DIY Incubator

Assemble the incubator

• According to the Mother Earth News magazine, convection-type incubators strike a balance between airflow and humidity concerns. Ventilation holes in the housing assure air circulation to keep uniform temperature and humidity conditions surrounding the eggs. One caveat is that the airflow tends to dry the air somewhat, so a water source must be added to keep moist air inside the incubator.

  Any relatively sturdy box can serve as the housing for the incubator. Use a cardboard box, a wooden crate, an old refrigerator or a Styrofoam cooler. Clean it thoroughly and make sure the cover fits tightly. You can hinge the cover, but it is not essential to the operation of the incubator.

  Line the box with heavy-duty aluminum foil. This helps reflect heat off the walls and toward the eggs. Place something on the bottom to hold the water, such as an aluminum pie tin. Place a one-inch-by-two-inch piece of wood on each side of the pie plate and install a piece of half-inch wire screen over the wood and the pie tin. The wood prevents the screen from touching the water. You will place the eggs on this screen.

  You must next install a heat source. Four ceramic light sockets placed in each upper corner serve nicely. Four 25-watt incandescent bulbs will provide sufficient heat for the incubator; however, the bulbs should not exceed 25 watts in power.

  There are two ways to monitor the temperature. The first is to put a thermometer inside and constantly monitor the temperature yourself. Alternatively you can install an electric thermostat switch that maintains proper temperature by switching the light bulbs on and off automatically. This is by far the easiest method and ensures a more constant temperature than your opening the incubator to check the thermometer. You must wire the thermostat switch to the light bulbs.

  Cut out ventilation holes, about a half-inch in diameter, in each of the four corners of the cover. Put two quarter-inch holes in each side right above egg level. These holes are what enable the airflow for even humidity and temperature throughout the incubator.

  Next, to monitor the humidity, install a hygrometer. You can buy a hygrometer almost any place you can buy a room thermometer. Either of the two types, mechanical or electronic, will serve the incubator well. No matter which type you use, stick the probe into one of the ventilation holes in the top or sides. Now you have everything you need in the proper configuration to hatch fertile eggs.