In our difficult time, when commodity prices are rising at an inexorable pace, you will always find the area in which you can profitably apply your practical skills and theoretical knowledge. Looking at the cost of an incubator produced in an industrial environment, you can easily calculate the benefits of self-manufacturing such a device. Moreover, making a homemade incubator with your own hands is not so difficult.

Here is what a forum user says about his homemade incubator with a mechanical egg flip geniuscat.

geniuscat

In short: 60-70 incubator chicken eggs, a mechanical coup with the help of a special grille, I don’t do automatic in principle. Heating with light bulbs, two chains. Temperature control with an electrocontact thermometer. I don't trust electronics. The temperature runoff at the corners is 0.5 degrees. Cheap and cheerful. In the presence of components, it is possible to make an incubator in 3 - 4 hours.

The most important thing in manufacturing is to ensure the ability to maintain optimal indicators of humidity and temperature inside the device, as well as create conditions for the timely turning of eggs in order to warm them evenly.

Incubator body

In most cases, the basis of everything is the body. And the incubator in this case is no exception.

When manufacturing the case, special attention should be paid to ensuring good thermal insulation for the future device. This will allow in the future to avoid the troubles associated with maintaining a strict temperature regime in the incubation chamber.

For the manufacture of the body, porous polymeric materials, foam (polystyrene foam) 20 mm thick, etc. are quite suitable. You can also use fiberboard or chipboard sheets, but you should create double walls filled with foam rubber, felt or foam.

The dimensions of the incubator will directly depend on the number of eggs that are planned to be simultaneously placed in the chamber. Height inner chamber 50 cm will be enough. The area of ​​​​the inner base will be equal to the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe egg tray. But it is necessary to add about 50 mm to it on each side. It is this gap that should be between the tray and the body of the incubator to ensure the circulation of air flows. In the lower base of the incubator, be sure to drill several holes with a diameter of 10 mm through which air will be exchanged between the interior of the chamber and external environment(the incubator must be constantly enriched with oxygen). For an incubator designed for 50 eggs, 6 holes are enough.

Attention! The bottom holes should be located in such a way that they are not blocked by a baking sheet (plate) with water, which will be installed in the chamber to maintain sufficient level humidity.

To ensure unhindered air movement between the bottom of the device and the surface on which it will be installed, there must be a gap of 30 ... 50 mm. In its top cover, a viewing window 100x100 mm, closed with glass, should be made. If there is no forced ventilation in the incubator, then the glass should be slightly opened during operation, leaving a gap of 10 ... 15 mm.

And one more nuance: one of the side surfaces of the incubator must have a door for changing water and other actions related to servicing the chamber.

Incubator Tray

In order for the eggs to be carefully placed in the interior of the incubator, we need to make a special tray. In our case, it can be made on the basis of a wooden frame, which is covered with fine mesh from below. As a mesh, both an ordinary mosquito, used in the design of modern window glass units, and a metal (maybe different) mesh with a cell size comparable to 5x5 mm (but no more) are suitable. In order to prevent sagging of the mesh, a couple of small rails can be nailed to the bottom of the tray, which will comprehensively strengthen the design of the tray.

In order to make it more convenient to turn the eggs during the incubation process, the tray should be equipped with an inserted wooden grate. For convenience, you can make several gratings at once, having different sizes internal cells. So, for quail eggs, a grid with a cell size of 45x35 mm is suitable, for a chicken egg, cells with a size of 67x75 mm are needed. If you want to lay goose eggs in the incubator, then the cells must be of the appropriate size - 90x60 mm. The width of the grate should be 5 mm less than the tray itself. In length, it should be shorter by 50 ... 60 mm - for quail eggs, by 80 ... 90 mm - for chicken eggs and by 100 ... 110 mm - for goose eggs. Thus, by moving the grate along the tray, you can turn the eggs 180 degrees. In order to evenly warm the eggs over time, a similar procedure should be performed approximately once every 2 to 3 hours.

Egg Turning Tray

The height of the sides of the tray itself should be 70–80 mm. The tray should be installed on legs 100 mm high.

This is the most simple design tray that allows you to turn all the eggs at the same time. But in order for the design of the incubator to be more modern, the process of turning eggs can be automated. And this will require some technical improvements.

How to make a coup in an incubator

In order to automate the process of turning eggs in an incubator, it is necessary to introduce an electromechanical drive into its design that operates after a certain period of time (as we have already said, it is 2-3 hours). The accuracy of the time interval will be provided by a special time relay. The relay can be purchased ready-made. Those who like to “dig deeper” into microcircuits can make it on their own, taking electronic or even mechanical watches as a basis, which are easy to buy both in Moscow and in any village.

Here is what a FORUMHOUSE user writes about this.

mednagolov

Now on sale it is easy to purchase Chinese electromechanical relays with a 24-hour cycle. In fact, this is an elementary watch with a plug that is plugged into a socket, and on the case of this watch there is a socket into which a consumer is stuck, inside the watch a tiny electric motor turns. There is no need to start them, in the circle of the dial, lined for 24 hours, there are “pressers” with which you set the time intervals.

The electric motor must necessarily transmit torque through the gearbox. This will help make the grate move smoothly and keep the eggs intact.

The grid of the tray should move along the guides. The walls of the tray can play the role of guides. But in order to avoid accidental jamming, this mechanism can be improved. To do this, a metal axis protruding from both ends should be attached along the central axis of the lattice. It will play the role of a reliable guide. The axis will be inserted into special grooves made on the sides of the tray. This design is reliable, it can be easily assembled and, if necessary, quickly disassembled.

In order to drive the egg grill, we need a reciprocating mechanism consisting of an electric motor, a gearbox, a crank mechanism and a rod connecting the drive to the tray grill.

Device for flipping eggs in an incubator.

As an electric motor, you can use special "motors" for microwaves, which are commercially available. Also, some craftsmen create an electromechanical drive based on the mechanism that is part of car wipers. Or here is a way out of the situation that the forum member mednagolov came up with: the drive of the egg-turning mechanism from el. engine ball valve remote control d=3/4 220v (has an extremely powerful and durable gearbox, as well as end position microswitches).

He used the power supply from an old computer, and the time relay was a mechanism from a Chinese clock, which was described a little higher.
The mechanism functions as follows: the relay closes the electrical circuit after a specified period of time. The mechanism is set in motion and moves the tray grate, turning the eggs. Then the end position signaling devices (limit switches) are triggered, and the grille is fixed in the opposite extreme position. After a predetermined time, the cycle is repeated, and the grate returns to its original position. The whole process in a homemade product takes place without human intervention.

Incubator heating

Correct placement heating elements in the incubator chamber is the key to success, ensuring the hatching of healthy and strong chickens. As heating elements, it is customary to use ordinary incandescent bulbs. Ideally, they are best placed above the egg tray, evenly spaced around the perimeter of the incubator. The tray and the heating element must be separated by at least 25 cm. homemade incubator light bulbs should be used low power, 25 watts, etc. The total power of the heating elements used in such an incubator should be 80 watts - for a device designed for the simultaneous hatching of 50 chicks.

The lower the power of the heating elements, the more uniform the distribution of heat in the incubation chamber.

When placing lamps on the walls of the chamber, one should also monitor their uniform arrangement around the entire perimeter. Be aware that by using a series electrical connection of heating elements, you can significantly extend their service life. But the power of each consumer in this case will be halved. This should be taken into account when calculating the number of heating elements, because with the appropriate connection method, the number of consumers will have to double.

Temperature control

As we already know, the temperature in the incubator chamber must exactly match the specified parameters. Otherwise, such a device is worthless. The optimal temperature for hatching chickens in artificial conditions is from 37.5 to 38.3º C. But it should be strictly observed. A regular thermostat, which can be purchased at the store without any problems, will help maintain the set range. It is necessary that this instrument provide an accuracy of temperature values ​​corresponding to 0.2 ° C. An error greater than the value presented can be detrimental to developing embryos.

Connecting the thermostat to the heating elements to a person who decided to make an incubator with his own hands, we think, will not be difficult. The main thing is to ensure that the temperature sensors are near the egg tray. For more accurate readings, the sensors can even be mounted on the tray. As an additional means of control, a conventional thermometer should be used. It is better if it is electronic, capable of showing tenths of a degree. But in extreme cases, an ordinary alcohol thermometer is also suitable. It should be fixed in the chamber in such a way that it is located immediately above the tray. In this case, his readings can be taken, looking through the viewing glass.

heat accumulator

JG_ FORUMHOUSE member

In order for the temperature to drop more slowly, it is necessary to use a thermal accumulator. I used water as TA. It gives moisture and still gains temperature, and when turned off, it gives it away for a long time, preventing the temperature from dropping quickly. Only the water container should be large. You can just put a metal pancake or a dumbbell inside - why not TA?

It remains to add that without a humidifier in the incubator, all your efforts are doomed to failure. Therefore, a baking sheet or an open plate filled with water can be considered one of the essential elements involved in the incubation process. As for the heat accumulator, then a heating pad or plastic bottle with water will never be redundant in the interior of your incubator.

Humidity can be monitored using a psychrometer, which can be purchased at a home improvement store. The optimum humidity in the incubator should be 50-55% (it can be increased to 65-70% just before hatching).

Incubator ventilation

Many owners of homemade incubators believe that the fan is an integral part of such a device. But practice shows that a small incubator, the number of eggs in which does not exceed 50 pieces, can do without forced ventilation. Air convection takes place naturally and this is enough to maintain the vital activity of the embryos.

If your incubator chamber is designed for large quantity eggs, or if you want to create an ideal microclimate inside the device by all means, then for these purposes you can use special fans with a diameter of 80 to 200 mm (depending on the volume of the chamber).

The fan can be mounted in the top cover of the incubator in such a way that it draws air from the interior of the chamber. Part of the air flow will go outside, and its main volume will be reflected from the cover and pass over the lower supply openings, mixing warm air with cold air and enriching it with oxygen.

That, perhaps, is all. Discover different opinions our users regarding the design, as well as get acquainted with their practical experience, you can in this topic. We also have information for those interested in performance. If you want to create more at home, the design of which contains powerful components and complex ventilation schemes then you should visit this section.

In the presence of certain materials, the incubator can be made independently. However, the successful incubation of eggs depends on a number of factors, and in order not to spoil them in the first laying, it is important to anticipate all possible issues in the work of the manufactured structure. Consider one of the popular options for creating such a device.

Characteristics of incubators with automatic egg turning

In addition to incubators with "manual" or semi-automatic egg turning, there are automatic incubators that minimize human intervention in the hatching process. According to the time set by the owner, the automation itself performs the required coup, and the eggs do not lie in one place.

Such machines can be built at home, but first of all, it is important to take into account all its possible pros and cons.

Advantages

• Undeniable advantages homemade device the following features can be considered:
• low cost compared to ready-made purchased models;
• economy in terms of energy consumption;
• independent selection of the required internal volume, depending on the personal needs of each farmer;
• high maintainability (if any part fails, the master can always replace it without outside help);
• versatility (with the correct assembly of the structure, a home-made incubator can be used not only for breeding chickens, but also for breeding chicks of other domestic or even exotic birds).

In addition, if the components for the future device can be found at home, then you will get the finished incubator for free.

Flaws

This group of characteristics for the most part includes disadvantages associated with inaccurate calculations and the use of old materials.

• Therefore, the possible disadvantages of homemade devices are as follows:
• the possibility of breakage of some part of the device (especially if the incubator is made from old technology);
• an independent increase in temperature or power outages, which leads to the death of the embryos;
• unattractive appearance;
• lack of a manufacturer's warranty that allows you to replace the device if it breaks down.

Requirements for homemade automatic incubators

Without knowledge specifications incubation, not a single assembled incubator can provide good work productivity, therefore, before starting work, it is worth considering some requirements for automatic structures:

• egg incubation takes at least 21 days, which means that the incubator should work exactly as long (without a break);
• eggs should be placed inside the device at a distance of at least 1 cm from each other, which is important to consider when choosing a specific pallet;
• along with the change in the stage of development of the embryo, the temperature inside the incubator should also change;
• automatic egg turning should be performed slowly, at intervals of 2 times a day;
• to maintain an optimal level of humidity and ventilation, in makeshift mechanism regulator must be provided. desired parameters(thermostat, as well as sensors scanning the temperature level and humidity level).

Important!To use a homemade breeding incubator different types birds, it is useful to purchase a ready-made universal tray that ensures the timely flipping of their eggs.

How to make an automatic egg incubator with your own hands

If you are going to create an incubator yourself, then one of the good solutions is to use an old refrigerator. Of course, it will have to be understaffed and correctly selected consumables.
To do this, you need to make sure that the finished design:

• had holes for ventilation and maintaining humidity at a level of 40–60% (drilled in the case, after which tubes are placed in them to protect against the interaction of air with glass wool);
• provided for the regulation and maintenance of temperature indicators;
• ensured the airing speed of the eggs at the level of 5 m/s;
• guaranteed a timely turn of the eggs.

However, all this will be calculated during direct collection, and first you should correctly calculate the size of the device and select all consumables.

How to calculate the size?

The dimensions of the finished home-made incubator will directly affect the number of eggs for one bookmark, so if it is important for you to get as many chicks as possible at a time, then we suggest focusing on the following approximate values:

As for the external dimensions of the device, they depend on the selected material, because, for example, the foam will be more voluminous than cardboard. In addition, in the manufacture of structures with several floors, completely different technologies will be used, which means that calculations will be made taking into account the parameters of each tier.

The size of the incubator will also be affected by:

• view heating system;
• placement of lamps;
• placement of trays.

In order not to make mistakes in the calculations when designing an incubator, it is important to adhere to a pre-compiled scheme, which for a small device for 45 eggs can look like this:

Consumables and tools for work

The device of the incubator has much in common with the device of the refrigerator, which will make a good case: the walls refrigeration equipment perfectly retain heat, and existing shelves can be used as shelving.

Did you know? On the territory of Russia, the first mass production of incubators dates back to the beginning of the 19th century, and the volumes of such machines were very impressive: 16–24 thousand eggs could be placed in them at a time.

Main List necessary tools and materials will look like this:

• an old refrigerator (it can be the oldest model, but it’s whole and working);
• bulbs for 25 W (4 pcs.);
• fan;
• metal rod or chain with an asterisk;
• a drive for turning eggs (for example, a gearmotor from a car windshield wiper);
• drill;
• thermostat;
• thermometer;
• screwdriver and screws.

How to make an incubator with an automatic flip of trays with your own hands: video

Approximate scheme of the finished product:

Step by step manufacturing instructions

The whole manufacturing process home incubator from an old refrigerator will take only a few hours, as it consists of a small number of basic steps:

1. Development of drawings showing a clear location of each part of the future incubator.
2. Dismantling the refrigerator and removing all unnecessary details: the freezer, trays on the doors and other elements of secondary importance.
3. Organization of the ventilation system (one hole must be drilled in the ceiling of the refrigerator, and three more holes must be drilled in the lower part, closer to the bottom, inserting plastic tubes into them).
4. Fastening sheets of expanded polystyrene to the inner walls of the case (you can use double-sided mounting tape or small self-tapping screws).
5. Heating system installation. Prepared 4 incandescent lamps must be fixed at the bottom and at the top of the refrigerator body (two each), and the lower lamps should not interfere with the placement of a water tank (small self-tapping screws can be used for fastening).
6. Installation of a purchased thermostat on the outer part of the door and its connection to the heating elements.
7. Creation of a turning mechanism using a car gearbox. To begin with, using metal strips and self-tapping screws, fix this element to the bottom of the refrigerator. Then, inside the unit, install a wooden frame and attach the trays to it, just so that they can tilt 60° first towards the door and then in the opposite direction. Attach a rod connected to the tray on the opposite side of the refrigerator to the gear motor (the motor will act on the rod, which, in turn, will begin to tilt the tray and provide rotation).
8. Installation of a viewing window. Cut a small hole on the outside of the refrigerator door and fill it with glass or clear plastic. Reinforce all joints with adhesive tape or sealant.
9. Installing a tray with water and attaching a thermometer inside the refrigerator, only so that it can be seen through the viewing window.

In conclusion, you should check the performance of all mechanisms by turning on the device for several hours.

Laying eggs in an incubator

Before being placed in the incubator, all eggs must lie in the room for at least 8 hours, because if before that they were in cool conditions, then when placed in a warm incubator, condensation is not excluded.
An equally important stage of preparation is the culling of unsuitable eggs.

So, specimens are not suitable for further incubation:

• small size;
• with cracks, growths or any other uncharacteristic features on the shell;
• with freely moving yolk;
• with a displaced air chamber (more than two millimeters).

The next stage is the direct laying in the incubator, which also has its own characteristics:

• on one tray it is desirable to lay eggs close to each other in size, and preferably from the same species of birds;
• first of all, the most large eggs, and after them, taking into account the incubation period, medium and small ones (on average, at least 4 hours should pass between the laying of each next group);
• if possible, it is worth moving the laying time to the evening hours, so that the chicks should appear in the morning;
• it is desirable to place the incubator in a room with stable temperatures, so that it is easier for the device to maintain indicators inside;
• for complete control over the incubation process, get yourself a calendar in which you need to note the date of the bookmark, the numbers and time of the coup, as well as the date of the control candling of the eggs.

The duration of incubation of different types of birds has significant differences, which means that the eggs should be turned over in different ways.
In addition, the conditions for the development of embryos will also differ:

• for chicken eggs, the temperature inside the device must be monitored every hour, in the first 11 days maintaining it at +37.9 ° C, with a humidity of not more than 66%;
• for duck eggs, the optimal indicators are + 38 ... + 38.2 ° C, at a humidity of 70%.

Did you know?Chickens perfectly remember faces and are able to retain in memory up to hundreds of images, not only human, but also animals.

Temperature regime for different types of poultry

The right temperature is one of the most important conditions incubation, without which the hatching of chicks is simply impossible.

For each type of bird, these indicators are purely individual, so when laying eggs for chickens, ducks, geese or turkeys, you should focus on the following values:

In general, a homemade incubator - good decision both for those who are just trying their hand at poultry farming, and for experienced farmers who do not want to spend extra money on the purchase of ready-made equipment. By equipping the structure with automatic egg turning, 80–90% hatchability of chicks can be achieved.

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, small incubators are needed, which you can do with your own hands, using improvised means and materials.

We will give several ways to make incubators. However, even a homemade incubator 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 incubator 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 incubator, 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 inside the incubator. They need to be placed vertically (sharp end down) or horizontally. If the eggs are vertical, 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 turn the eggs every hour. A few days before pecking, eggs stop turning.

Rules

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

To make an incubator 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. You can use an old refrigerator, microwave or even a TV as a case.
2. For heating eggs they use ordinary lamps (from 25 to 100 W, depending on the size of the incubator), and to control the temperature, they put an ordinary thermometer inside the device.
3. To ensure that fresh air constantly enters the incubator 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 egg grate).

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

Trays or grills 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 needs to be adjusted high-quality ventilation. Preference should be given to forced ventilation, as the constant movement of air will maintain the required temperature and humidity inside the incubator.

Figure 1 shows the main types of incubators that can be used to breed young birds in a household plot. Below is a video overview of the operation of an industrial incubator for a thousand eggs.

How to auto-rotate eggs in an incubator

Incubators without manually turning the eggs are not very convenient, since a person needs to constantly monitor the incubation process 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-rotation of eggs in an incubator. 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 rollers are installed under the grate that rotate the eggs. 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-rotation system, you will have to take free place in the incubator by installing rollers.

Figure 2. Scheme auto turn eggs in an incubator

The best method is considered to be a coup, in which the entire egg 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 eggs 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 hatching eggs of chickens, ducks and geese.

First of all, during incubation, the correct temperature should be maintained (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 Modes incubation

The incubation mode must also meet the following requirements:

• Turning eggs should be done at least 8 times a day;
• When hatching young geese and ducks, the eggs must be periodically cooled in a combined way: the first half of the incubation of the eggs 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 heating of eggs, regardless of the stage of incubation, 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 of incubation, 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 of incubation, 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 of the eggs during incubation can cause external deformities (eyes, jaws and head) and hatching of the chicks starts prematurely. If the temperature regime has been elevated in the last few days, the internal organs (heart, liver and stomach) of the chicks may be deformed and the walls of the abdominal cavity will 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, unused protein can be seen inside the egg. 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 of the egg, 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 incubation, one should strive to maintain such a temperature and humidity regime that exists during natural incubation.

Figure 5. Possible defects in eggs when translucent 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 incubation regime was maintained, the beginning of pecking begins on the 19th day and 12 hours after laying the eggs, the chicks begin to hatch already on the 20th day, and after another 12 hours most of the young animals appear. During incubation, eggs should be periodically scanned with an ovoscope in order to detect damage in time (Figure 5). You will learn more details about ventilation and temperature conditions during incubation from the video.

What is needed for this

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

For hatching young animals of any poultry, only eggs that have been stored for no longer than a week in a dark room with good ventilation are suitable. room temperature. Before laying, they must be translucent with an ovoscope and eggs 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.

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

Instruction

Before starting the manufacture of the incubator, 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 for eggs 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 more high level air intake, 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

The body of a homemade incubator can be made from old box from under the TV or a foam box, reinforcing it with a frame of wooden slats. In the frame you need to fix four porcelain lampholders. Light bulbs for heating eggs 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 incubators 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 of the eggs.

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

An ordinary thermometer is used to measure the temperature inside the incubator. To make it convenient to use the incubator, 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 egg 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 of the incubator, 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 influx. 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 an incubator, so at home it is used mainly for breeding quails.

When making an incubator from a microwave oven, you need to consider some features(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;
• An egg tray is installed inside, but since there is not enough space in the chamber for jars of water, a container of 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 for the protection of eggs from 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 incubator. And since this equipment is very compact, and the process of incubation of eggs 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 in the incubator, special slats are placed, and the eggs are placed in the gaps between them. Reiki should be made rounded on the sides. To make it easier to turn the eggs, 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 will be better if the eggs are turned 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.

Breeding chickens is simply impossible without special equipment. Often, poultry farmers purchase industrial devices, as they consider this the only possible solution. But making such an incubator with your own hands is not difficult at all. In this case, the device will not only be much cheaper, but also fully meet the requirements of the breeder.

Breeding chickens is simply impossible without special equipment

For the manufacture of the simplest home-made apparatus, foam is used. Making such an incubator yourself is very simple.

For the manufacture of the simplest home-made apparatus, foam is used

• Styrofoam;
• cardboard boxes;
• Scotch;
• light bulbs and cartridges;
• thermostat;
• a pair of fans that are used in computers;
• liquid container;
• thermometer;
• plastic trays.

The whole manufacturing process is reduced to several stages:

1. Preparation of drawings taking into account all dimensions.
2. In accordance with the drawing and dimensions, the necessary elements are cut out of the foam and attached to each other with adhesive tape.
3. Electrical wiring is done in the finished box.
4. All walls of the box, both from the inside and from the outside, are covered with cardboard.
5. Holes are cut in the cardboard for light bulbs and fixing trays.
6. A hole is cut out in the upper part, which is covered with plastic. Thus, a viewing window appears.
7. Fans are fixed.
8. Liquid containers are installed at the bottom.
9. At the final stage, the trays are fixed and the light bulbs are screwed in.

Incubator from the refrigerator: how to make it yourself

For manufacturing, you can use a two-chamber or ordinary old refrigerator

For manufacturing, you can use a two-chamber or ordinary old refrigerator. As in any other case, work begins with the preparation of a drawing and drawing up a diagram according to which all elements will be connected. All the shelves are pulled out of their own refrigerator.

To make such an incubator, you must be guided by the following instructions:

1. WITH inside of the future design, several holes for lamps are drilled in the ceiling, as well as through for ventilation.
2. The walls are covered with sheets of expanded polystyrene, which will help retain heat.
3. An egg tray is made from old lattices.
4. At the top, from the outside, a thermostat is fixed, and from the inside - a sensor.
5. Several holes are drilled in the bottom for ventilation.
6. A pair of fans is fixed at the bottom and at the top.

A small hole is cut out in the door, which is covered with plastic and coated with sealant.

Incubators with automatic egg flipping: how to do it yourself

In order for the incubation process to be correct and successful, the eggs must rotate periodically.

In order for the incubation process to be correct and successful, the eggs must rotate periodically. Doing this manually is both inconvenient and undesirable, since this violates the temperature regime. That is why it is recommended to independently assemble a device equipped with a rotary mechanism.

For this you will need the following materials:

• sheets of plywood and wood bars;
• Styrofoam;
• tray;
• net;
• 4 lamps;
• metal plates;
• liquid containers;
• worm gear motor.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Using bars and plywood, the frame is assembled.
2. The structure is sheathed with foam from the inside.
3. To turn the eggs in automatic mode, they think over the main mechanism - they install an electric motor.
4. An axis is made in the upper part of the box, on which the trays will be installed in the future. For this, a grid is used.
5. A pin is made from the plates and connected to the axis of the coup, bringing it out.
6. A rod is screwed to the motor and connected to the tray and pin.
7. Light bulbs are installed at the bottom of the apparatus and covered with metal plates.
8. A thermometer and liquid containers are installed.
9. Small holes are made for ventilation.

Thanks to this automatic design, it will be easy and simple to incubate even 1000 eggs. After all, there is no need for constant manual rotation.

Making a multi-tiered incubator

To increase productivity, devices consisting of several tiers are often used.

To increase productivity, devices consisting of several tiers are often used. It is much more difficult to assemble such a design, but if you take care of the preparation of drawings, the installation process will become much easier.

Assembly is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. The body is built from plywood.
2. A removable door is made from the back of the plate.
3. The space inside the box is divided into three compartments. The distance from the ceiling to the side partitions should be about five centimeters.
4. Trays are installed in the side compartments.
5. To turn the trays over at the same time, fix the handles on each of the trays.
6. The middle compartment is equipped with a thermostat and heating elements.
7. Each compartment has its own door.

Heating system

Regardless of the type of incubator and the materials used, special attention must be paid to the heating system

Regardless of the type of incubator and the materials used, special attention must be paid to the heating system.

There are a number of requirements that must be met:

1. Heating elements are placed both under the trays and on the side, top and around the perimeter.
2. The distance from the heating system to the tray must be at least 25 centimeters in the case of using light bulbs and 10 centimeters when heated with nichrome wire.
3. No drafts.
4. The error of the maintained temperature is not more than half a degree.

The regulator can be used in several ways:

• bimetallic plates;
• barometric sensors;
• electrical contactors.

Particular attention is paid to safety measures, since all home-made devices are fire hazardous.

Even a novice poultry farmer can make an incubator on his own. But there are a number of points on which productivity directly depends:

1. Heat must be maintained at all times, even if there are power outages. To do this, a special battery must be provided, into which hot water. Covering the structure with a blanket, the temperature will remain for about twelve hours.
2. Heat must be distributed evenly. In order to avoid the need to constantly rearrange the trays, it is recommended to equip the device with two heat sources. One on top and one on the bottom.
3. Temperature optimization is also important. To flow warm air arrived faster, in the process of manufacturing trays, the bottom is equipped with a metal mesh. The trays themselves should be mobile, not stationary. Due to this, there will simply be no problem with temperature fluctuations.

Small do-it-yourself incubator (video)

A simple home incubator from the refrigerator (video)

The main advantage of a homemade incubator is its low cost. After all, you will have to spend money only on consumables. In addition, only in this case it is possible to accurately select the dimensions of the equipment and calculate required amount trays depending on the scale of production. Moreover, the workflow is not at all complicated and exciting.

Let's talk secrets...

Have you ever experienced joint pain? And you know firsthand what it is:

• inability to move comfortably and easily;
• pain during or after exercise;
• discomfort when going up and down stairs;
• inflammation in the joints, swelling;
• unpleasant crunch, clicking not of their own free will;
• causeless and unbearable aching pain in the joints ...

Please answer the question: are you satisfied with this? Can such pain be endured? How much money have you already "leaked" for ineffective treatment? Time to end this! Do you agree? Today we are publishing an exclusive interview with Professor Dikul, in which the doctor revealed the secrets of getting rid of joint pain, treating arthritis and arthrosis.

Attention, only TODAY!

Making an incubator with your own hands is very simple and even not very experienced poultry farmers can do it.

Homemade incubators have many advantages - low cost, reliability and simplicity, the ability to make a design for a large number of eggs.

There are a huge variety of options for homemade devices. Sometimes the most unexpected materials are used to create them - refrigerators, buckets and even basins.

The article discusses how to make an incubator correctly at home.

Types and drawings of devices

Most breeders breed chicks at home. There is not always a mother hen ready to hatch birds. In addition, it is often necessary to get young animals at a certain time.

According to experienced bird breeders, a simple home hatcher can sometimes produce up to 90% hatch of birds.

Some manufacturers offer to purchase kits for the manufacture of home incubators.

But the lever coup of the tray is difficult to assemble for a person who does not have special skills.

But if you have the appropriate diagram or the necessary drawings, then you can make an incubator with your own hands without any problems even at home.

If you want to figure out how to make an incubator, you first need to complete the drawings of your future device.

A homemade homemade incubator can be made from various materials at hand - scrap wood, an old refrigerator, or even out of a box.

It is important to take care of good thermal insulation of your device. Present on the market today big choice heat-insulating materials - polystyrene, mineral wool and much more.

The incubator is heated using conventional incandescent lamps with a power of 25-40 W. For a small device, 4 lamps are enough. You can also heat the incubators with electric heating elements.

If you use lamps, then the eggs should be located at least 25 cm from the heating element.

If the air heats up nichrome wire, then the eggs can be at a distance of 10 cm from it. It is very important to avoid drafts, otherwise the chicks may not hatch.

From a cardboard box

The simplest version of such a device for the home can be built from an ordinary cardboard box.
You should prepare a box measuring approximately 50 by 50 by 50 cm.

Inside, glue it with paper and felt in several layers. At the top, make a window through which you will monitor the process.

For wires, make small holes through which you will connect 25 W light bulbs. Lamps are set 15 cm above the eggs.

Seal the holes around the wires with cotton wool so that the warmth important for future birds does not leave.

Trays can be knocked down from wooden slats; also attach slats to the walls of the box, on which the trays will be attached.

In order for warm air to be evenly distributed throughout the box, you must also install a fan.

You can use a fan from a broken computer. To increase the humidity inside the incubator, place a small container of water at the bottom.

You need to install such an incubator not on the floor, but on wooden blocks, at a height of 15-20 cm from the floor in a place in your house where there are no drafts.

From a bowl or basin

Such homemade devices for the home are perfect if there are power outages.

To make it, you will need two bowls or similar containers of the same size, preferably metal.

Such round containers will warm up evenly, and hence the eggs too.

The bowls are placed one on top of the other so that a cavity forms inside. On the one hand, they need to be fastened together with furniture canopies or in another way convenient for you.

This way you get an opening lid.

Hang the cartridge in the center of the top bowl. You can attach it to the bracket with glue or silicone. This will keep your bowl intact.

It is better, of course, to make a hole and insert a cartridge into it, but in this case you will no longer be able to use the bowl for its intended purpose.

In a deep container, the lamp can be installed horizontally, and in large basins, install several bulbs (select their number by trial).

Pour 1.5-2 cm of sand into the lower bowl, then put foil, and lay straw or hay on top.

Make a few small holes in the foil so that moisture evaporates from it. You need to install the entire structure where your house keeps approximately the same temperature.

When you have assembled your device, warm it up, and put a thermometer in the center at the height where the eggs will lie.

From time to time, water should be added to the dried sand. Sand not only humidifies the air in the incubator, but also serves as a heat accumulator.

If the lights in your house turn off, then you can put the incubator in a pot of warm water and cover with a blanket. So you can not be afraid for the safety of your eggs.

You can also put the incubator near the battery, and in the summer - take it out into the sun. Spray the eggs with water every day and turn them 180°.

We make an incubator using foam

The frame of the foam egg incubator is made of wooden bars, and sheathed with plywood inside and out.

Styrofoam sheets are inserted into the cavity between the layers of plywood. Some poultry farmers upholster the wooden frame with tin, and inside they insulate the incubator with a layer of foam.

An axle is inserted through the top wall of the foam structure, onto which an egg tray is attached. The axis handle is brought out, and with its help the eggs are turned over.

Trays should be made of a dense mesh with cells 2 by 5 cm. Set the thermometer so that its scale looks out. At the bottom of the case, 4 lamps of 25 W each are installed.

Cover each lamp sheet metal 1 mm thick. To do this, put 2 bricks around the lamp and put metal on them.

Install tin baths for water between the lamps.

Give a U-shaped bend to several pieces of copper wire and attach them to the trays, and cover them with pieces of cloth on top - this will help increase the evaporation area.

Make about 10 holes in the upper and lower walls of the incubator through which fresh and humidified air will move.

From the fridge

Very often, breeders use old refrigerators to build an egg incubator at home. In fact, this is a ready-made home incubator, which should only be slightly modified for the convenience of the process.

The freezer is removed from the refrigerator. In its place, 4 lamps of 100 watts are placed. A small window should be cut in the refrigerator door in order to control the incubation process.

Below is also installed one lamp with a power of 25 watts.

A glass or tin partition is attached above it, on which a tray with water and a piece of wet cloth are placed to increase the amount of evaporation.

An egg tray is placed even higher, and a control thermometer is fixed at the same level. This is the simplest refrigerator incubator circuit. But there are also more complex options.

You can make a device with the ability to flip eggs in the process. First make the body stiffer.

To do this, boards are attached to the side walls, which are connected from below with bars. In the boards, make recesses into which bearings are inserted, thanks to which the eggs will be turned over.

After that, frames or egg trays are installed, a cable is attached to the frames, with the help of which the trays are turned over. The end of the cable is brought out and fixed on the engine.

In order for the coup to be carried out correctly, you should prepare the drawings of the device in advance and discuss them with a professional.

A fan is built into the back wall.

Refrigerators have a chute that drains water, this should be installed in the opposite direction and feed water through it to the fan when the chicks begin to hatch.

Automatic incubators

To achieve maximum performance, the eggs must be in certain conditions.

The most important thing is to turn the eggs on time and maintain the required temperature regime, the fluctuations of which should be within half a degree.

This is quite difficult, which is why some poultry farmers use homemade automatic devices with a thermostat.

Bimetallic plates, barometric sensors and electric contactors can act as a thermostat.

Ready-made thermostats can be easily purchased in stores or made by yourself.

In addition to thermoregulation, automation is also responsible for turning the trays over. To do this, you need a Dream-12 device with a supply voltage of 12 V.

You also need to install a humidity controller. Computer blocks can be used to provide power.

Trays for automatic incubators are best bought at the store.

Light bulbs are connected in series in 2 pieces - 2 at the top and 4 at the bottom. Install water baths at the bottom of the incubator, and an incubator at the top.

When your incubator is ready, you should test its operation for two to three days.

Set the desired temperature and try to maintain it throughout the entire time. It is especially important that the eggs are not overheated.

If the eggs stay at a temperature of 41 ° for at least 10 minutes, then the embryos will die. Tray flips should be carried out 2-3 times a day.

In order to achieve maximum chick hatch, much attention must be paid to the selection and storage of eggs in special conditions. Eggs should be stored lying down.

Storage temperature - not higher than 12 °. Turn them over from time to time. Eggs with rough or thin shells irregular shape are rejected.

With the help of an ovoscope, eggs are examined for the presence of two yolks or an air chamber that is too large.

Before the incubation process, eggs should not be washed, as this violates their natural protection.

Differences incubators for quail eggs

Many poultry farmers are interested in how to make a do-it-yourself quail incubator.

To make a homemade quail incubator, the same materials are used as for chicken incubators. The main difference is the sizes.

A do-it-yourself quail incubator can be two to three times smaller than a chicken incubator.

If you make a do-it-yourself quail incubator at home, you can make it the same size as chicken ones, only three times as many eggs will fit in the trays.

If you decide to breed birds at home, then for this purpose you will need an incubator, with foam as a heater. It can be used not only for breeding chickens, but also for other birds. In this article, we will tell you how to make a foam incubator.

What you need

The first thing to do is to decide on the number of eggs that you plan to grow in a foam incubator. This factor will affect the appearance of the interior of this unit. In the event that more than fifty eggs will be processed at the same time, then you will definitely need to install a fan. Its presence is necessary for uniform heating of the entire area. If you plan to warm up a small number of eggs, then the installation of this additional unit is not required. The main thing is to correctly place the devices for warming up.

This apparatus consists of the following parts:

• case, with foam insulation;
• heating system;
• egg trays;
• additional devices for humidity and temperature control.

Before starting the assembly process, we recommend making a drawing of the future design. For the manufacture of the body of the incubator, you can use different materials. Plywood, chipboard sheets, cardboard boxes, an old refrigerator are perfect for this purpose. Main criterion, according to which the choice of material is made - ensuring proper thermal insulation. You can use felt, foam, batting.

Device

In order to ensure proper ventilation, we make a gap of up to eight centimeters between the wall and the tray. When working with a large incubator, it will also be necessary to make holes on the foam that is used as insulation so that carbon dioxide can escape through them. A certain distance should also be between the bottom and the floor, as seen in the photo.

Heating system

Heating elements can be placed in different places of the incubator relative to the trays:

• above;
• uniformly over the entire plane;
• at the bottom.

If you make this unit with your own hands, then the best option will be the heating installation from above. It is in this case that the situation of return of the maximum amount of heat will be achieved. To determine at what distance you need to install them, you should analyze the power of the heater.

egg tray

The easiest and cheapest way to make an egg tray with your own hands. In this case, use wooden planks. The frame is easy to make from metal or nylon mesh as shown in the video. The cells must be made in such a way that a chicken egg can easily fit in them. The most convenient option is to make a design according to the drawings of a furniture box.

In the process of working with a foam incubator, you will need to constantly turn the eggs. If in the future you plan to carry out this process yourself, then before it starts, put a cross on one side of the egg.

If desired, you can make a device for the simultaneous flipping of the entire tray. To do this, we will make a movable frame without a bottom, with a width of 1-2 mm and a length of 10 cm. Next, cells must be fixed on it at a distance of up to 10 cm.

Additional devices

In order for an individual to develop normally, the incubation process must take place taking into account all the necessary conditions for this. Control devices will help us with this.

To determine the humidity in the incubator, the main insulation in which the foam is, use a psychrometer. It is sold at any veterinary pharmacy. You can also make it yourself. To do this, you will need 2 thermometers, which will need to be attached to the board, as seen in the photo. Then one of them is immersed in a bandage, and then in water. Thermometer number two does not need to be immersed in water. Now, to determine how humid the air is, it will be enough to calculate the difference between these two indicators.

In order for the temperature in the incubator to be constant, it is necessary to install a thermostat. It can be an electronic device with a power of not more than three hundred watts. He will have to keep the temperature regime within 35-40 degrees. The thermostat must be placed in a plastic base. It must also be equipped with a temperature control device, a sensor and a load indicator. This device will operate continuously.

Advantages

Previously, a bucket and a table lamp were enough to bring out the quails. Now this method can be considered quite risky. It is better to make the device yourself, because materials such as polystyrene, plywood and iron are not very expensive and publicly available.

A self-made incubator has several advantages:

• the process of breeding chicks can be year-round, and does not depend on the season;
• it is possible to always check the process - in real conditions you would not be able to do this;
• the incubator can be easily moved to a place convenient for you;
• low production cost and fast payback.

Summing up

If you make a foam incubator with your own hands, you will get a fairly cheap way to breed domestic chickens. This unit can be used many times. You can support the resulting offspring yourself, thereby providing yourself and your entire family with healthy nutrition. It will also be very profitable to sell the resulting chicks. That is, a device made of ordinary material can become your home business.

Ravilov V.V. | 2015-03-17

Let's say the gentle March sun awakened in you a craving for an increase in the number of poultry, and there is no desire to fiddle with a hacksaw for wood or metal, then you can make an incubator from expanded polystyrene (polystyrene) sheet.

Let's not reinvent the wheel and discover America, but use successful experience our Australian fellow craftsman. He independently, with his own hands, in a matter of hours, made an incubator, of small capacity, for chickens and made a photo and video report on his research. So, word to Candyman.

I made this incubator out of styrofoam sheets and named it Esil-bator, after the hen that laid the eggs for my first egg incubation experience.

The walls of the incubator, cut to size, I fastened with adhesive tape to ensure the required strength and tightness.

Fig.1. Styrofoam incubator

Fig.2. The device of the incubator is quite simple.

As a heating element in the incubator, incandescent bulbs with a power of 60 watts are used and one more, I do not know its power, the marking has been erased.

The temperature in my incubator is controlled by an industrial thermostat, and the uniformity of heating of the eggs is ensured by two fans, one of which is set at an angle of 45 degrees, and the second pumps heated air from the lamp compartment to the egg compartment.

The photo below shows a 60-watt light bulb with a reflector.

Fig.3. View of the finished incubator from above

Fig.4. Heating element lamp 60 watt

Second lamp, unknown power

Fig.5. Auxiliary lamp of an incubator (watt 40, no more)

The main fan, it pumps heated air from the heating compartment to the incubation compartment.

Fig.6. Incubator main fan

Both lamps, in addition to the thermostat, are connected via a dimmer. This simple addition gives me even more control over the temperature since I don't have central heating in my house. When I need to quickly increase the temperature, I turn on the second lamp and make the light brighter.

Fig.7. Dimmer knob

In the incubator, on both sides, I installed water containers. Firstly, it gives the required air humidity. Secondly, water tanks serve as heat accumulators and provide even heat distribution, complementing the installed fans. I used regular PC fans with a diameter of 80mm.

I used two conventional thermometers and one digital thermometer/hygrometer to monitor the temperature and humidity in the incubator.

Fig.8. Temperature controllers

Fig.9. thermometers

Fig.10. thermometers

Fig.11. thermometers

The eggs in my incubator are installed in standard, plastic egg trays, which, for ease of turning, were installed on cardboard rolls with a diameter of 4 cm. Yes, I turned the eggs by hand, because the incubator was in haste.

For the withdrawal of chickens and used only fresh eggs. In order not to purchase an ovoscope, the phone's built-in flashlight was used to scan the eggs.

Fig.12. Mobile Ovoscope

Eggs for 5 days.

Fig.13. Candling eggs on the 5th day

Fig.14. Candling eggs on the 5th day

Fig.15. Candling eggs on the 5th day

On the seventh day, the blood ring became clearly visible.

Fig.16. Candling eggs on the 7th day

It turns out that in order to breed the chicks of any poultry, you can do without the services of a brooding hen, but also without an expensive factory-made incubator. A home master is quite capable of independently making a device for incubating eggs, which allows you to successfully hatch chickens when minimum cost funds. Read below for how to do this.

Requirements for a homemade incubator

The main requirement, which is required from any incubator, is its ability to maintain conditions as close as possible to the natural conditions created by the hatching bird.

Important! The distance between the eggs loaded into the incubator must be at least 1 cm.

And from this follow all the other requirements for incubators:

• the temperature within a 2-centimeter radius from each egg should be in the range from +37.3 to +38.6 ° C, in no case going beyond these limits;
• eggs loaded into the incubator must be only fresh, whose shelf life has not exceeded ten days;
• humidity in the device for the entire period up to the pecking of eggs must be maintained within 40–60%, and after pecking it rises to 80% and remains at this level until the selection of chicks, after which it decreases again;
• of great importance for the normal incubation of eggs is their position, which should be either a blunt end up or horizontal;
• vertical arrangement involves the inclination of chicken eggs by 45 degrees in any direction;
• horizontal arrangement requires an hourly turn of eggs by 180 degrees with a minimum turn three times a day;
• a couple of days before pecking, the turning is completed;
• forced ventilation is desirable in the incubator.

How to make a simple styrofoam incubator

Styrofoam is great for this purpose. This material, despite its cheapness, is light both in weight and in processing, and has an excellent ability to retain heat, which is an indispensable quality when incubating eggs.

To make a small incubator for 15 chicken eggs out of foam, you will need:

• ten-liter foam thermobox with a wall thickness of 3 cm;
• power supply from the computer;
• fan;
• light bulb with a power of 40 W for a voltage of 12 V;
• bulb holder;
• metal connector for pipes;
• metal mesh with cells 2x2 cm and with a bar section of 1.6 mm;
• facade mesh;
• plexiglass;
• acrylic mounting adhesive;
• temperature sensor;
• humidity sensor;
• sharp knife for cutting foam;
• drill;
• water tray;
• furniture cable plug;
• thermometer with moisture meter;
• thermal relay.

Process of creation

To assemble a home incubator on the basis of a ten-liter thermobox, you need:

1. Insert the fan into the pipe connector, first removing the ears from the circumference of the fan casing.
   
2. Approximately in the middle of the pipe connector, fasten the holder for the honey so that the bulb is directed in the direction opposite to the fan.
   
3. Inside the thermal box, on one of its narrow sides, with the help of four bolts, washers and nuts, fix the pipe connector, for which four holes are drilled in the wall of the thermal box for the bolts and the fifth one to bring out the wires from the fan and the light bulb. The pipe connector, along with its contents, is located almost at the bottom of the thermobox.
   
4. At a distance of about 15 cm from the upper edge of the thermobox inside, on its walls around the perimeter, strengthen the wooden corners with acrylic glue.
   
5. While the glue will dry for a day, in the middle of the thermobox lid, use a knife to cut a small rectangular hole, into which to insert a piece of plexiglass, as a result of which an observation window should be obtained.
   
6. The mesh, cut so as to enter the thermobox with its entire area, is installed on the glued wooden corners that have had time to strengthen.
   
7. From above, this mesh is covered with a facade mesh.
   
8. Outside the thermal box, at its very edge, on top of the side where the wires from the light bulb and fan exit, strengthen the thermal relay.
   
9. Opposite the fan, in its center, make a small hole for air inflow, which is covered with a furniture cable plug, the width of the opening opening in which can be adjusted.
   
10. Install a thermometer with a moisture meter on the same wall of the thermobox from the outside.
11. Install temperature and humidity sensors on the grid inside the thermal box, and bring their cables out.
    
12. On the wall of the incubator, fix the connector to which all the necessary wires are connected, including power from the computer unit.
13. At the bottom of the incubator, place a small tray with water to maintain the required humidity.
    
14. Make two small ventilation holes in the cover on the sides of the inspection window.
    

Important!For better heat preservation inside the foam incubator, it is recommended to glue it from the inside with thermal insulation covered with foil.

How to make a large refrigerator incubator with egg turning

The most popular way to make an incubator at home is to use the body of an old refrigerator, that is, the unit, once aimed at producing exclusively cold, turns into its opposite, now producing the heat necessary for the incubation process.

Moreover, the incubator turns out to be so “advanced” that it even has a device that turns the eggs in automatic mode.

To make this device, you can use:

• body of an old refrigerator;
• glass or plexiglass;
• a motor from a device with a gearbox (for example, from an automatic barbecue maker);
• metal gratings;
• timers;
• bicycle chain sprockets;
• pin;
• thermostat;
• wooden or aluminum frame;
• four hundred-watt electric lamps;
• heat reflective material;
• computer coolers;
• construction tools;
• sealant.

Choosing the Right Enclosure

This homemade incubator design requires an old refrigerator with a separate freezer.

Then you need to take the following steps:

Creation of a rotary mechanism

This is the most difficult and critical part of the construction of this type of incubator. The rotary mechanism must smoothly turn the eggs in a given mode, doing this not only in a timely manner, but also accurately.

For its installation it is necessary:

1. Install the engine on the floor of the chamber.
2. Put an asterisk from a bicycle chain drive on the motor shaft.
3. Weld the second bicycle sprocket to the side of the lower grille.
4. In the extreme position of the grate, install limit switches that regulate the operation of the motor, turning it off in time.
5. Two timers turn on the engine four times a day.

Video: mechanism for turning trays in an incubator from a refrigerator

, topical a question for both amateur poultry farmers and professional farmlands.

Industrial devices often have high price, and their application impractical in conditions small household farms.

For breeding poultry small quantities are fine home. And to construct it with desire will be able each.

Important points in the manufacture of the incubator

At independent manufacturing very important moment is the creation of comfortable, maximum close to natural conditions for breeding birds.

Primarily it is worth taking care of the constant maintenance of the necessary temperatures inside the incubator and arrangement in it ventilation.

When mother hen independently incubates eggs, natural temperature and humidity are formed for normal development of chicks.

V artificial conditions, the temperature in the incubator must be constantly maintained at 37.5–38.6 degrees at the humidity level in 50–60% . For even distribution and circulation warm air is used forced ventilation.

Attention: violation of the temperature regime at any stage of the incubation period (overheating, underheating, excessive or insufficient humidity) can lead to a significant slowdown in the development of chicks.

In particular, excessive humidity in the incubator negatively affects embryonic development in the egg and can lead to the death of the chick before it is born.

Insufficient humidity air in the appliance makes the egg shell overdried and very durable unacceptable when hatching.

We make an incubator with our own hands

To create an automatic incubator do it yourself You will need to craft or purchase from the store the following equipment:

• Frame for the incubator itself;
• tray system;
• A heating element;
• Fan;
• Auto rotary mechanism .

Incubator body

Corps for a homemade incubator, a washing machine knocked out of plywood can serve box and even unclaimed Bee hive.

To maintain inside the incubator comfortable microclimate(preservation of heat), walls the cases are sealed (most often with foam), and for entry inside fresh air small holes are made.

The size incubator and number in it egg trays are selected based on needs owner.

tray system

As trays for eggs, you can use a strong metal mesh with cells of size 2.5 cm. The trays will be held on special pins, which in turn will automatic flip fixed trays.

L = (H-((N+15)*2))/15

Where L- the number of trays, H- refrigerator height, N– distance of trays from heating elements.

For instance: Height incubator 1 meter. To calculate the maximum number of trays for an incubator, subtract from it distance to heating elements with a margin 6 cm(to avoid overheating), multiply on 2 and divide by height required for ventilation. We get:

L \u003d (100-((6 + 15) * 2)) / 15 \u003d 3.86

Maximum amount trays, which will be required to create an incubator is four.

A heating element

To maintain a constant temperature in a large incubator can be used heating iron spirals by connecting them in series.

For small structures, you can get by with several incandescent lamps medium power. You can place them both “above” and “under” the trays at a distance not less than 20 cm.

Note: when installing lamps, a thermometer must be placed in the incubator to accurately control the temperature and a bath of water is installed so that the air inside the device is humid. To control humidity, a psychrometer is used, which can be easily purchased at any pet store.

Fan

V small a homemade incubator will be enough one fan, For example, from an old computer. Air circulation is very important in the arrangement of the incubator and plays key role in the brood of chicks.

In addition to uniform distribution of warm air, the fan pumps up inside required for eggs oxygen and removes carbon dioxide. For air to flow into the device in the upper and lower parts of the case, it is necessary to make multiple holes size 15-20 mm.

Automatic turning mechanism

Swivel pins, on which the trays will be fixed, must be ideally aligned to prevent distortion of the entire structure. A mechanism parts, connecting the trays and setting them in motion rigidly fixed between themselves.

As drive low-power (up to 20 watt) reduction motors and star chain.

Note: for smooth turning of trays with eggs, it is necessary to use a chain with a minimum pitch (0.525 mm).

For complete automation process, the power circuit of the motor is added relay(switch) which will on one's own turn the motor on and off.

It's important to know: before loading eggs and starting incubation, you need to check and test the created system for 3-4 days. Stabilize the temperature and humidity, experimentally find a place for the fan and start the turning mechanism, stabilize the turning speed and the angle of the trays.

so, manufacture of automatic incubator at home without the cost of modern technology, the task is quite doable. The main thing- compliance sequences the actions described above and the utmost care for work.

For construction, you can use improvised means: frame old refrigerator, washing machine, box made of plywood or chipboard, for wall insulation- Styrofoam or an old blanket will do, a computer fan will provide an even distribution warm air throughout the structure.

Following video talks in detail about the incubator for hatching eggs with your own hands: