How to Make a Simple and Easy Incubator for Eggs

If you have already started a brood of backyard chickens or if want to raise your chickens from egg to hen, you might be interested in hatching your chickens' eggs. Many chicken breeds that make good layers or fryers don't always possess a strong mothering instinct. Because of this you will need to incubate the eggs to get them to hatch. Many incubators can be purchased from farm supply stores, but with a few inexpensive items you can make your own incubator.

Things You'll Need

  • Styrofoam cooler with lid
  • Light socket with cord (dimmer switch recommended)
  • Permanent marker
  • Sharp knife
  • Carpenter's glue
  • 5-inch fan
  • 5-by-7-inch piece of glass
  • Tape
  • Screwdriver
  • Small bowl
  • Small smooth stones
  • Water
  • Thermometer
  • 15-watt light bulb
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the light socket on the cooler's lid and draw a circle on the lid around the socket. Set the socket aside and use the knife to cut out the circle from the lid. The light socket needs to be secure in the lid, so don't cut the hole too large.

    • 2

      Squeeze a small amount of carpenter's glue along the inner edge of the hole. Insert the socket into the hole so the socket faces into the cooler and the cord runs out of the cooler. The switch for the light needs to remain outside the cooler. Allow the glue to dry.

    • 3

      Position the fan on one of the short sides of the cooler. Trace the outline of the fan onto the cooler. Set the fan aside and use the knife to cut out the outline of the fan.

    • 4

      Squeeze a small amount of the carpenter's glue along the inner edge of the hole you cut out for the fan. Insert the fan into the hole so the back of the fan faces out.

    • 5

      Place the piece of glass on one side of the cooler about an inch or two up from the cooler's bottom. Draw around the edge of the glass with the marker. Use the knife to cut 1/4 to 1/2 an inch inside the lines you drew. This leaves a surface to glue the glass to.

    • 6

      Turn the cooler so that the side you cut out in Step 5 is facing up. Run a line of the carpenter's glue around the perimeter of one side of the glass. Place the glass glue-side down so it lines up with the lines you drew in Step 5. Use the tape to hold the glass in place while it dries. Allow the glue to dry completely.

    • 7

      Pierce five to ten holes along the nonglass sides of the cooler.

    • 8

      Set the stones and small dish inside the cooler. Keep the stones close together on one side of the cooler and the small dish near the fan. Place the thermometer so the bulb of the thermometer is level with the stones. Fill the small dish halfway with water. Screw a 15-watt light bulb into the socket.

    • 9

      Place the lid on the cooler and turn on the light and the fan. After three or four hours, check the thermometer. Ideally you want the temperature inside to be 100 degrees Celsius. If the temperature is too low, cover some of the air holes with tape or get a 25-watt bulb. If it is too warm, pierce more air holes. If you purchased a light with a dimmer switch, use the dimmer to adjust the temperature in your incubator.