Chook Me!

Can a glass fish tank thermometer be used in a cardboard box chicken incubator?

I am making a homeade cardboard chicken incubator and only have a fish tank thermometer can it be used.

Public Comments

1. No please use the proper equipment for the optimal health of the chicks you are going to hatch.
2. For best results I would use the proper chicken equipment because that one mistake could mean your chickens death. If your chicks are to cold or hot they will die. You know when they are cold because they will be huddled together and if they are too hot they will be up against the walls of the brooder. For the chicks safety use the right equipment, in the end you will be happy that you spent that little time and money on a chick thermometer.
3. I'd really advise against doing this (the cardboard box thing, not so much the use of a glass thermometer). It's heartbreaking to get eggs to the stage where you can hear peeping and some manage to pip the shell, and then fail to hatch because of incorrect incubation temperatures or lack of humidity (causes them to stick to the shells)... Seriously - I've been there on my first attempt at incubation and I wouldn't wish anyone else (or any other chicks) to experience it. I use a Hovabator now, for chicks, as it can support an automatic egg-turner, but have a look at my answer about building a home-made reptile incubator that works really well: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/;_ylc=X3oDMTBxcDMxYWk4BF9TAwRzZWMDbWFpbHRvBHNsawNzdWJqZWN0;_ylv=3?qid=20090126165507AA82Tvr The one thing you would need to do differently is to not have the eggs sitting in tubs of damp vermiculite - they should be on a very thin-gauge wire mesh - and tubs containing water-soaked sponges should be used to maintain the correct humidity.
4. how about using a lightbulb as a source of heat..or a hot water bottle wrapped in towel? I saw at our pet store they use a heat bulb shining down to keep the chicks warm. Or a heating pad with a towel over it? You can get those at the drug store, but you definitely need some humidity so the egg won't dry out.
5. A cardboard incubator will not work regardless of what type of thermometer you use. Cardboard does not exactly trap heat (and CERTAINLY not humidity, which is crucial for hatching success) well - which is why you only see homeless people using it as construction material. You'd be better of using a styrofoam cooler if you're going for the home-made approach.
6. You should not use cardboard b/c it is a fire hazard http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewforum.php?id=5 Have a look around there and do a search for homemade incubator and you will find dozens of ways to make one. You don't have to have an expensive incubator to hatch eggs. There are lots of things you can use. A fish tank thermometer wouldn't work b/c it is not precise enough, and you need pretty precise temps to hatch eggs. The backyard chickens site is an awesome place to get all kinds of into on hatching and raising chickens. Good luck with your hatch.