it is recommended to cover all edges of the box with plywood or chipboard sheets.
- Below the eggs you need to place a container of water. The area of the evaporated surface depends on the volume of the housing and is selected experimentally using a hygrometer.
- The egg tray is installed in the middle of the box.
- It is recommended to choose a gyroscope and thermometer, the data of which can be viewed without opening the box. It is recommended to tear off the lid of the box only to turn the eggs.
Simple incubator out of the box
From foam plastic
Polystyrene foam has excellent thermal insulation properties, and most farmers can find this material at home. This is why do-it-yourself incubators are often made from polystyrene foam. The principle of its manufacture is in many ways similar to creating a structure from cardboard box. But you can choose the housing size yourself based on the desired number of eggs.
- First you need to make a box from foam sheets. You can easily do this yourself using adhesive tape. Just cut out the edges the right size and fasten them in a box in a way convenient for you.
- This design will provide high thermal insulation and will allow the use of light bulbs with a power of about 20 W for heating. Of course, you can include special heaters in the design, but the option with light bulbs is the most budget-friendly and they cope with their functions perfectly.
- As in the previous design, it is recommended to insert the light bulbs into the top cover at a distance of about 15 cm from the eggs.
- You can use a ready-made structure as a tray, or make it from wooden planks. It is best to place the tray in the middle of a homemade box, so that the distance to containers with water and heating elements were approximately the same.
- When making such an incubator with your own hands, do not forget to leave space between the tray and the walls, because air circulation is very important when hatching chickens at home.
With automatic revolution
The most difficult thing to do at home is to make an incubator with automatic egg turning. But this design will help to hatch chickens at home as conditionally as possible, because regular egg turning is the most important factor. Such a mechanism will be indispensable for people who are often absent and cannot pay enough attention to hatching chickens from eggs. In addition, this design will minimize the number of times the lid is opened, which is also a very important factor.
The most in a simple way The implementation of automatic turning is the purchase of ready-made trays with a special mechanism. Such a device will cost several times less than a ready-made incubator, but you will need to create a suitable housing, as well as purchase a thermometer and a gyroscope. The body of an old refrigerator is perfect for assembling a house. It has good thermal insulation and a convenient door. You will need to perform the following sequence of actions:
- Remove unnecessary parts, including the freezer.
- Cut a window in the door and glaze it.
- Attach automatic turning trays where shelves were previously.
- Install 4 light bulbs at the bottom of the refrigerator and 2 at the top.
- Place a reservoir of water at the bottom.
- Secure the thermometer and gyroscope so that they can be seen through the window.
You can also try to assemble an automatic flip device at home with your own hands, but its manufacture will require special tools, materials and skills. On crafts forums you can find a variety of diagrams, drawings and videos that will help you realize this idea. But in most cases it is easier and more profitable to install a ready-made tray with automatic turning.
Photo gallery
The photographs and drawings presented below will help you make a device for hatching chicks at home. You can find even more information in the video.
Video “Example of a finished incubator from a refrigerator”
In the next video you can look at a working device that was assembled with your own hands at home from scrap materials.