Home >> Science & Nature >> Animals & Science

How to Make a Homemade Incubator Simple & Easy

You can make an incubator that will hatch chicken and other fowl eggs easily and inexpensively. The incubator must keep the temperature and humidity constant, and you must turn the eggs several times a day. You may need to make some initial adjustments to your incubator to ensure the temperature and humidity levels are correct.

Things You'll Need

Styrofoam cooler
Picture frame glass
Duct tape
Thermometer
Humidity reader (hydrometer)
Lamp socket with electric cord
Light bulb
Small bowl or pan
Small fan

Instructions

- 1
  Punch two or three holes about the thickness of a pencil on the shorter sides of the Styrofoam container. This will allow the warm air to dissipate and help keep the temperature and humidity constant. Until you experiment with the temperature, do not make too many air holes.
- 2
  Cut a hole in the side or cover of the Styrofoam cooler so the glass or plastic overlaps the hole by an inch on every side. Tape the glass or plastic from the picture frame to the outside of the cooler creating an observation window. When the thermometer and humidity reader are in place, you must be able to see them clearly through the window.
- 3
  Cut a hole in the side of the cooler the size of the lamp socket, about one-third down from the top. You can buy a lamp socket and wire it or remove one from an old lamp that has the electric cord attached. Place the socket in the hole so part is inside and the part with the cord is outside the cooler. Tape the socket securely in place on the inside and outside of the cooler. The placement must ensure that the lamp bulb will not touch anything.
- 4
  Tape the thermometer and humidity reader to the side of the cooler opposite the lamp socket. Place them close to the bottom of the cooler so they will be at about the same height as the eggs. The tape must not cover the gauges.
- 5
  Cut a hole in the side of the cooler just large enough to put the fan cord through. A small fan keeps the heat circulating and makes it easier to keep the temperature constant. Tape the hole.
- 6
  Fill the bowl or pan about half full of water and place it on the bottom of the cooler.
- 7
  Experiment with different size lamp bulbs. Start with a low wattage bulb and increase the wattage until the temperature remains between 99 and 101 degrees for one hour, with the fan running.
- 8
  Find information on how to select eggs that give the best chance of hatching live chicks, where to place them in the incubator, how often they need to be turned while incubating, the range of humidity that works effectively and the safest ways to handle the eggs.

Animals & Science