Homemade Egg Incubators for Chicks

If you are starting to keep chickens or if you want to add more chickens to your brood, you can purchase chicks or hatch them yourself by taking the fertilized eggs of a nonsitting hen and put them in an incubator. Commercial incubators are costly, so you may want to make your own chicken egg incubator.

  1. Gathering Supplies

    • For a few chicken eggs, you can create your own incubator with a few simple items: cardboard, a glass aquarium or terrarium, an old towel, a desk lamp with a 100-watt light bulb and, of course, chicken eggs. The eggs should be evenly spaced with about an inch between them, so do not use more eggs than will fit in your aquarium or terrarium.

    Making It

    • Place the terrycloth towel on the bottom of the terrarium. This is where the eggs will be placed. If there are any cracks or holes in the terrarium, make sure to seal them with caulk.

      Line all four sides of the aquarium with cardboard pieces. Make sure each piece is trimmed to correctly fit each side. Cover all holes and cracks and spaces with double layers of duct tape, securing each cardboard piece.

      Create a lid out of more cardboard, making sure there is a hole cut out for the shade of the desk lamp. Secure and block all escaping light with duct tape, making sure that it can be easily removed as necessary for rotating the eggs daily.

      Place the desk lamp so the bulb is at least 4 inches away from the eggs. This will ensure that the eggs do not get too warm.