How to Make a Homemade Incubator for Eggs

An avian incubator is a device used for hatching bird eggs and helping throughout the period when a bird embryo is formed inside an egg. Basically, an incubator assists the natural process of hatching during the most delicate period and development stage in a bird̵7;s life. In nature, birds such as domesticated fowl sit on the eggs to keep them warm. This type of natural incubation is called brooding. In an artificial incubator, the eggs are sustained and cared for by maintaining a constant temperature during the embryo-forming process.

Things You'll Need

  • Old refrigerator
  • Power drill
  • Screws
  • Screwdriver
  • Lamps
  • Thermometer
  • Plastic or carton egg tray
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Remove all the unnecessary elements from an old kitchen refrigerator. It is best if you can find a small refrigerator with a transparent glass door or a refrigerator display case. All these kinds of refrigerators are practical and easy solutions for a homemade incubator because they have the right shape for egg storing and more importantly, they have electricity.

    • 2

      Leave a few metal shelves inside the refrigerator unit, depending on how many eggs you wish to hatch. Add more side holders if you wish to add more shelves.

    • 3

      Add a heater to your homemade incubator. These small heating devices can be bought in special home improvement or hobby stores. Use a power drill to make the holes on the inside walls of the refrigerator. Then mount the heater to the wall with screws. Tighten the screws that hold the heater with a flat head screwdriver.

    • 4

      Attach one or two lamps inside the homemade incubator. One lamp needs to be attached at the very top of the inside of the incubator, above the highest shelf. The other, if necessary, should be attached somewhere near the bottom of the incubator. Note that these lamps can be very simple, even mere bulbs. Again, use a power drill to make a hole for the lamps.

    • 5

      Connect the wiring and overall, arrange all the wires from the lamps and the heater to the refrigerator and the outside power source as well.

    • 6

      Check if the homemade incubator is functional by turning on the heater and the lamps.

    • 7

      Mount a thermometer near the refrigerator door, so you can check if the temperature is suitable and beneficial for the eggs.

    • 8

      Place special plastic egg trays of appropriate shape also known as egg crates, on the shelves inside the homemade incubator. You can also use ordinary carton egg crates as well. These trays will keep the eggs safe and firm in their position; otherwise they might easily break or crack.