In our difficult time, when commodity prices are rising at an inexorable pace, you will always find the area in which you can profitably apply your practical skills and theoretical knowledge. Looking at the cost of an incubator produced in an industrial environment, you can easily calculate the benefits of self-manufacturing such a device. Moreover, making a homemade incubator with your own hands is not so difficult.
Here's what he says about his homemade incubator with mechanical egg flipping forum user genius cat.
genius cat
In short: an incubator for 60-70 chicken eggs, a mechanical coup using a special grate, I don’t do automatic in principle. Heating with light bulbs, two chains. Temperature control with an electrocontact thermometer. I don't trust electronics. The temperature runoff at the corners is 0.5 degrees. Cheap and cheerful. In the presence of components, it is possible to make an incubator in 3 - 4 hours.
The most important thing in manufacturing is to ensure the ability to maintain optimal indicators of humidity and temperature inside the device, as well as create conditions for the timely turning of eggs in order to warm them evenly.
Incubator body
In most cases, the basis of everything is the body. And the incubator in this case is no exception.
When manufacturing the case, special attention should be paid to ensuring good thermal insulation for the future device. This will allow you to avoid the troubles associated with compliance with strict temperature regime in the incubation chamber.
For the manufacture of the body, porous polymeric materials, foam (polystyrene foam) 20 mm thick, etc. are quite suitable. You can also use fiberboard or chipboard sheets, but you should create double walls filled with foam rubber, felt or foam.
The dimensions of the incubator will directly depend on the number of eggs that are planned to be simultaneously placed in the chamber. According to the height of the inner chamber, 50 cm will be enough. The area of the inner base will be equal to the area of \u200b\u200bthe egg tray. But it is necessary to add about 50 mm to it on each side. It is this gap that should be between the tray and the body of the incubator to ensure the circulation of air flows. In the lower base of the incubator, be sure to drill several holes with a diameter of 10 mm, through which air will be exchanged between the interior of the chamber and the external environment (the incubator must be constantly enriched with oxygen). For an incubator designed for 50 eggs, 6 holes are enough.
Attention! The bottom openings should be located in such a way that they are not blocked by a baking sheet (plate) with water, which will be installed in the chamber to maintain a sufficient level of humidity.
To ensure unhindered air movement between the bottom of the device and the surface on which it will be installed, there must be a gap of 30 ... 50 mm. In its top cover, a viewing window 100x100 mm, closed with glass, should be made. 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 servicing the chamber.
Incubator Tray
In order for the eggs to be carefully placed in the interior 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 fine mesh from below. As a mesh, both an ordinary mosquito, used in the design 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 prevent sagging of the mesh, a couple of small rails can be nailed to the bottom of the tray, which will comprehensively strengthen the design of the tray.
In order to make it more convenient to turn the eggs during the incubation process, the tray should be equipped with an inserted wooden grate. For convenience, several gratings can be made at once, having different sizes of internal cells. So, for quail eggs, a grid 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 eggs, by 80 ... 90 mm - for chicken eggs and by 100 ... 110 mm - for goose eggs. Thus, by moving the grate 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 legs 100 mm high.
This is the most simple design tray that allows you to turn all the eggs at the same time. But in order for the design of the incubator to be more modern, the process of turning eggs can be automated. And this will require some technical improvements.
How to make a coup in an incubator
In order to automate the process of turning eggs in an incubator, it is necessary to introduce an electromechanical drive into its design that operates after a certain period of time (as we have already said, it is 2-3 hours). The accuracy of the time interval will be provided by a special time relay. The relay can be purchased ready-made. Those who like to “dig deeper” into microcircuits can make it on their own, taking electronic or even mechanical watches as a basis, which are easy to buy both in Moscow and in any village.
Here is what a FORUMHOUSE user writes about this.
mednagolov
Now on sale it is easy to purchase Chinese electromechanical relays with a 24-hour cycle. In fact, this is an elementary watch with a plug that is plugged into a socket, and on the case of this watch there is a socket into which a consumer is stuck, inside the watch a tiny electric motor turns. There is no need to start them, in the circle of the dial, lined for 24 hours, there are “pressers” with which you set the time intervals.
The electric motor must necessarily transmit torque through the gearbox. This will help make the grate move smoothly and keep the eggs intact.
The grid of the tray should move 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. To do this, a metal axis protruding from both ends should be attached along the central axis of the lattice. It will play the role of a reliable guide. The axis will be inserted into special grooves made on the sides of the tray. This design is reliable, it can be easily assembled and, if necessary, quickly disassembled.
In order to drive the egg grill, we need a reciprocating mechanism consisting of an electric motor, a gearbox, a crank mechanism and a rod connecting the drive to the tray grill.
Device for flipping eggs in an incubator.
As an electric motor, you can use special "motors" for microwaves, which are commercially available. Also, some craftsmen create an electromechanical drive based on the mechanism that is part of car wipers. Or here is a way out of the situation that the forum member mednagolov came up with: the drive of the egg-turning mechanism from el. 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 described 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 tray grate, turning the eggs. Then the end position signaling devices (limit switches) are triggered, and the grille is fixed in the opposite extreme position. After a predetermined time, the cycle is repeated, and the grate returns to its original position. The whole process in a homemade product takes place without human intervention.
Incubator heating
The correct placement of the heating elements in the incubator chamber is the key to success, ensuring the hatching of healthy and strong chicks. As heating elements, it is customary to use ordinary incandescent bulbs. Ideally, they are best placed above the egg tray, evenly spaced around the perimeter of the incubator. The tray and the heating element should be separated by a distance of at least 25 cm. In a homemade incubator, low power bulbs, 25 watts, etc., should be used. 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 uniform the distribution of heat in the incubation chamber.
When placing lamps on the walls of the chamber, one should also monitor their uniform arrangement around the entire perimeter. Be aware that by using a series electrical connection of heating elements, you can significantly extend their service 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.
Temperature control
As we already know, the temperature in the incubator chamber must exactly match the specified parameters. Otherwise, such a device is worthless. The optimal temperature for hatching chickens in artificial conditions is from 37.5 to 38.3º C. But it should be strictly observed. A regular thermostat, which can be purchased at the store without any problems, will help maintain the set range. It is necessary that this instrument provide an accuracy of temperature values corresponding to 0.2 ° C. An error greater than the value presented can be detrimental to developing embryos.
Connecting the thermostat to the heating elements to 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. For more accurate readings, the sensors can even be mounted on the tray. As an additional means of control, a conventional thermometer should be used. It is 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 immediately above the tray. In this case, his readings can be taken, looking through the viewing glass.
heat accumulator
JG_ FORUMHOUSE member
In order for the temperature to drop more slowly, it is necessary to use a thermal accumulator. I used water as TA. It gives moisture and still gains temperature, and when turned off, it gives it away for a long time, preventing the temperature from dropping quickly. Only the water container should be large. You can just put a metal pancake or a dumbbell inside - why not TA?
It remains to add that without a humidifier in the 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, then a heating pad or plastic bottle with water will never be superfluous in inner space your incubator.
Humidity can be monitored using a psychrometer, which can be purchased at a home improvement store. The optimum humidity in the incubator should be 50-55% (it can be increased to 65-70% just before hatching).
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 sufficient to maintain the vital activity of the embryos.
If the chamber of your incubator is designed for a larger number of eggs, or if you want to create an ideal microclimate inside the device by all means, 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 mounted in the top cover of the incubator in such a way that it draws air from the interior of the chamber. Part of the air flow will go outside, and its main volume will be reflected from the cover and pass over the lower supply holes, mixing warm air with cold 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 get acquainted with their practical developments in this topic. We also have information for those interested in performance. If you want to create more at home, in the design of which there are powerful components and complex ventilation schemes, then you should visit this section.
Breeding poultry at home begins with an incubator. In order to "incubate" eggs, both compact industrial devices and a do-it-yourself incubator are widely used today. In this article, we will focus on homemade incubators. To do this, we will find out what are the most common designs today, what requirements they must meet, and, finally, how to make one or another type of incubator with your own hands.
Making an incubator with your own hands is a more efficient option than buying an industrial device, since the first option takes into account various individual features of the location, device design and poultry breeding conditions. In this regard, there are several advantages of homemade incubators:
- reliable in operation;
- economical in energy consumption;
- have sufficient volumes for laying up to several hundred eggs;
- guarantee the maintenance of the microclimate necessary for 90% survival of young animals;
- quite versatile, can be used to breed different types of domestic, as well as some varieties of exotic (parrots, ostriches) birds.
Types of incubators and the most common rules for their manufacture
An important positive feature homemade incubators for individual projects is that they can be made from a variety of auxiliary materials and structures that have already been in use. Of course, only those that meet the strict sanitary requirements for efficient and healthy breeding of young birds.
At the same time, the fairly common practice of producing such devices by private poultry farmers themselves shows that, as a rule, they choose an option from the four most popular varieties of home-made incubators.
- Products from an old non-working refrigerator.
- Products from a cardboard box.
- Styrofoam incubator.
- Plywood incubator (wooden boards).
Depending on the economic needs and capabilities of the manufacturer, incubators can be single-tier and multi-tier.
However, the “self-made” status of compact incubators allows us to expand this list, enabling any poultry farmer to show all his technical imagination and ingenuity. Note that it is of great importance right choice dimensions of the future incubator. In this case, a number of factors should be clearly taken into account, first of all, the planned volume of laying eggs and the installation points for lamps for heating the incubation chamber.
Incubator size
For successful high-quality production of an incubation device, its dimensions must be calculated (planned) in advance. Meanwhile, this parameter depends on the production volumes that the poultry farmer is aiming for, and on the number of eggs laid in the incubator at a time. Moreover, the second factor is decisive.
An incubator of medium dimensions (length - 450-470 mm, width - 300-400 mm) holds the following approximate number of eggs:
In addition, the dimensions of the device are affected by the type of heating system and the place where incandescent lamps are fixed. Important for determining the size is the material from which the device is supposed to be made.
General manufacturing rules
Basic requirements for an incubator
When starting to make a home incubator with your own hands, you should always keep in mind that the end result of this work should be an apparatus in which all conditions are created for the full development of the embryo in the egg and the birth of a healthy chick on time.
In other words, the design of the incubator and its equipment must be subordinated to the goal of forming in the chamber the same conditions that the mother bird creates for its future offspring. The most important of these factors are temperature and humidity.
It is necessary to design a future incubator so that the poultry breeder has the opportunity to constantly and without any obstacles control the temperature and humidity conditions of incubation. It must be borne in mind here that most of the poultry species most popular with breeders are held in the range between 37.1 and 39°C.
At the same time, in the first days of incubation, the eggs (before being placed in the chamber they can be stored for no more than 10 days) are heated to the maximum temperature calculated for a particular type of bird (see temperature table), and by the end of this period the temperature drops to the minimum. And only when breeding quails during the entire 17-day incubation period, a constant temperature is maintained - 37.5 degrees.
Underheating of eggs is unacceptable, overheating is undesirable. In the first case, the development of embryos slows down with all the ensuing consequences, many individuals simply die. When overheated, the surviving chicks will certainly suffer from deformities of the heart, stomach, liver, deformities of various parts of the body.
As for another important parameter - humidity, it also changes throughout the entire period before hatching. In particular, the optimal level of air humidity inside the incubator before the moment of pecking should be 40-60%, and between pecking and the moment of hatching, it should remain at the level of 80%. And only before the selection of young animals, the relative humidity should be lowered again to 55-60%.
A good help for the quality hatching of chickens in a home incubator will be the installation of a forced ventilation system. The operation of the electric fan will ensure the movement of air inside the chamber at a speed of 5-6 m / s, which will contribute to the ideal balance between the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere in the incubator.
Prices for egg incubators
egg incubators
Where to start creating an incubator?
Any process of assembling a domestic incubator begins with the determination of the base material from which the apparatus will be made. For example, large pieces of polystyrene (at least 25x40 cm in size) or ordinary cardboard box large volume. An almost ideal option is the presence of an old, outdated refrigerator. In any case, one must proceed from the determining factor that is inherent in any structure - its thermal insulation ability.
Comparing the material for the manufacture of incubators, it can be argued that foam products are characterized by the lowest heat loss. At the same time, cardboard boxes are the cheapest raw material.
In addition, you should take care of devices for heating the incubation chamber (lamp or heating device) and convenient temperature control (thermometer). In order not to burden yourself with the need to manually periodically turn the eggs, it is worth equipping the incubator with an automatic flip system. Such a mechanism will save a person's time. True, usually such devices are installed in large incubators - for 200 or more eggs.
Components and tools required for the job
Prices for popular models of jigsaws
Electric jigsaw
Lamps for heating the incubation chamber should be fixed no closer than 25 cm from the eggs.
Remember that before choosing everything you need from the list above, you need to decide on the optimal size of the incubator.
How to determine the optimal size of the incubator?
- in order to carry out design preparation as accurately as possible, drawings with given dimensions will be needed. For good example below is a variant of the product drawing, which is distinguished by a relatively small volume (for 45 eggs), a length of 40 cm and a width of 25 cm;
- when calculating the optimal size of the incubator, it must be borne in mind that at a distance of 2 cm from the egg, the thermometer should show 37.3 - 38.6 degrees Celsius;
- most often poultry farmers in their household make devices designed to hatch young birds, which are designed for laying up to 100 eggs. At the same time, cells for eggs are made with a diameter of 45 mm and a depth of 60-80 mm;
- the result is a structure approximately 60x60 cm in size and weighing about 3 kg. By the way, it can be made quite universal. For this, interchangeable grid trays with cells of different sizes are provided, due to which, if desired, the same incubator can be easily converted to accommodate not only chicken, but also duck, goose, turkey and quail eggs.
To accurately calculate the dimensions, you can use the following table:
With the same capacity of structures for chicken eggs, a product made of expanded polystyrene will be more voluminous than a cardboard counterpart.
Used fridge incubator
The case of an old refrigerator is the best suited for arranging an artificial "nesting". The fact is that this equipment, indispensable in everyday life, is designed in such a way as to reliably maintain a given temperature in the internal space. This purpose, in particular, is served by a special design of the thermally insulating walls of the refrigerator.
At the same time, the racks and shelves available in the refrigerator are easy to adapt to egg trays. Mounting grooves on the inner walls make it easy to evenly distribute the laying of eggs over the entire height of the refrigerator chamber. At the same time, its volume is quite enough to install a fluid exchange system below - with its help, a balanced level of humidity will be provided.
Each component of a homemade incubator made from an old refrigerator, as well as the stages of its assembly, has its own characteristics. Let's get to know them in more detail.
Ventilation system
The installation of a device for the artificial breeding of young poultry cannot be imagined without the arrangement of at least the simplest ventilation system. It directly affects the state of the air inside the chamber, including temperature and humidity. Thus, an ideal microclimate for egg maturation is formed.
It has been established that the optimal average ventilation speed is 5 m/sec. The movement of the air mass is provided by the operation of the fan. Ventilation holes must be drilled in the upper and lower parts of the housing.
To prevent air from being “pumped” into the glass wool layer under the skin, it is recommended to insert plastic (metal) tubes of the appropriate diameter into the holes. Partially or completely blocking these openings, it is possible to regulate the ventilation process.
The embryo in the egg begins to consume oxygen from the outside on the sixth day of incubation.
Installation of a heating system and selection of a thermostat
To form the simplest heating system for the inner chamber, 4 incandescent lamps with a power of 25 W each or 2 lamps of 40 W each are selected. Good heating of the entire volume is ensured by an even distribution of light bulbs between the lower and upper parts of the refrigerator. At the same time, the lamps fixed at the bottom should not interfere with the water container, which humidifies the air inside the incubator.
Prices for thermostats
thermostat
In the process of creating the optimal temperature regime, a thermostat is also involved. Traditionally, poultry farmers use 3 types of thermostats - a bimetallic plate, an electric contactor (a mercury-based thermometer with an electrode) or a barometric sensor. The first type closes the electrical circuit when a predetermined heating level is reached, the second one turns off the heating when certain temperature, the third closes the circuit with the occurrence of excessive pressure.
Egg turning mechanism
The standard incubation process involves the obligatory turning of the egg with a frequency of 2-4 times a day. This function in the home device is performed by a special mechanism instead of a mother bird.
The essence of this mechanism is that the electric motor drives a special rod, which transmits the impulse of movement to the egg tray. To mount the simplest mechanism, you must:
- Install the reducer at the bottom of the chamber.
- Install wooden frame holding the trays. They should be fixed so that it is possible to tilt the trays 60 degrees towards the door and 60 degrees in the opposite direction.
- The gearbox must be firmly fixed.
- Attach a rod to the electric motor, connected at the other end to the egg tray.
So, we found out some features of making a household incubator based on a used refrigerator with our own hands. Now you can refer to step by step instructions for its assembly.
Sequencing
- Drill several holes in the ceiling of the case - for the lamps of the heating system and through for ventilation.
- At the bottom, drill at least 3 ventilation holes with a diameter of 1.5 cm.
- For greater preservation of heat, it is desirable to finish the walls inside the apparatus with polystyrene foam.
- Convert old shelves into egg trays.
- Fix the thermostat outside the case, install the sensor inside.
- To organize forced air circulation near the heating lamps, fix 1-2 fans in the upper part of the chamber (for example, from a computer).
- Cut a small opening in the refrigerator door for a viewing window. Close the opening with glass (transparent plastic).
Video - Incubator from the refrigerator
cardboard box incubator
The next production option for a small home incubator is the cheapest one offered. On average, it takes only a few hours to make it. However, for all the cheapness of such a product and ease of assembly, cardboard is also the most fragile of the most common materials at hand.
Step 1. First of all, they find a box that is unnecessary on the farm, the size of which is, for example, 56x47x58 cm (depending on the number of eggs in the tab, the dimensions may vary). From the inside, the box is carefully pasted over in several layers with paper or felt.
Step 2 Next, you should make several holes for electrical wiring, fix 3 lamps of 25 W each inside. The installation level of the lamps should be 15 cm above the level of the eggs. To eliminate unnecessary heat loss, extra slots, including wiring holes, are clogged with cotton wool. On the other hand, it is necessary to provide several ventilation holes.
Step 3. After that, wooden egg trays, mounting rails (trays will be installed on them) and a door are made.
egg tray
Tray for quail eggs
Step 4 Temperature control will be carried out using a thermometer, which is placed inside the incubator. To maintain a given level of humidity, a water tank is installed at the bottom of the box. Everything that happens inside the cardboard chamber can be observed through a viewing window 12x10 cm, which is cut into the upper wall.
One of the most popular and convenient materials for the manufacture of artificial "hens" is polystyrene foam (polystyrene).
It attracts not only with its quite affordable cost, but also with its excellent thermal insulation properties, which are so valuable in the production of incubation structures, as well as its low weight. Not to mention the ease of working with this material. The manufacture of a foam product is in many ways similar to the production of a cardboard counterpart.
Making a foam device
- A sheet of expanded polystyrene must be cut into four identical parts. The resulting parts are used to form the sidewalls of the hull.
- The second sheet is divided into two identical halves. One of them is once again divided into two parts so that the width of one is 60 cm, the width of the other is 40 cm. A fragment with a size of 50x40 cm will go to the bottom of the box, and a part with a size of 50x60 cm will become its lid.
- A square hole 12x12 cm is cut out under the viewing window in the future cover. It will also serve as a ventilation hole. The window is covered with glass (transparent plastic).
- From equal parts obtained after cutting the first sheet, the supporting frame is glued together. After the glue has hardened, glue the bottom. To do this, glue is applied to the edges of a sheet measuring 50x40 cm, after which the sheet is carefully inserted into the frame.
- After the formation of the box, the case is carefully glued with adhesive tape, due to which the structure acquires significant rigidity.
- Two foam bars 6 cm high and 4 cm wide are cut out. Improvised legs, necessary for normal ventilation and uniform heating of the egg tray, are glued inside the incubator, to the bottom along the long sides (50 cm).
- In shortened walls 40 cm long at a height of 1 cm from the bottom of the device, 3 holes with a diameter of 1.2 cm are made for ventilation. The distance between the holes must be the same. Based on the characteristics of the material, all holes are recommended
- Burn with a soldering iron.
- The lid will hold firmly to the body if foam bars (2x2 or 3x3 cm in size) are glued along its edges. In order for the bars to fit exactly inside the incubator, tightly adhering to its walls, the distance between the bars and the edge of the sheet should be 5 cm.
- After that, cartridges for heating lamps are mounted in an arbitrary way from the inside of the cover.
- A thermostat is fixed on the outside of the lid. The sensitive sensor of the thermostat is fixed inside the container at a height of 1 cm from the level of the eggs.
- When installing a tray loaded with eggs, you need to make sure that the gap between it and the machines is 4-5 cm. This is necessary to ensure proper ventilation.
If there is a desire or need, a fan can be mounted inside the incubator. They do this so that the air flow is directed not to the eggs, but to the lamps. Otherwise, the eggs may dry out.
The heat of the incubation chamber will be retained for a long time if all internal surfaces are pasted over with heat-insulating foil.
Video - Do-it-yourself foam incubator
Conclusion
Thus, the independent manufacture of an incubator does not seem to be too complicated and troublesome. Of course, such devices can be different - in size and degree of equipment with various equipment - depending on the number of eggs being processed. Therefore, before assembling them, it is better to carefully work on the project, taking into account all possible "pitfalls".
At the same time, such structures can be made from the most different materials and with a variety of design "highlights" (if all sanitary and technological requirements are met). And this makes the whole process creative and very exciting.
For those who work on poultry farms or are engaged in breeding birds on a large scale, it is known that such a miracle of technology as an incubator is indispensable. Many people know or have heard that it is this apparatus that guarantees that all eggs will become chicks as a result. However, some dream of doing poultry farming at home or in the country, and are not ready to invest a lot of money in this business. For such self-taught amateurs today, there are many ways to make an incubator with your own hands with minimal cost forces and means.
Is it worth it to make an incubator on your own or is it a risky undertaking?
Many novice poultry farmers are deeply mistaken in thinking that a home-made incubator is a rather complicated design, and only a person with special knowledge and skills can make it. This is absolutely not true. In order to make an incubator, you will not need unusual tools or materials, and even more so special knowledge. In addition, you yourself can choose the size of the device, as well as its functionality. Plus, you will save very well, and you will be proud of your creation.
Do-it-yourself incubator - as easy as shelling pears
What is needed to ensure that all the chicks are born, and not a single egg is wasted? There are three main conditions: heat, humidity and regular egg turning. Accordingly, all this should be clearly calculated and taken into account before proceeding with the implementation of the plan. Underheating or overheating in the device is absolutely not allowed at any stage of the incubation period. There should be no excess or lack of humidity, as well as deviations from the norms of the temperature regime, otherwise it threatens with high mortality of embryos and chicks.
As a basis for the design, a box, foam sheets, glass jar, Bee hive, plywood and even old refrigerator, that is, a home incubator can be made from anything. Consider the most popular ways to make such a device with your own hands.
cardboard box incubator
The easiest way to make an incubator with your own hands is to use a large cardboard box as a basis. Let's start assembling:
- Cut a small ventilation hole in the side or top of the box, and fix 4 fireproof lamp sockets on the lid.
- Install 25 W lamps (lamps should be 15 cm away from the tray).
- Make the front wall removable or install a door there that will fit well with the structure.
- In the middle of the box (15-18 cm from the top and 15-18 cm from the bottom) an egg tray is installed (put a thermometer next to it to measure the temperature in the incubator).
- Under the tray it is necessary to install a container with water (humidity in the incubator is measured with a hygrometer).
- Open the lid of the box only to turn the eggs, which should be done regularly.
This method of raising chickens is quite suitable for home use, such an incubator will be quite enough. can be made from wooden planks. Up to 60 eggs will fit in such a homemade tray.
It is very important to put the entire structure not on the floor, but on a stand made of bars, for example. Also, do not forget about the need for constant air circulation, not only inside, but also outside the box. After each use, the incubator must be cleaned and disinfected without fail.
Incubator from an old fridge
A very good option is the ability to make an incubator from an old refrigerator, so if you have one in your home, do not rush to throw it away. Due to its design, the refrigerator is ideal for the role of an incubator. In this case, there are also several options for the device, consider the easiest way to make an incubator with your own hands from the refrigerator:
- We dismantle the entire internal filling of the refrigerator, including the freezer.
- From above we install cartridges for 4 lamps, as well as a temperature controller and a contactor-relay.
- Cut out a small viewing window on the front door.
- We equip gratings for installing trays.
- We fix the thermometer so that it is clearly visible through the window.
There is also a more advanced version of an automatic incubator made from a refrigerator. This design is of course very convenient, since the eggs in it turn over automatically, which significantly reduces possible losses. This incubator is able to completely replace the industrial one, however, in order to make it, you will have to spend more time and effort. The main control units in this device will be: automatic, tray turner and humidity controller.
In order to make it clearer how to assemble an incubator with your own hands video
Incubators for birds: convenient and profitable
Why make an incubator yourself, isn’t it easier to buy ready-made chicks? We discussed how to make an incubator above, and now let's see what its advantage is, and whether it is worth the effort and time spent.
Firstly, buying chicks in the market during the season is a costly business, since the cost of them is growing every year. Therefore, even taking into account the constant costs of electricity, the chicks will be cheaper.
Secondly, no one gives you a guarantee that all purchased chicks will survive. Unfortunately, due to non-compliance right conditions during the incubation period, many chicks die. If you yourself are engaged in the incubation of eggs, this process can be controlled.
Thirdly, with the presence of our own incubator, it is possible to get chicks earlier than the generally accepted season.
In addition, a good incubator can be a source of income.
A do-it-yourself incubator can be used not only for chicken eggs, you can lay duck, goose, quail and any other eggs there. The main thing that the poultry farmer should know is that each type of egg requires its own specific incubation period. You should not forget about such subtleties, otherwise it may not work out.
Chicken egg incubator
hatched in incubators different types poultry, but the most popular was and remains the laying of chicken eggs. Breeding chicken chickens at home is not at all difficult.
Hatching of chicks subject to all necessary conditions can sometimes reach 100%. used industrial or do-it-yourself. The latter are very often used, because it is quite simple to make them.
An important condition for the successful incubation of chicken eggs, as well as for any other, is a perfectly matched material. The shelf life of eggs intended for incubation should not be more than 7 days, and even better if these eggs have lain for no more than two days before they are laid in the incubator. Full incubation period chicken eggs is 21 days. If you adhere to all the necessary conditions (temperature, humidity, turning eggs and their quality), then after three weeks you can get a healthy and strong brood of chickens.
Interesting on the topic .
Intending to make an incubator with their own hands, the owners are often interested in what materials and type of construction to choose for the manufacture of the device and what conditions need to be created for the successful incubation of healthy chicks. different types incubators differ in their operational characteristics and the specifics of handling eggs. The article shows these differences and describes the process of creating an incubator with your own hands at home.
Where to start creating an incubator?
Before starting work on creating a system for hatching chicks at home, you need to:
- Select camera material. The most significant criterion is the ability to retain heat. Large pieces of styrofoam are the preferred choice, and a cardboard box is the worst choice (it is easiest to make an incubator with your own hands). Refrigerators are also used.
- Decide on the size of the structure - it depends on the number of eggs placed at a time and the type of bird.
- Choose devices to maintain the required air temperature. A thermometer is used to measure indicators, and lamps are used for heating. Sometimes they get a thermostat.
- Decide if the structure will be equipped with an automatic egg turning mechanism. It will require investments, but will save time resources. More often, the mechanism is used for large systems where two hundred eggs are placed.
What you need to create a homemade incubator
To design a home-made incubator with your own hands, you will need to purchase or make its elements:
- Egg trays - made of wood and plastic. The bottom is slatted or made of mesh. An automated turning option is available (eggs turn after a user-defined time interval). Install a water tray.
- A housing with good thermal insulation properties, ensuring a constant temperature inside the structure without sudden jumps. It is made from foam or plywood sheet.
- Incandescent lamps installed in the corners (a 25 W element is suitable for a small device, a 100 W model is used for a large one). The distance from the lamp to the tray must be at least 15 centimeters.
- Thermometer.
- Fans - will be required if the structure is made from the refrigerator body. Then they will need to be installed at the top and bottom. In other cases, to ensure ventilation, it is enough to make holes with a diameter of 1-2 centimeters in the lid and on the wall near the bottom.
What conditions must be maintained in a homemade incubator
Of great importance for the normal formation of chickens is the observance of the temperature regime. The first two days for chicken and goose eggs, you need to keep the temperature at 38-38.5 degrees Celsius, gradually lowering it to 37.5 by 19-21 days. For ducks and turkeys, these parameters are 37.8 at the beginning and 37 at the end. Quail eggs are kept at a temperature of 37.5 for the entire incubation period (16-18 days). Humidity is also important - at the beginning it should be in the range of 45-60%, by the last days it is increased to a value of 75-80%.
How to make your own chicken egg incubator: step by step instructions
The manufacturing methods of the unit differ depending on the source material for the body. Below are the most available options.
How to make a do-it-yourself foam incubator
The advantages of foam plastic as a material for a bird hatcher are excellent thermal insulation properties, low cost and lightness. To make a foam incubator with your own hands, you will need tools and accessories:
- two sheets of material 5 cm thick;
- four incandescent lamps - for the small design under consideration, 25 W lamps are enough;
- scotch;
- soldering iron for cutting holes (material crumbles easily when cutting with a knife);
- a set of trays;
- thermometer;
- liquid glue;
- fan.
Sequence of work:
- Side walls are made from the first sheet by cutting it into 4 equal parts.
- The walls are glued.
- From the second sheet, a base is made 40 cm wide and a lid 60 cm wide (the length of both parts is 50 cm).
- The sides of the base are smeared with glue and inserted into the blank from the walls.
- Paste the resulting box with adhesive tape for greater structural rigidity (starting from the bottom).
- Foam bars 6 cm high are installed at the bottom, on which the trays will be placed.
- Drill 2 holes for ventilation with a diameter of 1-1.5 cm at a centimeter height from the bottom.
- Install lamps.
- They put the thermostat on the outside of the lid, while the sensor is placed on the inside, making a small hole under it.
- They put the tray - it should be at a distance of at least 4 cm from the walls.
Do-it-yourself incubator with automatic and manual flip
To make a homemade incubator with automatic egg flipping, you will need to purchase a turning device. Types of mechanisms for turning eggs are used:
- Moving grid - suitable for small incubators. With its slow movement (automatic or manual), the position of the eggs changes.
- The roller mechanism is used less frequently: its independent production requires many small parts.
- An automatic mechanism that rotates the trays after a predetermined time is used in large units.
How to make a device for hatching chicks from a refrigerator or plywood
The design of the refrigerator is prepared as follows:
- Shelves and containers for food storage are removed from the chamber.
- 3-4 bottom ventilation holes are drilled.
- Installed fans and lamps. Depending on the size of the chamber, you will need 2-4 fans placed next to the lamps.
- A viewing window is mounted in the lid or wall.
You can construct a model from plywood sheets. Its dimensions and arrangement differ little from those for foam plastic. The walls of the case should consist of two layers of material, between which a heater is mounted. A viewing window with shifting glass is installed in the roof, allowing ventilation of the incubator.
How to make an incubator out of the box - the easiest way
The simplest do-it-yourself incubator is constructed from cardboard. This material has the least strength and does not retain heat well. The process is different from working with foam:
- Holes for blowing are made at a height of 3-4 cm from the bottom.
- Tray slats are attached 6-7 cm above the bottom level; a store egg box is used as a tray.
- Holes are made in the roof for a lamp (in the center) and a thermometer (at the edge), as well as a viewing window.
Advantages and disadvantages of homemade incubators
Making your own is beneficial for the following reasons:
- Save money compared to the factory version by 2-3 times.
- The ability to breed several types of birds in one incubator, subject to the similarity of the recommended temperature regimes.
- High survival rate of chicks - up to 90%.
- Small power consumption.
- Ease of manufacture.
As a minus, you can indicate the need to take care of turning the eggs - do it regularly (recommended frequency - once every 8 hours) manually or purchase a special mechanism.
When breeding in a private household or on a bird farm, an incubator is simply necessary in which the chicks are hatched artificially. For a small number of eggs, it is not advisable to buy it. Therefore, many poultry farmers who know the device of this device prefer to make it with their own hands.
If you know how to hold a tool in your hands, then it will not be difficult for you to make an incubator, especially since it is also cost-effective. The whole process of breeding chicks in the incubator will be supervised, and the young will grow up healthy and strong.
Advantages of homemade incubators
Many poultry farmers believe that the incubator is a complex device Therefore, it is unrealistic to make it yourself at home. In fact, making an incubator with your own hands is quite simple, and you can do it at minimal cost.
At self-manufacturing You can choose the desired dimensions of the device and supplement it with the necessary functions in the form of temperature control or egg turning. Since such a design will consist practically of improvised materials, it be cost effective, which is one of the advantages of the device.
Other benefits of a DIY incubator include:
- reliability in application;
- possibility of breeding various kinds birds;
- obtaining chicks at the required time;
- ensuring the survival of young animals up to 90%;
- self-selected sizes for laying the required number of eggs.
- small power consumption.
Preparatory work
Special materials and tools for the manufacture of the structure are not required. Suitable materials that are in almost every home.
First of all, it is necessary determine the dimensions of the device for hatching chickens. They depend on the type of future poultry being grown, the number of young animals and the conditions for placing the incubator itself. So, for example, the design for quail eggs should be smaller than for chicken and duck. The slope of the trays is also taken into account, which should be different for each type of bird.
To provide the eggs with constant heat and the necessary humidity, the incubator is best made with a case that can be homemade or taken from an old refrigerator.
The main components of the incubator are:
- case with insulation;
- egg trays;
- heating system;
- devices for monitoring temperature and humidity in the structure.
Making incubators with your own hands
At home, the case can be made from cardboard boxes, a basin, chipboard sheets, polystyrene foam, and wooden beams. Using imagination and using improvised materials, you can make a high-quality incubator.
From a basin or bowl
The easiest to manufacture device for breeding chickens can only be used if power outages are possible. An incubator is being made from two containers of the same size, as which you can take basins or bowls. It is desirable that they be metal.
Bowls are placed one on top of the other, and on the one hand they are fastened with furniture canopies or other devices. There should be space between the bowls in which the eggs will be placed. The top bowl in this design will serve as a lid. Since the containers are round, the eggs in them will be heated evenly.
A 2 cm layer of sand is poured into the lower bowl, which is covered with foil. Hay or straw is laid on top. To evaporate moisture, several holes are made in the foil.
A cartridge will be inserted into the upper bowl, for which a hole must be made. If the capacity is large, then you will need several light bulbs.
A thermometer should be placed in the center of the assembled structure at a height where the eggs will lie. The incubator is installed in a place where constantly the same temperature. Then it should be warmed up, after which it can be filled with eggs of quails, chickens or other birds.
If the lights are turned off at home, then the device will need to be covered with a blanket and placed in a pot of warm water. In summer it can be taken out in the sun, and in winter it can be placed near the battery.
Sand in this design serves as an air humidifier and a heat accumulator, so it needs to be moistened regularly. Turn and spray the eggs daily.
incubator out of the box
Such economically profitable device You can do it yourself pretty quickly.
Manufacturing steps:
Styrofoam incubator
Good thermal insulation material is available in almost every private house. Therefore, it will not be difficult to make an incubator for eggs of chickens or quails from polystyrene with your own hands. In addition, you can choose the size of it yourself.
Manufacturing steps:
- Cut out pieces of foam are fastened in any convenient way.
- Light bulbs are inserted into the top cover at a distance of 15 cm from each other. You can buy a special heater for the incubator. However, light bulbs do their job quite well, and are the most budget option.
- The tray can be purchased or made from wooden planks. For quails, the cell sizes should be 5x5 mm.
- The tray with eggs is placed in the middle of the structure so that the distance to the heating elements is equal to the distance to the water container.
- Space must be left between the laid eggs and the walls of the homemade box for air ventilation.
Using an old refrigerator
Making a device from an old refrigerator is the best option. This is explained by the possibility of using several cameras and ready-made thermal insulation. It is very convenient to use the refrigerator in the event that if there is a power outage in the house. You can simply put a closed container in it with hot water which will keep the eggs warm for a long time.
You only need to make ventilation holes, install incandescent lamps, a fan, water trays and a thermostat.
Stages of work:
- The freezer and other extra parts are dismantled.
- A window is cut out and sealed with glass in the door.
- Egg trays are fixed.
- Two light bulbs are installed at the top of the refrigerator, and four at the bottom.
- The gyroscope and thermometer are mounted so that they can be seen through the window.
- A water container is placed at the bottom of the refrigerator.
Can buy special trays with egg turning mechanism and install them in the incubator from the refrigerator. They will facilitate the work of those who cannot pay enough attention to the hatching of the bird. In addition, when installing an automatic flip, the number of openings will be reduced to a minimum, which is very important when breeding birds.
Quail incubator
Many poultry farmers are interested in the question, what should be the incubator for quail eggs? Designs for birds of this species are made according to the same principle. They differ only in size.
The quail incubator should be two to three times smaller than the chicken incubator. In a ready-made incubator, which was intended for chickens, quail eggs will enter three times more.
When making an incubator with your own hands, it should be borne in mind that its assembly requires attention and accuracy. The slightest violation of humidity or temperature can lead to spoilage of eggs.
Loading...