We make the simplest incubator with our own hands. How and from what to make a home egg incubator. Incubator from the refrigerator: how to make it yourself

It will be difficult for a novice chicken breeder to do without an incubator at home. Today, there are many options for sale, both expensive automatic and modern appliances, and low-budget mechanical. But if you like to make something from improvised materials with your own hands, then you can try to make an egg incubator yourself. Let it not be very “fashionable”, “tricked out” with automation, but with the right approach, you can always warm eggs in it at home.

Styrofoam is not only light, practical, but also very available material in all respects. Yes, it is not entirely durable, but it can be quite useful in order to make a simple do-it-yourself incubator for your home. In this case, you will need a little time, few materials and a little patience and skill. It is well suited for the home and can be made by hand even with an automatic egg flip. True, in this case, one cannot do without automation and some devices.

Tools and materials

• foam sheets;
• carton boxes;
• adhesive tape;
• incandescent bulbs (60 watts) and chambers;
• industrial thermostat;
• two fans for the computer (diameter 80 mm);
• water tanks;
• thermometer;
• plastic trays for chicken eggs;
• additional tools as needed.

Step-by-step instruction

1. The manufacture of a house incubator from polystyrene foam and other improvised means begins from a drawing. You can use any available photo, as well as draw it yourself.
2. According to the drawing, we cut out the necessary blanks from the foam sheets and, using adhesive tape, tightly fasten them around the perimeter. You should get something like a regular box, as in the photo.
3. The next step is to make an incubator with your own hands at home, there will be electricity wiring. Of course, you can’t do without this, because you need the work of light bulbs, at least, and it’s also desirable to have a thermostat. We make a circuit according to our drawing and draw wires.
4. Then the inner and outer walls for greater strength and convenience, because the foam crumbles a lot, we close it with either plywood or ordinary thick cardboard from any box. All this can be easily done with adhesive tape.
5. We make holes in the cardboard for light bulb chambers according to the diagram and drawing, and also insert axles for attaching the trays.
6. On the roof of our design it would be convenient to cut small space and cover it with transparent plastic. This is for the viewing window.
7. According to the scheme and drawing, we place two fans in the incubator: one is at an angle of 45 degrees, the second is exactly near the lamp.
8. On both sides at the bottom we install water tanks.
9. We screw in the light bulbs, connect the thermostat, install plastic trays for chicken eggs on cardboard rolls with a diameter of 4 cm.
10. That's it. It remains only to connect everything to the power supply, check the operation, place a thermometer inside and you can start the process of incubating eggs at home.

Automatic incubator

All even the most inexperienced poultry farmers know that for proper and successful incubation, eggs must rotate periodically. Of course, this can be done manually. But in the first place, you will always violate temperature regime by opening the incubator. Secondly, if you do not open, but do it in a mechanized way, then this is quite inconvenient. You need to be at home all the time so as not to miss the next moment of the coup. Therefore, it is much more profitable to make an automatic incubator with a flip of trays at home.

Tools and materials

• Wooden bars, plywood;
• foam sheet;
• egg tray;
• grid 6×2 cm;
• 4 lamps with a power of 25 W;
• metal plates;
• water baths;
• electric motor with worm gear or a motor of a servo-driven voltage stabilizer (you can take a device for incubators APL-1 or APL-2, Dream 12);
• tools as needed (hammer, screws, drill, etc.).

Ready set for automatic incubator with trays and motor

Step-by-step instruction

Photo gallery

Photo 1. Eggs in a do-it-yourself incubator

Breeding chickens and other birds- Pretty well-spread in the village or who has the appropriate conditions for this.If you are engaged in artificial breeding of young poultry, then you will definitely need incubator. A home incubator is indispensable for hatching a small number of chickens at home.A good incubator is quite expensive, so you can make it yourself from improvised materials.

So, how to make an incubator yourself? Making an incubator with your own hands is not at all difficult.You can make an incubator yourself even with a minimum set of materials and skills.Earlier we considered thatncubator can be made

Today we will consider another version of a homemade foam incubator. You can find a ready-made foam box, or you can glue it from foam sheets, which are sold in hardware stores for insulating houses, etc. The size of the incubator depends on the desired number of hatched eggs. For a foam incubator, for strength, you need to make stiffeners. They will also help when attaching the heating structure, etc.

Now we will mount 4 cartridges in the frame. Note that these cartridges must be porcelain in order to fire safety. We mount cartridges 3 on top and one on the bottom for the humidifier bath. Lamps should be no more than 20 W in power, connected in parallel . You can connect a switch to each lamp to set the temperature uniformity. If you have the dimensions of the incubator calculated for breeding more than 50 eggs, it is better to install 6 - 10 light bulbs connected in series-parallel, for example, six pairs, eight pairs or ten pairs. and here on K561LA7 and KU202N (photo at the bottom of the article).

Now we will install a tray in the middle of the bottom of the incubator. It must be metal.

Next, we fix the grid, at a height of 6-8 centimeters from the bath. The grid should be attached so that later it can be removed and washed, and if the light bulb burns out, replace it. The mesh must be strong enough to withstand the mass of eggs laid. The grid should not sag so that the eggs do not roll around the tray. You can first make a frame on legs, and then lay a grid on it.

4-6 holes can be made in the walls, depending on the size of the incubator. Their diameter should be 1 - 2 centimeters. They will serve as ventilation for our device.

Now the lid. In it, to monitor the process of brooding and control the temperature, you can make a window.

Homemade wooden incubator

The basis of this incubator includes boards or chipboard. It is also, like the previous version, insulated on all sides with foam. You can use another similar insulation. Eggs are also heated using conventional light bulbs. This version of a homemade incubator has long been used for home brooding of eggs and has proven itself well. Now you know how to make an incubator for quail or other eggs with your own hands.

In the figure, a primitive scheme is proposed for temperature control, which is not very accurate in maintaining temperature. It also strongly depends on the mains voltage and the temperature of the room in which the incubator is located.

For more precise temperature control, you can assemble either one of the temperature controllers proposed below. All thermostats are simple and selected for a beginner radio amateur.

Scheme of a thermostat on three transistors and a thyristor

Thermostat circuit with five transistors and a thyristor

The scheme of the thermostat on the operational amplifier, transistor and thyristor

Two thermostat circuits on a K561LA7 logic chip, a transistor, a thyristor (in the second circuit, instead of a thyristor, a relay)

You can buy a ready-made digital thermostat module in our store.

They did everything. We check. Turn on.

The egg incubator must be cleaned before use. hot water and dry thoroughly. Trays with water designed to moisten the space are installed at the bottom of the chamber. Before laying eggs, the incubator must be properly checked. A self-assembled egg incubator must be run for several days in test mode before operation to make sure that the temperature is in the desired range.

So, is everything working? Okay, now let's lay the eggs.

Having received necessary information about how to hatch chicks in an incubator, and having properly prepared the device for operation, you should also take care of the quality of the eggs chosen for laying: they must be exceptionally fresh (stored no more than 6-7 days), the correct shape, the same mass. If eggs of various sizes are laid in the incubator, then the hatching of young animals can take several days, and the chicks will differ in age. Eggs are marked with a pencil on both sides for the convenience of observing the order of turning and placed in trays so that the upper side is marked with the same sign. A thermometer is placed approximately 1 cm from the surface of the eggs. It is advisable to install several thermometers, controlling the temperature in the center and along the edges of the tray. Now you can replace the tray with eggs and close the incubator, having previously set the selected incubation mode.

Humidity in the incubator

We monitor humidity. There should always be water in the tub. To increase humidity, just before the brood, you can put a rag in the bath, so that half is in the bath, and half hangs from the edges. Thus, we will increase the evaporation area. The lamp for the bath is not turned off at all until pecking. Humidity is not usually referred to as the main parameters of incubation, but it has a significant impact on the hatchability of chickens. Manufacturers of home incubators that are not equipped with an automatic humidity control system usually offer detailed recommendations for maintaining this parameter within the required limits, indicating in detail in the operating instructions where and how much water to add and how to determine the percentage of moisture content in the air using improvised means.

The position of the eggs in the incubator

Small bird eggs can be placed in trays both horizontally and vertically. Large eggs, such as duck or turkey eggs, should not be placed in the trays in a vertical position, and goose eggs should only be laid in a horizontal position. For the normal development of the embryo during incubation, the eggs must be turned over, while eggs laid horizontally can be rotated by 180 °, and vertically - only tilted by 45 °.

Turning eggs in a home incubator

For successful breeding of chicks, eggs in the incubator must be turned at least 3-5 times and no more than 12 times per day. According to the type of rotation used in the incubator, there are three types of devices:
A home incubator with a group egg coup is considered the most the best option both in terms of cost and reliability, since during the day you still have to approach it at least 4 times in order to control the environmental parameters and cool the eggs.

temperature in the incubator

The temperature in the incubator is the main indicator that determines the good development of the embryos and the hatching of healthy chicks. Its value may vary depending on the set incubation mode, but it must be constant and evenly distributed throughout the entire volume of the internal space. The temperature should be 37 - 37.5 degrees. The egg incubator must be constantly monitored, since even slight deviations from the required parameters of the internal environment have a significant impact on the viability of the embryo.

Homemade incubator can be made in several ways from improvised materials. It will work no worse than the store counterpart, but it will turn out much more economical. The capacity is chosen based on personal needs, and the tray rotation mechanism can be either manual or automatic.

At home, you can assemble an incubator from:

• Styrofoam,
• thick cardboard,
• plywood sheets,
• washing machine,
• Old refrigerator.

The dimensions of the incubation machine are selected individually, and depend on:

1. The required number of eggs for laying,
2. Location of heating elements.

Medium incubator with dimensions: 45 * 30 cm contains:

• up to 70 chicken,
• up to 55 duck,
• up to 55 turkeys,
• up to 40 goose,
• up to 200 quail eggs.

Regardless of the material or dimensions, each apparatus consists of:

• Covers (with or without a window),
• Corps,
• Tray and lattice,
• lamps,
• Containers with water to maintain humidity,
• thermometer.

Models with automatic or semi-automatic tray rotation are also equipped with a digital timer.

Models with manual tray rotation

To make simple incubators at home, you need a minimum of materials and tools, and you can make them in a few hours. Cons - insufficient thermal insulation, fragility and manual overturning of lattices with eggs.

Foam Incubation Machine

The advantages of this model are: lightness and compactness, low cost and ease of manufacture.

You can make a foam incubator as follows: the walls are cut out of a sheet of expanded polystyrene, at least 5 cm thick. The recommended size of the sidewalls is 50 * 50 cm, the end is 50 * 35 cm. The drawings will help to assemble the case and correctly distribute the internal space. The walls are fastened with glue, or they can be glued together with a wide adhesive tape. There are 3-4 ventilation holes in the bottom.

The foam incubator is equipped with a lid with a glazed viewing window. The glass does not need to be firmly fixed: if there is a need to lower the temperature, it can be moved away. To make the lid fit more tightly and not loosen the structure, you can glue the sides of wooden blocks. The thermostat and thermometer are installed next to the window.

Incubation of chicken eggs in a foam incubator occurs under the influence of three incandescent lamps with a power of 25 watts. In this volume, this is enough to maintain the required temperature. A water tank is installed at the bottom of the chamber. The egg grate is assembled from a single piece of galvanized mesh with a mesh size of 2.5 * 1.6 mm. Each side of the tray is sheathed with strong gauze: if this is not done, the chicks may be injured. To install the trays on top of each other along the perimeter, the sides are increased, with a height of at least 10 cm.

Air circulation inside the incubation chamber will be better if you attach a regular computer fan to the bottom.

The foam incubator for chicken eggs can be equipped with an additional indicator with heating, which are placed under the grates.

Incubation machine out of the box

Cardboard chicken egg incubator is economical and simple, and the assembly of this design does not take much time. The apparatus is made from an ordinary box from under household appliances. It is not recommended to take a large one - it will be difficult to warm up the volume, and it is dangerous to use more powerful lamps. At a distance of 4-5 cm from the bottom, 6-7 ventilation holes are cut out, with a diameter of 3 to 7 mm.

From the inside, wooden slats are attached to the side walls at a height of 9-10 cm from the bottom. The very bottom is covered with cellophane or oilcloth, and wooden bars are placed on top. A bath of water is placed on the resulting pallet, and a regular store egg tray is placed on the slats. For fresh air to enter from above, 3-4 more holes are made in the lid, with a diameter of about 5 mm. A thermometer is hung next to them and one additional hole is punched under the wire from the lamp.

For heating the incubator, incandescent lamps with a power of 25 W or more are used. Humidity is regulated by opening the lid.

plywood incubator

This model differs from the previous ones in greater strength and better heat-saving characteristics. How to make an incubator:

1. Walls are cut out of a sheet of plywood. Greater thermal insulation can be achieved by making them double,
2. The dimensions of the device are selected individually,
3. The lid is also cut out of plywood, and is made removable,
4. To control the process, a small window is sawn in the lid,
5. Along the perimeter of the lid - holes for ventilation, with a diameter of not more than a centimeter,
6. From the inside, rails are mounted to the walls of a home-made incubator for installing trays,
7. For air exchange, 4-5 holes are drilled in the floor,
8. The heating element for the incubator is usually incandescent lamps, but for a large volume, a tubular electric heater (heater) can also be used,
9. The minimum distance between lamps or heating elements and eggs is 25 cm,
10. The minimum distance between the trays (if there are several) is 15 cm,
11. The frame-type egg tray is assembled from a metal lattice and sheathed with gauze mesh,
12. At the bottom, containers of the same size for water are installed.
13. The finished egg incubator is placed in a warm room with good ventilation on a flat surface, and connected to a conventional electrical network.

Automated Models

There are several ways to make a do-it-yourself incubator with automatic egg flipping, uninterrupted power supply and good heat saving.

Incubation apparatus from the refrigerator

How to make an incubator with backup power: the body of the incubator is assembled from the refrigerator. To do this, the interior is cleaned and washed well. disinfectant solution. A pair of observation windows are cut out in the door, which are glazed from the inside and outside.

From the inside, the chamber is divided into two parts. Lower - incubation, equipped with trays. The upper one is output, a fixed shelf is installed in it. The partition is cut out of a sheet of plywood, and several holes are punched in it for air exchange. For air circulation, a small fan is installed at the bottom of the incubation chamber, and a couple of holes are drilled next to it in the side wall, about a centimeter in diameter. Similar holes are made in the upper part of the case for air to escape.

The electrical circuit looks like this:

1. Temperature controller for hatching and incubation chamber,
2. emergency thermostat,
3. Voltage stabilizer for 10 V,
4. Heater for the incubation compartment,
5. Hatchery heater,
6. Spare heater connected to the backup power supply
7. Backup battery for 12 V incubator,
8. Psychrometer,
9. Tray turning mechanism
10. Humidity level regulator inside the hatching and incubation chamber.

In automatic mode, the operation of the incubator with backup power is provided by the control unit, which controls all the main components. The set temperature in the chambers is maintained by independent thermostats and heating elements, and electronic thermometers are responsible for temperature control. You can assemble them yourself using various ready-made circuits, but if you have little experience with microelectronics, it is better to buy. The heating system is assembled from light bulbs with a power of 20-25 W, or a heating cord is laid around the perimeter to save electricity.

The automatic egg turning mechanism in the incubator operates every two hours, turning the trays 45°.

A temporary electronic relay, which is assembled from a low-speed motor and a gearbox, is responsible for the operation of the mechanism. The output gear shaft must make a complete revolution around the axis for 4 hours. You can replace a homemade relay with a similar device from an old drum washing machine. The mechanism is driven by a motor from the windshield wiper of the car. To lower the speed, it is supplemented with a step-type chain reducer.

On the main axle, to which the gear sprocket is attached, a lower egg grill is installed. Two additional ones are hung above it, and the distance between them is at least 15 cm. For simultaneous rotation, all trays are connected by a rod.

The egg incubator circuit assumes the presence of two power sources: universal and uninterrupted. The reserve power supply of the incubator is carried out from a battery or a power supply unit. The power of the power supply is 120-150 W, and the battery for the incubator is from 12 V.

To maintain humidity, a container with water and a fan are placed at the bottom of the incubation chamber.

Automatic incubator

Another option is how to make an incubator with automatic egg flipping yourself. The frame can serve as a frame from a washing machine or an old bee hive.

The device of the incubator looks like this:

• Frame,
• tray system,
• heating system,
• Fan,
• Lattice rotation mechanism.

To be supported inside set temperature air, it is necessary to insulate the walls of the incubator. For this purpose, they are sheathed with foam. To ensure air exchange, we make holes on one side of the wall at the bottom, and on the other - at the top. Diameter - no more than a centimeter. Holes can be equipped with plugs. A viewing window is cut in the lid, which is glazed. The glass is not firmly fixed: if it is necessary to reduce the temperature inside the chamber, it is moved away.

The trays are assembled from a metal grid with a cell pitch of about 2.5 cm, and covered with a mosquito net so that the hatched chicks do not damage their paws. Do-it-yourself auto-rotation for an incubator is done like this: holes are sawn in the lattice frame, and they themselves are attached to the axis. All parts of the mechanism are fastened together, and reduction motors with a power of up to 20 W are used as a drive. For smooth movement of the tray, it is recommended to take a chain with a pitch of 0.52 mm. A time relay is responsible for automating the process.

It remains to install the heating system of the entire structure. The heating element for the incubator of this model is a spiral from old irons. The spirals are attached to the walls with ties or staples so that they can be easily replaced if necessary.

The minimum distance of the heating element from the tray is 20 cm.

In a do-it-yourself chicken incubator according to this scheme, a thermometer must be hung, and a container of water is placed at the bottom. For better air circulation, a fan can be attached to the lower grille. The chamber must have a psychrometer. The device measures humidity indicators, and you can buy it at any pet store.

In home gardens, the use of large industrial incubators may not be practical due to their large capacity. To grow a small number of poultry, compact devices are needed, which you can do with your own hands, using available tools and materials.

We will give several ways to make incubators. However, even a homemade device must meet certain requirements, which you will learn about from this article.

How to make your own egg incubator

Breeding poultry is a fairly profitable occupation, but for the uninterrupted production of productive young animals, you need to buy or make a device with your own hands in which young animals will be bred.

How to make an incubator for chicken eggs or quails with your own hands, using improvised materials, you will learn from the sections below.

What to pay attention to

For the full breeding of young birds, certain recommendations and requirements regarding the use of the device and its manufacture should be followed:

• The temperature regime at a distance of two centimeters from the eggs should not exceed 38.6 degrees, and the minimum temperature is 37.3 degrees;
• Only fresh eggs are suitable for incubation, which should not be stored for more than ten days;
• In the chamber it is necessary to maintain an optimal level of humidity. Before pipping, it is 40-60%, and after the beginning of pipping - 80%. Humidity levels must be reduced before chicks are taken.

The breeding of young poultry also depends on the location of the eggs. They need to be placed vertically (sharp end down) or horizontally. If they are located vertically, they should be tilted to the right or left by 45 degrees (when laying goose or duck eggs, the degree of inclination is up to 90 degrees).

If the eggs are placed horizontally, they must be turned at least three times a day by 180 degrees. However, it is best to carry out a coup every hour. A few days before pecking, the turns are stopped.

Rules

If you are interested in how to make a homemade incubator, you should know that this device is made according to certain rules.

To make you will need:

1. Housing made of material, well retaining heat (wood or foam). This is necessary so that the temperature inside the device does not change during the hatching process. Can be used as a body old refrigerator, microwave or even TV.
2. For heating they use ordinary lamps (from 25 to 100 W, depending on the size of the camera), and to control the temperature, they put an ordinary thermometer inside the device.
3. To keep fresh air inside need to provide ventilation. For small appliances, it is enough to drill holes in the side walls and bottom, and for large incubators (for example, made from a refrigerator), several fans are installed (under and above the grate for).

Figure 1. Common types of incubators: 1 - with automatic rotation, 2 - mini-incubator, 3 - industrial model

Trays or grates can be bought or made from metal mesh. It is important that there is space between the trays for free air circulation.

Peculiarities

The incubator must be well ventilated. Preference should be given to forced ventilation, as the constant movement of air will maintain the required temperature and humidity inside.

Figure 1 shows the main types of incubators that can be used to breed young birds in a household plot.

How to auto-rotate eggs in an incubator

Models without manual turning are not very convenient, since a person needs to constantly monitor the process of hatching and manually turn all the eggs. It is much easier to immediately make a homemade incubator with auto-rotation (Figure 2).

Instruction

There are several options for arranging auto-rotate. For small appliances, you can simply equip a mobile grid, which is driven by a small roller. As a result, the eggs move slowly and gradually turn over.

Note: The disadvantage of this method is that you still have to control the coup, since the eggs can simply budge, but not roll over.

Roller rotation is considered more modern, for the arrangement of which special rotating rollers are installed under the grate. To prevent damage to the shell, all rollers are covered with a mosquito net. However, this method also has a significant drawback: for the manufacture of an auto-rotate system, you will have to take up free space in the chamber by installing rollers.

Figure 2. Scheme of automatic egg turning

The best method is considered to be a flip, in which the entire tray immediately tilts 45 degrees. The rotation is activated by a special mechanism located outside, and all eggs are guaranteed to warm up.

How to properly lay eggs in an incubator

The incubation of poultry should be carried out taking into account certain features and maintain the optimal mode of breeding young animals. The table in Figure 3 shows the basic requirements for breeding chickens, ducks and geese.

First of all, you should maintain the correct temperature (minimum 37.5 - maximum 37.8 degrees). It is also necessary to regularly check the humidity, determining it by the difference in temperatures on the “wet” and “dry” thermometers. If the "wet" thermometer shows a temperature of up to 29 degrees, then the humidity is about 60 percent.

Figure 3. Optimal incubation modes

The breeding regimen must also meet the following requirements:

• Turning must be done at least 8 times a day;
• When breeding young geese and ducks, the eggs must be periodically cooled in a combined way: the first half of their incubation is cooled with air for half an hour, and then irrigated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate;
• During the hatching of young animals, the air temperature on a “dry” thermometer should not exceed 34 degrees, and humidity should not exceed 78-90 degrees.

It is important that insufficient warming, regardless of the stage, can slow down the growth and development of embryos, since chicks absorb and use protein worse. As a result of insufficient warming, most chicks die before hatching, and the surviving chicks hatch later, their umbilical cord does not heal and their stomach grows.

Underheating, depending on the stage, may cause some disturbances. In the first stage they include:

• The intestines are filled with fluid with blood;
• The kidneys are enlarged and the liver is unevenly stained;
• Edema appears on the neck.

During the second stage, underheating can provoke:

• swelling of the umbilical ring;
• The intestines are filled with bile;
• Enlargement of the heart when underheated in the last few days of incubation.

Overheating can cause external deformities (eyes, jaws and head) and hatching starts prematurely. If the temperature regime has been elevated in the last few days, the chicks may be deformed internal organs(heart, liver and stomach) and the walls of the abdominal cavity do not grow together.

Strong and short-term overheating can cause the embryo to dry up to the inside of the shell, swelling and hemorrhage appear on the skin of the chick, and the embryo itself is located with its head in the yolk, which is not normal.

Figure 4. Normal development of the embryo (left) and possible defects in violation of the humidity regime (right)

Long term exposure high temperatures in the second half of incubation leads to early movement of the embryo in the air chamber, and unused protein can be seen under the shell. In addition, there are many chicks in the brood that hatched the shell, but died without drawing in the yolk.

Violations of the humidity regime can also provoke serious violations.(picture 4):

• High humidity causes delayed development of embryos, embryos do not use protein well and often die in the middle and end of incubation;
• If the humidity was increased at the time of pecking, the beak may begin to stick to the shell in the chicks, a goiter develops, and an excess of fluid is observed in the intestines and stomach. Swelling and hemorrhage may develop on the neck;
• Increased humidity often causes late hatching and hatching of sluggish young with bloated belly and too light down;
• If the humidity was low, pipping starts in the middle part, and the shells are dry and too strong;
• With low humidity, small and dry young hatch.

It is especially important to maintain optimal humidity (80-82%) during the pipping period. It should be noted that during all periods of breeding, one should strive to maintain such a temperature and humidity regime that exists during natural incubation.

Figure 5. Possible defects during transillumination with an ovoscope

The duration of incubation depends on the type of poultry. For example, for chickens of meat breeds, it is 21 days and 8 hours. If the normal mode was maintained, the beginning of pecking begins on the 19th day and 12 hours after laying, the chicks begin to hatch already on the 20th day, and after another 12 hours most of the young appear. During incubation, it is necessary to periodically check with an ovoscope in order to detect damage in time (Figure 5).

What is needed for this

To properly lay eggs, you need to warm up the device in advance and prepare the eggs.

For breeding young animals of any poultry, only eggs that have been stored for no longer than a week in a dark room with good ventilation at room temperature are suitable. Before laying, they must be translucent with an ovoscope and specimens are selected without damage, cracks and growths on the shell.

Peculiarities

Only eggs of the correct shape and with a characteristic shell color for a certain type of bird can be laid in the incubator.

In addition, you need to choose the right lattice that will match the size of the eggs. For example, quails require a smaller grill, and turkeys require a larger one. It is also necessary to familiarize yourself in advance with the temperature and humidity regime of incubation for each type of bird.

How to make a homemade incubator from the refrigerator

Very often, home incubators are made from old refrigerators, since the body of this household appliance is quite roomy and allows you to simultaneously hatch large batches of young birds.

See how to make an incubator from the refrigerator with your own hands detailed instructions, you can in the video.

Instruction

Before starting manufacturing, you need to draw up a drawing and a plan for attaching all the necessary elements. You also need to wash the case and pull out all the shelves and the freezer from it.

The procedure for making an incubator from an old refrigerator includes the following steps(picture 6):

• Several holes are drilled in the ceiling for mounting lamps and arranging ventilation;
• The inner part of the walls is trimmed with thin sheets of polystyrene foam so that heat remains inside the device longer;
• Trays or lattices are installed on the shelves;
• A temperature sensor is placed inside, and the thermostat is brought out;
• Several ventilation holes are drilled in the lower part of the side walls, and in order to provide a higher level of air flow, fans are installed above and below.

Figure 6. Scheme for manufacturing a household incubator from an old refrigerator

It is also desirable to cut a small viewing window in the door so that it is more convenient to observe the incubation process without opening the door.

How to make a foam incubator step by step

Frame homemade device can be made from old box from under the TV or a foam box, reinforcing it with a frame made of wooden slats. In the frame you need to fix four porcelain lampholders. Light bulbs for heating are screwed into three cartridges, and the fourth bulb is used to heat water in the bath. The power of all light bulbs should not exceed 25 watts. Examples and drawings for manufacturing simple models shown in Figure 7.

Note: The middle lamp is often turned on only at a certain time: from 17 to 23-00. A bath of water to maintain humidity can also be made from improvised materials. For example, using a jar of herring, cutting off part of the lid from it. From such a container, water will evaporate better, and the lid will prevent local overheating.

A grate is installed inside a homemade incubator. The surface of the eggs on the grill must be at least 17 centimeters from the light bulb, and for eggs under the grill, at least 15 centimeters.

To measure the temperature inside the chamber, a conventional thermometer is used. To make it convenient to use the device, its front wall must be made removable and covered with cardboard or other dense material. Screws are used for fastening. Such a removable wall allows you to put trays inside the incubator, put a bath and change the water in it, as well as carry out all other manipulations.

Figure 7. Schemes for the manufacture of simple incubators from a refrigerator and a box

In the lid you need to make a window that will serve for ventilation and temperature control. The window is 12 cm long and 8 cm wide. It is better to cover it with glass, leaving a small gap in width.

For additional ventilation, three small square holes should also be made along the long wall near the floor (each side is 1.5 centimeters). They must be kept open at all times for a constant supply of fresh air.

How to make a microwave incubator

A microwave incubator is made according to the same principle as a refrigerator device. But it should be borne in mind that many eggs will not fit in such a device, so at home it is used mainly for breeding quails.

When making an incubator from microwave oven some features need to be taken into account.(picture 8):

• Outside, the case must be sheathed with thin sheets of foam to stabilize the temperature inside;
• Ventilation holes are left in the upper part, and the door is not insulated and sealed for additional fresh air;
• A tray is installed inside, but since there is not enough space in the chamber for cans of water, a container with moisturizing liquid is placed directly under the tray.

Figure 8. How to make a do-it-yourself microwave incubator

It is also necessary to provide protection against overheating by installing barriers on incandescent lamps.

How to make ventilation in the incubator with your own hands

A homemade incubator also does not provide a special egg cooling system, as they are cooled for several minutes during the turning process. During the entire incubation, the temperature should be maintained at 39 degrees.

For ease of use, legs can be attached to the device. And since this equipment is very compact, and the incubation process is not accompanied by the release unpleasant odors, young poultry can be bred even in a city apartment (Figure 9). The procedure for making a simple homemade incubator is shown in the video.

How to make a humidifier in an incubator

For normal operation of a home-made incubator, half a glass of water per day should be poured into the bath. If you want to increase the level of humidity, you can put a rag in the bath, which is washed every two days.

For laying eggs, special slats are placed with gaps between them. Reiki should be made rounded on the sides. To make it easier to carry out the coup, you need to leave free space in the tray corresponding to one egg.

Note: Eggs in a homemade incubator are turned by hand 180 degrees. It is better if the coup is carried out up to 6 times a day with an equal time interval (after 2-4 hours).

Figure 9. Drawings for making simple do-it-yourself incubators

To maintain humidity, no devices are provided in a home-made incubator, and this mode is maintained approximately. To evaporate the liquid, it is recommended to install light bulbs of 25 or 15 watts. Before pecking, the evaporator is not turned on, and if it is turned off too early, then the eggs will have too hard a shell that the chicks will not be able to break.

If you are the owner of a household plot, this article will help you organize the heating of the incubator. You will find out what heating elements exist and which models are the most efficient. We will also focus on homemade incubators - detailed instructions for several models will be offered to your attention.

Purpose of heaters

In order for healthy chicks to hatch from an ordinary fertilized egg, certain conditions must be observed in the incubator. The purpose of the heaters is to create conditions that are as similar as possible to those that the mother hen creates for her future offspring.

Ideal conditions are only possible with the right heating elements. The percentage of chick hatchability directly depends on the heater. It is the main part of the incubation design, providing optimal conditions for the process of breeding chicks.

It is almost impossible to do without such elements. In the case of underheating, the development of embryos will significantly slow down, and many individuals will simply die.

The heating element in the artificial "hen" is a separate part that creates and maintains the required temperature indicators throughout the entire incubation period.

Did you know? The Chinese managed to synthesize a chicken egg. The falsifiers withheld their names. However, scientists were able to uncover the technology by which the fake was created. So, the shell is made of calcium carbonate, and the contents are imitated using food additives, dye and gelatin. Outwardly, it is very difficult to distinguish a fake from a real egg, but the taste of the product is completely different.

Types of heaters for the incubator

Each type is characterized by certain advantages and disadvantages, by comparing which you can decide which heater is most effective for your household.

Thermal films

Heating films quickly gain temperature and just as quickly cool down, without having any inertia. The film itself does not heat the air. The technology consists in heating an object that is in front of the film, and this object itself heats up the space.

Heating films are more often used on an industrial scale. The advantage of the product lies in the fact that it consumes little electricity, but at the same time it is able to keep heat at the required level for a long period.

If you want to power the film from a battery, you will need to purchase a suitable inverter. Under the thermal film it is necessary to lay a reflective substrate. This measure will allow heat to be retained in the incubator.

The main disadvantage of the film heater is the difficulty in replacing (here you can not do without the help of a specialist). Another disadvantage is the high cost of the product. In addition, the film is not so easy to find on sale.

Thermal Cords

Cords made of carbon fiber, like films, quickly gain temperature and cool quickly. There is also no thermal inertia, so there is no temperature span. Cords are usually used for hatching chickens in industrial devices.

This heater has a very long life. The only thing that can disable it is mechanical damage to the braid, and then to the fibers.

Despite minor flaws, the thermal cord is one of the best types of heaters on the market. You can safely connect the product directly to the thermostat - the cord does not change resistance dramatically, so it will not fail.

infrared

Infrared heaters are becoming more and more popular every day. These are products of a new generation, devoid of the disadvantages inherent in their predecessors. Such heaters are resistant to humidity, they consume several times less electricity, and allow you to control the temperature in the "hen" with high accuracy.

But their main advantage is that they evenly distribute heat, while spending a minimum of electricity. This allows significant savings, since the heater must operate continuously during 18-20 days of keeping.

The only drawback is the need to stock up on additional lamps, since it is almost impossible to find suitable lamps in the house if damaged.

The essence of the operation of the device in question is the heat exchange between the egg and the air - heat from the surface of the emitter is transferred directly to the heated eggs, and the air itself inside the "hen" is heated from the heated eggs.

heating elements

TENOvy heating of an incubator is also widespread. TEN is one of the most reliable (safe) methods of heating with low electricity consumption.

Unlike incandescent lamps, the heating element does not create lighting in the incubation chamber. The eggs are in the dark, that is, similar to natural conditions (as under a hen). By the way, today most of the EU countries have already abandoned the use of lamp heaters in "brood hens".

Heating elements transfer heat evenly around the entire perimeter of the chamber. Plus, these devices do not take up much space in the incubator.

However, TEN products have a number of disadvantages. First, there is thermal inertia, which is dangerous because of the risk of overheating the eggs. Secondly, it is necessary to insulate the metal parts, as they are prone to rust. In addition, the built-in heater will be difficult to change in the event of a breakdown.

Did you know?Some people from the mere sight of chicken eggs are visited by a feeling of horror and panic. The scientific name for this phobia is ovophobia (literal translation -« fear of oval objects» ). The reasons for the formation of this fear have not yet been found. Around the world, one in a thousand adults suffers from this phobia. Even the famous had ovophobia« horror king» Alfred Hitchcock.

Tube

Lamp heaters are most in demand among homeowners. This variety is good to use because it can be easily replaced if damaged. For this, any other lamp available on the farm will do.

Regarding the minuses - heat is often distributed unevenly, significant differences in temperature indicators are created. This disadvantage is especially noticeable when using incandescent lamps.

Halogen ceramic lamps also have a number of disadvantages. It is difficult to apply them in practice due to the fact that they radiate heat in a specific way. Sometimes it is very difficult to control the level of heat supplied.

Another disadvantage is the continuous transmission of light, which is not the case with the natural process of breeding chicks.

Basic requirements for an incubator

For the full development of the embryos and the hatching of healthy chicks, it is necessary to organize a special microclimate in an artificial "hen". The main requirements in this case are temperature and humidity.

Therefore, the future incubation chamber must be designed in such a way that you can constantly and freely monitor the level of temperature and humidity (that is, the device must be equipped with a thermostat).

Keeping the eggs of most bird species is carried out at a temperature of +37.1 °C to +39 °C. Both underheating and overheating are unacceptable. First, the eggs must be heated to the required maximum shown for a particular type of bird, and in last days before sampling, the indicator must be reduced to a minimum.

An exception to this rule is - for 17 days of incubation, a constant temperature at the level of +37.5 ° C should be maintained.

• temperature at the beginning of aging - + 38-39 ° С, the required indicator in the last days - + 37.6 ° С;
• indicator in the first days of aging - +37.8 ° С, in the last days - +37.1 ° С;
• the desired temperature in the first days of aging - +38.4 ° C, in the last days - +37.4 ° C;
• the required indicator in the first days of aging is +37.6 °С, the indicator in the last days is +37.1 °С.

Humidity should also change. Install a humidity controller and make sure that until the moment of pecking, the humidity in the chamber is 40-60%, and between pecking and the moment the chicks hatch, it remains at 80%.

And only before sampling, the moisture index must be lowered again to 55-60%.

How to determine the optimal size of the incubator

The dimensions of the artificial "nesting" must be calculated in advance. The choice of dimensions depends on the production volumes you are aiming for, as well as the number of eggs placed in the chamber at a time.

Medium-sized equipment (length - 45-47 cm, width - 30-40 cm) is able to accommodate the following (approximate) number of eggs:

• chicken - 70 pieces;
• duck (turkey) - 55 pieces;
• goose - up to 40 pieces;
• quail - 200 pieces.

In addition to all of the above, the size of the fixture is affected by the type of heater and the place where the heating lamps are fixed. The material from which you expect to build an incubator is also important - with the same capacity of the chambers, the foam model will be more voluminous than the cardboard version.

Did you know? Sometimes chickens lay eggs without yolks.

Model automatic from the refrigerator

The case of a used refrigerator is perfect for creating a homemade "nesting". The internal space of the refrigerator reliably maintains the set temperature. Another plus is that sections and shelves of household appliances can be easily used for egg trays.

At the same time, the internal volume is quite enough for installation in the lower part of the fluid exchange system, which will allow you to control humidity.

Before proceeding with the direct assembly of an artificial "hen" based on a refrigerator, let's dwell on some more important points.

In addition, to ensure ventilation on the ceiling and in the floor of the product, be sure to make holes. To prevent air from penetrating the fiberglass layer under the skin, insert plastic or metal pipes of a suitable size into the spans.

The standard function of turning the tray with eggs in this design is performed by a special mechanism, which is mounted as follows:

1. Place the reducer at the bottom of the refrigerator.
2. Then place a wood frame to hold the trays. Fasten them in such a way as to ensure that the trays tilt 60 degrees towards the door and the same amount in the opposite direction. The gearbox must be firmly fixed.
3. Attach a rod to the electric motor, connected at the other end to the egg tray.

How to make a home incubator from an old refrigerator: video

Now you can proceed to the direct arrangement of the incubator:

• In the top wall of the refrigerator, drill several passages for electrical wiring and one through passage for the ventilation system.
• Drill at least 3 1.5 cm long exhaust spans in the floor of the hull.
• Finish the inner walls with foam.
• Then you need to convert the old shelves into egg trays.
• Install a thermostat on the outside of the refrigerator, and fix the sensor on the inside.

• Install a couple of small fans near the light bulbs at the top of the camera.
• Cut a small opening in the door, sealing it with transparent plastic. This will be the viewing window.

Auto foam model

Expanded polystyrene is considered one of the best materials in terms of convenience for assembling a homemade "hen". The material is popular not only due to its affordability, but also due to its excellent thermal insulation abilities. Many are also attracted by the light weight of expanded polystyrene and the ease of working with it.

Homemade foam incubator: video

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Divide the foam sheet into four equal pieces, they will go to the installation of the side walls of the structure.
2. Cut another sheet into two equal parts. Cut one of them into two more pieces so that the width of the first is 60 cm, and the second - 40 cm. A sample with a size of 50x40 cm will be used for the bottom of the chamber, and a piece of 50x60 cm will be its cover.
3. In the future cover, cut a span of 12x12 cm and seal it with transparent plastic - this will be the future viewing window.
4. From the identical fragments obtained after processing the first sheet, glue the supporting frame.
5. Next fix the bottom. To do this, apply glue to the edges of a 50x40 cm sheet and carefully embed the sheet into the frame.
6. After assembling the box, proceed to carefully gluing the case with adhesive tape, due to which the structure will gain strength.
7. Cut out two more equal bars of Styrofoam (each 6x4 cm in size). Fix the legs inside the chamber to the bottom along the long walls.
8. In short walls (40 cm long) at a height of 1 cm from the bottom of the structure, make three passes with a diameter of 1.2 cm to ensure the movement of air flows. The distance between passes should be the same. It is desirable to burn all holes with a soldering iron.
9. In order for the lid to be securely fastened to the structure, glue foam bars (2x2 or 3x3 cm in size) along the edges of the lid. And in order for the bars to accurately fit inside the device, the distance between them and the edge of the sheet must correspond to 5 cm.
10. Next, outside the cover, install the cartridges for the heating lamps. Do it in an arbitrary way.
11. Attach the thermostat to the outside of the cover. And install its sensor inside the incubator at a height of 1 cm from the level of the eggs.
12. When fixing the tray with eggs, make sure that the gap between the tray and the walls of the chamber is 4-5 cm. This is required to ensure optimal air circulation.

Important! In order to keep warm in the home-made "nesting" for as long as possible, glue all the walls on the inside with heat-insulating foil.

Model out of the box

A cardboard box incubator is the most inexpensive of all the home incubator options offered, but at the same time the most fragile. The model is quite simple - it will take you no more than 2-3 hours to assemble the product. The production of a cardboard model is in many ways similar to the production of an analogue from expanded polystyrene.

Do-it-yourself cardboard box incubator: video

Sequencing:

1. Find a one-piece medium-sized box that is unsuitable for the household (for example, length - 56 cm, width - 47 cm, height - 58 cm). From the inside, carefully glue the box with felt or several layers of paper.
2. Make a couple of passes in the box for electrical wiring. From the inside, fix three light bulbs (25 watts each). Plug the remaining gaps with cotton wool. Light bulbs should be placed 15 cm above the egg laying level.
3. Consider ventilation systems. To do this, make several small holes in the walls of the box.
4. Cut a viewing window in the upper wall (approximate dimensions - 12x10 cm). Through this window you can follow everything that happens inside the artificial "nesting". Don't forget to cover the window with clear plastic.
5. Separately, engage in the manufacture of wooden egg trays, mounting rails on which the trays will be mounted, as well as the door.
6. Place a thermostat inside the incubator to control the temperature. And to maintain optimal humidity at the bottom of the chamber, fix a vessel with water.

Important! It is undesirable to place a cardboard "hen" on the floor. To ensure natural air circulation, it is better to install the product on wooden bars up to 20 cm in size.

Now you know how to equip your own egg incubator. This is not a very time-consuming process, however, before installation, it is recommended to work hard on the project so as not to miss the possible nuances that may arise during the manufacturing process.

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