Chook Me!

How do you make a homemade chicken incubator easily and quick?

Ok well i have to do the science fair with one of my friends and we haven't really started it but we decided to make a homemade incubators and incubate chicken eggs. I know that it takes like 21 days for the chicks to hatch but can you buy them further into the incubation? Also I just want to know how to make a incubator it has to be one that is pretty easy to make and isn't all the expensive. Please send a link to a website if you got it from a website. Also we already have a duck light for ducks... would that be OK to use for chickens? Please answer if you know!!!

Public Comments

1. Get a cardboard box, line it with shredded paper, cut a hole in the side and put in the lightbulb, not too close to the eggs - about 20 - 30 cm away. And the duck light will be perfect. Read up on required incubation temperatures - I'm not sure about that. You should also put a thermometer in the bottom where the eggs are to keep an eye on the temperature, then adjust it by moving the lightbulb closer or further away, or by turning it off for a little while.
2. Things You'll Need: Light socket with cord Large Styrofoam cooler with lid Marker Utility knife Dimmer switch for table lamps 8 x 11 piece of glass Tape Wood glue Small plastic fan Small bowl of water Thermometer in clear plastic sleeve 25 or 15 watt light bulb Instructions - 1 . Place a light socket, with a cord attached, upside down on top of a Styrofoam cooler lid. The larger the Styrofoam cooler the better. Trace a circle around the light socket and use a utility knife to cut out the hole. Step 2 Place the light socket into the hole, widening the hole with the utility knife if needed. Let the cord run out the top. Make sure you can reach the on/off switch from the outside. Add a dimmer switch to the cord. This allows you to control the temperature from the outside of the incubator. Make sure the dimmer switch is for table lamps and not a light switch installed on the wall. Step 3 Take an 8 x 11 piece of glass, found in picture frames, and cut out a square slightly smaller than the piece of glass into the side of the cooler. Step 4 Use tape or wood glue to attach the 8 x 11 piece of glass onto the side of the incubator. Glue it to the outside, not the inside. This creates a sealed window to view the inside of the incubator through. Step 5 Punch a few small holes in the side of the incubator. They provide ventilation. Consider buying a small, plastic fan and placing it in the back corner of the incubator to help circulate the air. You'll need to run the cord out the side like you did the light socket cord. If you cannot find one that will fit, continue without it. Step 6 Fill a small bowl with water and place it inside the incubator. This helps with humidity. Step 7 Place a thermometer in a clear plastic sleeve inside the incubator in a location you can see clearly through the window in front. The base should be at the same height as the eggs will be when you place them inside. Step 8 Put a 25 watt light bulb into the light socket, or a 15 watt light bulb if your incubator is made from a small Styrofoam cooler instead of a large one. Close the lid and plug the light bulb in. Step 9 Turn on the light bulb and the fan, if you included one. Allow them to run for several hours and monitor the temperature. Tape over ventilation holes if the temperature remains too low, and poke more holes if it stays too high. You can also adjust the strength of the light bulb using the dimmer switch to control temperature. Step 10 Place the eggs inside the incubator after you feel you can keep the temperature within the desired range. Make adjustments to the ventilation holes, the strength of the light bulb or the fan to help get the temperature to the right level and keep it steady before beginning. Tips & Warnings - Make sure the incubator can keep the temperature at the desired level without dropping or fluctuating before you add the eggs.