Homemade hatchery incubator. DIY incubator. Detailed diagram, drawings with photos and videos. Temperature control

To hatch chickens at home, you will need to either buy an industrial apparatus or make an incubator yourself. The second option is convenient because it is possible to assemble the device required sizes, and under required amount eggs In addition, cheap materials such as polystyrene foam or plywood are used to create it. All the work of turning the eggs and adjusting the temperature can be fully automated.

What you need to create a homemade incubator

The basis of any type of apparatus for hatching chicks is the body. It must retain heat well inside itself so that the temperature of the eggs does not change sharply. Since due to significant jumps, the likelihood of a healthy brood is noticeably reduced. You can make the body of a home incubator from a frame and plywood, polystyrene foam, a TV or refrigerator case. The eggs are laid in wooden or plastic trays with a bottom made of slats or mesh. There are automatic trays with motors that turn the eggs themselves. Or rather, they deflect them to the side after the time indicated on the timer.

To heat the air in a self-assembled incubator, incandescent lamps with a power of 25 to 100 W are most often used, depending on the size of the apparatus. Temperature control is carried out using an ordinary thermometer or an electronic thermostat with a sensor. To prevent air stagnation in the incubator, natural or forced ventilation is required. If the device is small, then you just need to make holes near the bottom and on the lid. For an incubator made with your own hands from a refrigerator, you will need to install fans, both above and below. This is the only way to ensure the necessary air movement, as well as uniform heat distribution.

To ensure that the incubation process is not disrupted, you need to correctly calculate the number of trays. The distance between the incandescent lamps and the tray must be at least 15 cm.

The same distance must be left between the other trays in the incubator, assembled with your own hands, so that the air movement is free. Also, at least 4-5 cm should remain between them and the walls.

Ventilation holes are made from 12 to 20 mm in size in the upper and lower parts of the incubator.

Before laying eggs, be sure to check that the fans are correctly positioned and that the lamps have enough power to evenly heat the incubator. This value should not exceed ±0.5°C in each corner of the machine after it has fully warmed up.

How to make an incubator from polystyrene foam with your own hands

Expanded polystyrene is one of the most popular materials for creating an incubator. It is not only affordable, but has excellent thermal insulation properties and light weight. For manufacturing you will need the following materials:

• foam sheets 2 pcs. with a thickness of 50 mm;
• tape, glue;
• incandescent lamps 4 pcs. 25 W each and cartridges for them;
• fan (the one used to cool the computer is also suitable);
• thermostat;
• trays for eggs and 1 for water.

Before you start assembling an incubator with your own hands, you should draw up detailed drawings with dimensions.

Step-by-step instruction:

1 – water container; 2 – viewing window; 3 – tray; 4 – thermostat; 5 – thermostat sensor.

1. If desired or necessary, a fan is installed, but in such a way that the air flow hits the light bulbs, and not the eggs. Otherwise they may dry out.

The heat inside the incubator, assembled from polystyrene with your own hands, will be retained even better if all the walls, bottom and ceiling are pasted over with foil insulation.

Incubators with automatic or manual egg turning

For the process to be successful, the eggs must be constantly turned 180°. But doing this manually takes a lot of time. Turning mechanisms are used for this purpose.

There are several types of these devices:

• mobile mesh;
• roller rotation;
• tray tilt 45°.

The first option is most often used in small incubators, for example, foam ones. The operating principle is as follows: the mesh slowly moves from one side to the other, as a result, the eggs lying in its cells turn over. This process can be automated or done manually. To do this, it is enough to attach a piece of wire to the mesh and bring it out. The disadvantage of this mechanism is that the egg can simply drag through and not turn over. Roller rotation is less commonly used in homemade incubators with automatic egg turning, since its creation requires a lot of round parts and bushings. The device operates using rollers covered with a mosquito net.

To prevent the eggs from rolling, they are kept in the cells of a wooden lattice. When the belt starts moving, all the eggs turn over.

A rotating mechanism that tilts trays is used in incubators. large sizes, for example, made from a refrigerator. In addition, this method performs its task better than others, since in any case, each egg tilts. There are automatic egg turning trays. They come with a motor and power supply. There are several smaller ones in one tray. Each rotates separately after a user-set time.

How to make a device for hatching chicks from a refrigerator or plywood

Before you start making an incubator with your own hands, you need to draw up a drawing and diagram for connecting all the elements. All shelves are removed from the refrigerator, including the freezer.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Holes for incandescent lamps and one through hole for ventilation are drilled in the ceiling from the inside.
2. It is recommended to line the walls of a homemade refrigerator incubator with sheets of polystyrene foam, then it will retain heat longer.
3. Old shelf grates can be converted into trays or new ones can be placed on them.
4. A thermostat is attached to the top outside of the refrigerator, and the sensor is installed inside.
5. Closer to the bottom, at least 3 holes are drilled for air ventilation, measuring 1.5x1.5 cm.
6. For better circulation, you can install 1 or 2 fans on top near the lamps and the same number below on the floor.

To make it more convenient to monitor the temperature and eggs, you need to cut a hole in the door for an observation window. It is covered with glass or transparent plastic, the cracks are carefully coated, for example, with sealant.

The video shows an incubator made with your own hands from a refrigerator.

If there is no refrigerator, then the frame is made of wooden beams and the walls are made of plywood. Moreover, they must be two-layer, and insulation is placed between them. Light bulb sockets are attached to the ceiling, and bars for installing the tray are mounted in the middle of two walls. Another additional light bulb is placed at the bottom for better evaporation of water. The distance between it and the tray should be at least 15-17 cm. A viewing window with sliding glass for ventilation is made in the lid. Closer to the floor along long walls holes are drilled for air circulation.

Using the same principle, incubators are often made from TV cases for a small number of eggs. The process of turning eggs in them is most often carried out manually, as it takes a little time. Trays can be made from rounded slats. This incubator does not need fans, since ventilation occurs every time the lid is opened to turn the eggs.

A container of water is placed at the bottom of any incubator to create the optimal level of humidity necessary for the eggs.

To hatch a very small batch of chicks (10 pcs.), you can use 2 inverted basins. To do this, one of them is turned over to the second and secured at one end with a furniture canopy. The main thing is that they cannot move away from each other. A light bulb socket is attached to the ceiling from the inside. Sand is poured onto the bottom, which is covered with foil and hay. The foil should have many holes with a diameter of 3 mm so that moisture can pass through it. To regulate the temperature, use a bar with steps, which is inserted between the basins.

In order for chicks to hatch in any incubator at the same time, the eggs must be the same size, and uniform heating of the entire space of the apparatus is also necessary.

Two-chamber homemade incubator - video

Spring has arrived, which means it is not too late to start raising poultry. The most faithful assistant in this matter will be an incubator. With this device you can “hatch” chickens both for yourself and for sale. You only need fertilized eggs. The advantage of an incubator is that everything can be controlled here; chicks are born warm and clean.

In this instruction we will look at how to make a simple incubator with your own hands. A 60-watt light bulb will be used here as a heating element. The author made the body from such a publicly available material as polystyrene foam. For homemade products, you will need to buy one, which will turn the light bulb on and off, keeping the temperature in a given range. So, let's take a closer look at how to assemble such an incubator.

Materials and tools used

List of materials:
- 60 Watt light bulb;
- sheet foam or ready-made box;
- ;
- computer fan;
- a plastic container or something similar;
- 12V power supply;
- wire;
- carrying;
- switch, wires, heat shrink and other little things.

List of tools:
- drill;
- soldering iron;
- screwdriver.

Incubator manufacturing process:

Step one. Controller housing
Make a case for the controller from plastic, plexiglass or other similar material. This will protect its elements from mechanical damage, as well as from falling water and dust.

Step two. We assemble the circuit and test it
First of all, let's prepare a 12V power supply with a current of 2.5A. It is needed to power the fan, as well as to power the controller. A laptop power supply or something similar will do. Solder the “+” and “-” wires to the controller to the corresponding contacts. We also connect a carrier with a light bulb to the controller. We supply voltage to the light bulb 220V, and also turn on the power supply. On the controller we set the desired value in degrees at which the device will turn off the power.

Now bring the sensor to the burning light bulb. When it reaches the set temperature, the light will go off. When it cools down, the controller will turn on the light bulb again and so on.

Step three. Installing a fan and light bulb
The system is equipped with a fan from the computer. It is needed in order to evenly distribute heat throughout the incubator, as well as to provide ventilation. We attach the fan with screws to the base, for which the author used a plastic container. Water is then poured into it to moisten it.

Install the socket with the light bulb. To do this, the author used a wire, with the help of which we attach the cartridge to the fan housing. The light bulb should face down without touching the container.

Step four. Preparing the body
Let's prepare the case; the author uses a polystyrene box. It is necessary to drill holes in it, as ventilation must occur. The author drills holes in two walls so that the fan draws air in through one side and then blows it out through the other. You can also drill holes in the lid.

Step five. Electronics installation and connection
Install the power supply and temperature controller outside the case. We drill holes and secure the devices using plastic ties. It's fast, convenient and completely reliable. Well, then let’s connect necessary wires and let's try to see if everything works. The wires also need to be secured just in case.

The author installed a sensor on the bottom of the incubator using a wire bracket. This will allow you to control the temperature below, where it is lowest. That's it, now you can configure your device!

Step six. Settings
You can customize the incubator, these settings depend on the type of bird eggs you will use. For chicken, you will need a temperature around 37-37.5 degrees Celsius. To do this, set the limit value on the controller to 37.5; if the temperature rises higher, the controller will turn off the light bulb. We also set the step to 0.5, this means that the controller will not turn on the light bulb until the temperature drops below 37.0 degrees.

That's all, now pour some water into a plastic container, it will evaporate and humidify the air. This is very important for the chicks to hatch. Place a thermometer inside the incubator to monitor whether the system is working correctly. Turn on the incubator and test it in action.

If you are the owner of a homestead farm, this article will help you organize heating of the incubator. You will learn what heating elements exist and which models are the most effective. 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 a brood bird creates for its future offspring.

Ideal conditions are only possible with properly selected heating elements. The percentage of chicks hatching directly depends on the heater. It is the main part of the incubation structure, providing optimal conditions chick hatching process.

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

The heating element in the artificial “mother hen” is a separate part that creates and maintains the required temperature values ​​throughout the entire incubation period.

Did you know? The Chinese managed to synthesize a chicken egg. The counterfeiters hid their names. However, scientists were able to uncover the technology used to create the fake. Thus, the shell is made of calcium carbonate, and the contents are imitated using food additives, coloring matter and gelatin. Externally, it is very difficult to distinguish a counterfeit egg from a real egg, but the taste of the product is completely different.

Types of heaters for incubators

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

Thermal films

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

Heating films are more often used on an industrial scale. The advantage of the product is that it consumes little electricity, but at the same time is capable of maintaining 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. A reflective substrate must be placed under the thermal film. This measure will allow heat to be retained in the incubator.

The main disadvantage of a film heater is the difficulty of replacement (here you cannot 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.

Heat cords

Carbon fiber cords, like films, quickly gain temperature and cool quickly. There is also no thermal inertia here, so there is no temperature swing. Cords are commonly used for hatching chickens in industrial machines.

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

Despite its minor drawbacks, the heat 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 sharply, 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 regulate the temperature in the “hen” with high precision.

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

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

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 from the heated eggs the air itself inside the “hen” is heated.

heating elements new

TENOvy heating of an incubator is also widespread. The heating element is one of the most reliable (safe) heating methods 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 (like under a hen). By the way, today most EU countries have already abandoned the use of lamp heaters in “mother 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. Firstly, thermal inertia occurs, which is dangerous due to the risk of overheating of the eggs. Secondly, it is necessary to insulate the metal parts as they are susceptible to rusting. In addition, the built-in heater will be difficult to change in the event of a breakdown.

Did you know?Some people from just one species chicken eggs visits a feeling of horror and panic. The scientific name of 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« king of horror» Alfred Hitchcock.

Tube

Lamp heaters are most in demand among homestead owners. This variety is good to use because it can be easily replaced if damaged. Any other lamp available on the household will do for this.

Regarding the disadvantages, heat is often distributed unevenly, creating significant differences in temperature indicators. This disadvantage is especially noticeable when using incandescent lamps.

Halogen ceramic lamps also have a number of disadvantages. It is difficult to use them in practice due to the fact that they emit 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 hatching chicks.

Basic requirements for an incubator

For the full development of 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 easily monitor the level of temperature and humidity (that is, the device must be equipped with a thermostat).

The eggs of most bird species are kept at temperatures from +37.1 °C to +39 °C. Both underheating and overheating are unacceptable. First, the eggs must be heated to the required maximum indicated for a particular type of bird, and in the last days before sampling, the indicator must be reduced to a minimum.

The exception to this rule is that during 17 days of incubation the temperature must remain constant at +37.5 °C.

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

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

And only before sampling, the humidity indicator should be lowered again to 55-60%.

How to determine the optimal incubator size

The dimensions of the artificial “nest” must be calculated in advance. The size you choose depends on the production volume you are targeting, as well as the number of eggs placed in the chamber at one time.

Medium-sized equipment (length - 45-47 cm, width - 30-40 cm) can 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 device is influenced by the type of heater and the location where the heating lamps are fixed. The material from which you plan to build the 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.

Automatic model from the refrigerator

The body of a used refrigerator is perfect for creating a homemade “nest”. The interior of the refrigerator reliably supports the installed temperature regime. Another plus is that sections and shelves of household appliances can easily be used as egg trays.

At the same time, the internal volume is quite sufficient for installation in the lower part of the liquid exchange system, which will allow controlling humidity.

Before we begin directly assembling an artificial “mother hen” based on a refrigerator, let’s dwell on some more important points.

In addition, to ensure ventilation, be sure to make holes in the ceiling and floor of the product. To prevent air from penetrating into the fiberglass layer under the sheathing, insert appropriately sized plastic or metal tubes into the spans.

The standard function of turning over a 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 wooden frame that will hold the trays. Fasten them in such a way as to ensure that the trays are tilted 60 degrees towards the door and the same amount in the opposite direction. The gearbox must be firmly secured.
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 actual 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 exhaust bays with a length of 1.5 cm in the floor of the building.
• Finish the interior walls with foam plastic.
• Then you need to convert the old shelves into trays for eggs.
• Install a thermostat on the outside of the refrigerator, and attach a sensor on the inside.

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

Automatic foam model

Expanded polystyrene is considered one of the best materials for assembling a homemade “hen” in terms of convenience. 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 polystyrene foam 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 be used for mounting 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 is 40 cm. A sample with a size of 50x40 cm will be used for the bottom of the chamber, and a piece of size 50x60 cm will be its lid.
3. In the future lid, cut a span measuring 12x12 cm and seal it with transparent plastic - this will be the future viewing window.
4. Glue the supporting frame from identical fragments obtained after processing the first sheet.
5. Next, secure the bottom. To do this, apply glue to the edges of a sheet measuring 50x40 cm and carefully insert the sheet into the frame.
6. After assembling the box, proceed to carefully gluing the body with tape, due to which the structure will gain strength.
7. Cut two more equal blocks of polystyrene foam (each measuring 6x4 cm). 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 air flow. The distance between passes should be the same. It is advisable to burn all holes with a soldering iron.
9. To ensure that the lid is securely attached to the structure, glue foam blocks (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 should be 5 cm.
10. Next, install sockets for heating lamps outside the lid. Do it randomly.
11. Secure the thermostat on the outside of the lid. 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! To keep your homemade “nest” warm for as long as possible, cover all the walls on the inside with heat-insulating foil.

Model out of the box

Incubator from cardboard box- the most inexpensive of all the proposed options for home incubators, 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 polystyrene foam.

Do-it-yourself incubator from a cardboard box: video

Sequencing:

1. Find a medium-sized solid box that is unsuitable for household use (for example, length - 56 cm, width - 47 cm, height - 58 cm). Carefully cover the inside of the box with felt or several layers of paper.
2. Make a couple of passes in the box for the electrical wiring. Fix three light bulbs (25 watts each) from inside. Seal the remaining cracks with cotton wool. The bulbs should be located 15 cm above the egg laying level.
3. Provide 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 monitor everything that happens inside the artificial “nest”. Don't forget to cover the window with clear plastic.
5. Separately, take care of making wooden trays for eggs, mounting slats on which the trays will be mounted, as well as a door.
6. Place a thermostat inside the incubator to control the temperature. And to maintain optimal humidity, fix a vessel with water at the bottom of the chamber.

Important! It is not advisable to place a cardboard “mother hen” on the floor. To ensure natural air circulation, it is better to install the product on wooden beams up to 20 cm in size.

Now you know how to set up an egg incubator yourself. This is not a very labor-intensive process, but before installation it is recommended to work hard on the project so as not to miss possible nuances that may arise during the manufacturing process.

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In homestead farms, the use of large incubators industrial production may not be practical due to their large capacity. To raise a small number of poultry, small incubators are needed, which you can make with your own hands, using available tools and materials.

We will present several methods for making incubators. However, even homemade incubator must meet certain requirements, which you will learn about in this article.

How to make your own chicken egg incubator

Breeding poultry is a fairly profitable activity, but in order to uninterruptedly produce productive young animals, you need to buy or make your own device in which the young animals will be raised.

You will learn how to make an incubator for chicken eggs or quails with your own hands, using available materials, from the sections below.

What to pay attention to

To fully hatch young poultry, you should adhere to certain recommendations and requirements regarding the use of the incubator and its manufacture:

• The temperature at a distance of two centimeters from the eggs should not exceed 38.6 degrees, and 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 hatching 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. Body material, which retains heat well (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 flows inside the incubator, you need to arrange 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 grates can be purchased or made from metal mesh. It is important that there is space between the trays for free air circulation.

Peculiarities

It is necessary to establish high-quality ventilation in the incubator. Preference should be given 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 manual egg turning 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).

Instructions

There are several options for arranging auto-rotation of eggs in an incubator. For small devices, you can simply equip a movable 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 overturn, since the eggs can simply move from their place, but not turn over.

Roller rotation is considered more modern, for which special rollers are installed under the grate to 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: to manufacture an auto-rotate system, you will have to take up free space in the incubator by installing rollers.

Figure 2. Scheme of automatic turning of eggs in an incubator

The best method is considered to be the inversion method, in which the entire tray with eggs is tilted 45 degrees at once. The rotation is driven by a special mechanism located outside, and all eggs are guaranteed to warm up.

How to properly lay eggs in an incubator

Incubation of poultry eggs should be carried out taking into account certain characteristics and an optimal hatching regime should be maintained. The table in Figure 3 shows the basic requirements for hatching eggs from chickens, ducks and geese.

First of all, the correct temperature should be maintained during incubation (minimum 37.5 - maximum 37.8 degrees). It is also necessary to regularly check the humidity, determining it by the difference in temperature on the “wet” and “dry” bulbs. If the “wet” bulb shows a temperature of up to 29 degrees, then the humidity is about 60 percent.

Figure 3. Optimal incubation modes

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 using a combined method: the first half of incubation, the eggs are cooled with air for half an hour, and then irrigated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate;
• During breeding of young animals, the air temperature on the “dry” thermometer should not exceed 34 degrees, and humidity - within 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 the chicks absorb and use protein less well. 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 abdomen enlarges.

Depending on the stage, underheating can cause some disturbances. In the first stage of incubation they include:

• The intestines fill with fluid and blood;
• The kidneys become enlarged and the liver becomes unevenly colored;
• Swelling appears on the neck.

During the second stage of incubation, underheating can provoke:

• Swelling of the umbilical ring;
• The intestines fill with bile;
• Enlargement of the heart due to underheating in the last few days of incubation.

Overheating of eggs during incubation can cause external deformities (eyes, jaws and head), and chicks begin hatching prematurely. If the temperature 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.

Severe and short-term overheating can lead to the fact that the embryo dries to the inside of the shell, the chick will develop swelling and hemorrhages on the skin, 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 if the humidity regime is violated (right)

Prolonged exposure to 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 inside the egg. In addition, in the brood there are many chicks that pecked the shell, but died without retracting the yolk.

Violations of the humidity regime can also cause serious problems(Figure 4):

• High humidity causes slow development of embryos, embryos do not use protein well and often die in the middle and end of incubation;
• If the humidity was increased during pecking, the chicks' beaks may begin to stick to the shell, a goiter may develop, and excess fluid may be observed in the intestines and stomach. Swelling and hemorrhages may develop in the neck;
• Increased humidity often causes late hatching and the hatching of lethargic young with a swollen belly and too light down;
• If the humidity was low, pecking begins in the middle part of the egg, and the shell membranes are dry and too strong;
• At low humidity small and dry young hatch.

It is especially important to support optimal humidity(80-82%) during the hatching period. It is worth noting that during all periods of incubation one should strive to maintain the temperature and humidity conditions that exist during natural incubation.

Figure 5. Possible defects in eggs when examined with an ovoscope

The duration of incubation depends on the type of poultry. For example, for meat breed chickens it is 21 days and 8 hours. If the normal incubation regime was maintained, the beginning of pipping 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 appear. During incubation, eggs must be periodically examined 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

To properly lay eggs in the incubator, 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. Before laying, they must be examined with an ovoscope and eggs without damage, cracks or growths on the shell are selected.

Peculiarities

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

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

How to make a homemade incubator from a refrigerator

Very often, home incubators are made from old refrigerators, since the housing of these household appliances is quite spacious and allows large batches of young birds to be hatched at the same time.

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

Instructions

Before starting to manufacture the incubator, you need to draw up a drawing and plan for connecting all the necessary elements. You also need to wash the body and remove all the shelves and 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 inside of the walls is lined with thin sheets of polystyrene foam to retain heat inside the device longer;
• Trays or racks for eggs are installed on the shelves;
• A temperature sensor is placed inside, and the thermostat is brought outside;
• Several ventilation holes are drilled in the lower part of the side walls, and in order to provide more high level air flow, fans are installed at the top and bottom.

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

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

How to make an incubator from foam plastic step by step

The body of a homemade incubator can be made from old box from under a TV or a polystyrene box, strengthening it with a frame made of wooden slats. Four porcelain light bulb sockets need to be fixed into the frame. Light bulbs for heating eggs are screwed into three sockets, and the fourth light bulb is used to heat water in the bath. The power of all light bulbs should not exceed 25 W. Examples and drawings for the manufacture of simple incubators are 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 scrap materials. For example, using a herring jar and cutting off part of its lid. Water will evaporate better from such a container, and the lid will prevent local overheating of the eggs.

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

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

Figure 7. Schemes for making simple incubators from a refrigerator and a box

You need to make a window in the incubator lid that will serve for ventilation and temperature control. The length of the window is 12 centimeters and the width is 8 centimeters. It is better to cover it with glass, leaving a small gap along the width.

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

How to make an incubator from a microwave oven

A microwave incubator is made according to the same principle as an appliance from a refrigerator. But it is worth considering that such an incubator will not fit many eggs, so at home it is used mainly for breeding quails.

When making an incubator from a microwave oven, you need to consider some features(Figure 8):

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

Figure 8. The procedure for making an incubator from a microwave oven with your own hands

It is also necessary to protect eggs from overheating by installing barriers on incandescent lamps.

How to make ventilation in an incubator with your own hands

The homemade incubator also does not have a special cooling system for the eggs, since they cool 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 incubating eggs is not accompanied by the release of unpleasant odors, young poultry can be hatched 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 homemade incubator, you should pour half a glass of water into the bath per day. If you need to increase the humidity level, you can put a rag in the bath, which is washed every two days.

To lay eggs, special slats are placed in the incubator, and the eggs are placed in the gaps between them. The slats 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 manually turned 180 degrees. It will be better if the eggs are turned over up to 6 times a day with an equal time interval (every 2-4 hours).

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

To maintain humidity, no devices are provided in the homemade incubator, and this mode is maintained approximately. To evaporate the liquid, it is recommended to install light bulbs of 25 or 15 watts. Before hatching begins, the evaporator is not turned on, and if you turn it off too early, the eggs will develop a shell that is too hard, which the chicks will not be able to break.

Breeding chickens is simply impossible without special equipment. Poultry farmers often purchase industrial devices because 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

To make the simplest homemade apparatus, foam is used. Making such an incubator yourself is very simple.

To make the simplest homemade apparatus, foam is used

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

The entire manufacturing process comes down to several stages:

1. Preparation of drawings taking into account all dimensions.
2. In accordance with the drawing and dimensions, foam plastic is cut out necessary elements and are attached to each other with tape.
3. Electrical wiring is done in the finished box.
4. All walls of the box, both inside and outside, are covered with cardboard.
5. Holes are cut out in the cardboard for light bulbs and fixing trays.
6. A hole is cut out in the upper part and covered with plastic. This creates a viewing window.
7. Fans are fixed.
8. Liquid containers are installed in the lower part.
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 regular old refrigerator

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

To make such an incubator, you must follow the following instructions:

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

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

Incubators with automatic egg turning: how to make it yourself

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

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

To do this you will need the following materials:

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

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Using bars and plywood, the frame is assembled.
2. The structure is lined with foam plastic on the inside.
3. To turn the eggs automatically, they think through the main mechanism - 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. A mesh is used for this.
5. A pin is made from the plates and connected to the rotation axis and brought 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 incubating even 1000 eggs will be easy and simple. After all, there is no need to constantly turn them manually.

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 structure, but if you take care of preparing the 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 ensure that the trays turn over at the same time, attach handles to 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 materials used, special attention must be paid to the heating system

Regardless of the type of incubator and 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 sides, top and along the perimeter.
2. The distance from the heating system to the tray must be at least 25 centimeters when using light bulbs and 10 centimeters when heating using nichrome wire.
3. No drafts.
4. The error of the maintained temperature is no more than half a degree.

The regulator can be used in several types:

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

Particular attention is paid to safety measures, since all homemade 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. The 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. By covering the structure with a blanket, the temperature will remain for about twelve hours.
2. The heat must be distributed evenly. To avoid the need to constantly rearrange trays, it is recommended to equip the device with two heat sources. One is on top and the other is below.
3. An important point is also the optimization of temperature. To ensure the flow of warm air faster, during the manufacturing process of the trays, the bottom is equipped with a metal mesh. The trays themselves should be movable, not stationary. Due to this, problems with temperature fluctuations simply will not arise.

DIY small incubator (video)

A simple home incubator from a refrigerator (video)

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

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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 on 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 hatchery incubator can sometimes produce up to 90% hatching rates.

Some manufacturers offer kits for making home incubators.

But the lever flap 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 home incubator can be made from various scrap materials - scraps of wood, an old refrigerator, or even from a box.

It is important to take care of good thermal insulation of your device. The modern market offers a large selection of heat-insulating materials - polystyrene foam, 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, 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 home can be built from an ordinary cardboard box.
You should prepare a box measuring approximately 50 by 50 by 50 cm.

Cover the inside with paper and felt in several layers. Make a window at the top through which you will monitor the process.

For the wires, make small holes through which you will connect 25 W electric lamps. The lamps are installed 15 cm above the eggs.

Seal the holes around the wires with cotton wool so that the heat, which is important for future birds, does not escape.

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

In order to warm air distributed evenly throughout the box, you also need to 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 below.

Such an incubator should be installed 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 heat up evenly, which means the eggs will too.

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

This way you will get an opening lid.

Hang the cartridge in the center of the top bowl. You can attach it to the bracket using glue or silicone. This way your bowl will remain 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 light bulbs (select their number by testing).

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

Make several small holes in the foil to allow moisture to evaporate. You need to install the entire structure where your home maintains approximately the same temperature.

When you have assembled your device, warm it up and place 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 are turned off in your home, you can place the incubator in a saucepan with warm water and cover with a blanket. This way you won’t have to worry about the safety of your eggs.

You can also place the incubator near the battery, and in the summer take it out into the sun. Every day, spray the eggs with water and turn them 180°.

Making an incubator using polystyrene foam

The frame of the foam egg incubator is made of wooden blocks, and it is lined with plywood inside and out.

Sheets of foam plastic are inserted into the cavity between the layers of plywood. Some poultry farmers beat wooden frame tin, and inside the incubator is insulated with a layer of polystyrene foam.

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

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

Each lamp must be covered metal sheet 1 mm thick. To do this, place 2 bricks around the lamp and put metal on them.

Place tin baths for water between the lamps.

Several segments copper wire give it a U-shaped bend and attach it to the baths, and cover them with pieces of fabric 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 refrigerator

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

The freezer compartment is removed from the refrigerator. In its place are placed 4 lamps of 100 W each. You need to cut a small window in the refrigerator door in order to control the incubation process.

One 25 W lamp is also installed below.

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

The 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 turn eggs during the process. First make the body more rigid.

To do this, boards are attached to the side walls, which are connected at the bottom by bars. Make recesses in the boards into which bearings are inserted, thanks to which the eggs will be turned.

After this, frames or trays for eggs 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 secured to the engine.

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

IN back wall a fan is built in.

Refrigerators have a trough that drains water, this should be set in the reverse direction and the fan will be fed water through it when the chicks begin to hatch.

Automatic incubators

To achieve maximum productivity, eggs must be kept in certain conditions.

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

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

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

Ready-made thermostats can be easily purchased in stores or made 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 remain at a temperature of 41° for at least 10 minutes, the embryos will die. Tray flips should be carried out 2-3 times a day.

To achieve maximum chick hatching, you need to pay a lot of attention 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.

Using an ovoscope, eggs are examined for the presence of two yolks or an overly large air chamber.

Eggs should not be washed before the incubation process, as this will disrupt their natural protection.

Differences between incubators for quail eggs

Many poultry farmers are interested in how to make a quail incubator with their own hands.

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

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

If you make a quail incubator with your own hands at home, you can make it the same size as a chicken incubator, only you can fit three times as many eggs in the trays.

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

What you will need

The first thing you need to do is decide on the number of eggs you plan to raise in a foam incubator. This factor will influence what appearance it will take on. inner part of this unit. If more than fifty eggs will be processed at the same time, you will definitely need to install a fan. Its presence is mandatory for uniform heating of the entire area. If you plan to heat a small number of eggs, then installing this additional unit will not be necessary. The main thing is to place the warming devices correctly.

This device consists of the following parts:

• body, with foam insulation;
• heating system;
• trays for placing eggs;
• additional devices for controlling humidity and temperature.

Before starting the assembly process, we recommend making a drawing of the future structure. To make the incubator body you can use different materials. Plywood, chipboard sheets, cardboard boxes, and an old refrigerator are perfect for this purpose. The main criterion by which the choice of material is made is to ensure 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, on the foam that is used as insulation, it will also be necessary to make holes so that carbon dioxide can escape through them. A certain distance must also be between the bottom and the floor, as can be seen in the photo.

Heating system

Heating elements can be placed in different places incubator regarding trays:

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

If you make this unit with your own hands, then the best option There will be a heating installation on top. It is in this case that the situation of bestowal will be achieved maximum quantity heat. 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 is to make an egg tray with your own hands. In this case use wooden boards. The frame can be easily made 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 into them. Most convenient option- this is to make a design according to the drawings of a furniture box.

During the operation of the foam incubator, you will need to constantly turn the eggs. If in the future you plan to carry out this process yourself, then before starting it, place a cross on one of the sides of the egg.

If you wish, you can make a device to turn the entire tray over at the same time. 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, the cells need to 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 conditions necessary for this. Monitoring devices will help us with this.

To determine the humidity in the incubator, the main insulation, which is polystyrene foam, is used in 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. Next, 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.

To ensure that the temperature in the incubator is constant, it is necessary to install a thermostat. This can be an electronic device with a power of no more than three hundred watts. He will have to keep the temperature within 35-40 degrees. The thermostat must be placed in plastic base. It must also be equipped with a temperature control device, a sensor and a load indicator. This device will work continuously.

Advantages

Previously, in order to remove quails, a bucket and table lamp. Now this method can be considered quite risky. It is better to make the device yourself, because materials such as polystyrene foam, plywood and iron are not very expensive and are widely available.

An incubator made independently has a number of advantages:

• the process of hatching chicks can be year-round, and in no way 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 quick payback.

Let's sum it up

If you make an incubator with foam plastic with your own hands, you will get enough cheap way breeding 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 from ordinary material, can become your home business.

Ravilov V.V. | 2015-03-17

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

Let's not reinvent the wheel and discover America, but use the successful experience of 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 about his research. So, over to Candyman.

I made this incubator from polystyrene sheets and named it Esil Bator, after the hen that laid the eggs for my first egg incubation experience.

I secured the cut-to-size walls of the incubator with adhesive tape to ensure the required strength and tightness.

Fig.1. Styrofoam incubator

Fig.2. 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. Top view of the finished incubator

Fig.4. Heating element lamp 60 watt

Second lamp, unknown power

Fig.5. Auxiliary incubator lamp (40 watts, no more)

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

Fig.6. Main incubator 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. 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 containers with water. Firstly, it provides the required air humidity. Secondly, containers in water serve as heat accumulators and ensure uniform heat distribution, complementing the installed fans. I used regular PC fans with a diameter of 80mm.

To monitor the temperature and humidity in the incubator, I used two regular thermometers and one digital thermometer/hygrometer.

Fig.8. Temperature regulators

Fig.9. Thermometers

Fig. 10. Thermometers

Fig. 11. Thermometers

The eggs in my incubator are placed 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 manually, the incubator is a quick one.

To hatch chickens, I used only fresh eggs. In order not to purchase an ovoscope, the built-in flashlight of the phone was used to candling 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

If you have certain materials, you can make an incubator yourself. However, successful incubation of eggs depends on a number of factors, and in order not to spoil them at the very first laying, it is important to anticipate all possible issues in the operation of the manufactured structure. Let's 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

• The undeniable advantages of a home-made apparatus can be considered the following features:
• low cost compared to ready-made purchased models;
• economical 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 technician can always replace it without outside help);
• versatility (if the structure is properly assembled, a homemade 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 completely free of charge.

Flaws

This group of characteristics mostly 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 failure of some part of the device (especially if the incubator is made from old equipment);
• independent increase in temperature or power outages, which leads to the death of embryos;
• unattractive appearance;
• lack of a warranty from the manufacturer that allows you to replace the device if it breaks.

Requirements for homemade automatic incubators

Without knowledge technical specifications incubation, not a single assembled incubator can provide good productivity, therefore, before getting down to work, it is worth considering some requirements for automatic designs:

• incubation of eggs takes at least 21 days, which means that the incubator must work exactly that long (without interruption);
• 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 tray;
• along with the change in the stage of embryo development, the temperature inside the incubator should also change;
• automatic egg turning should be performed slowly, twice a day;
• to maintain optimal levels of humidity and ventilation, in homemade mechanism A regulator of the necessary parameters must be provided (thermostat, as well as sensors scanning the temperature and humidity levels).

Important!To use a homemade incubator for breeding different types of poultry, it is useful to purchase a ready-made universal tray that ensures timely turning 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 completed and the consumables selected correctly.
To do this, you need to make sure that the finished structure:

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

However, all this will be calculated during the actual 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 homemade incubator will directly affect the number of eggs for one laying, 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 chosen material, because, for example, foam plastic will be more voluminous than cardboard. In addition, when manufacturing 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:

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

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

Consumables and tools for work

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

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

Main list necessary tools and materials will look like this:

• old refrigerator (you can use it yourself) old model, but intact and working);
• 25 W light bulbs (4 pcs.);
• fan;
• metal rod or chain with sprocket;
• a drive that ensures the eggs are turned over (for example, a gearmotor from a car windshield wiper);
• drill;
• thermostat;
• thermometer;
• screwdriver and screws.

How to make an incubator with automatic tray turning with your own hands: video

Approximate diagram of the finished product:

Step-by-step manufacturing instructions

The entire process of making a home incubator from an old refrigerator will take only a few hours, as it consists of a small number of main steps:

1. Development of drawings showing the clear location of every detail of the future incubator.
2. Dismantling the refrigerator and removing all unnecessary details: freezer, trays on doors and other elements of secondary importance.
3. Organization of a ventilation system (you need to drill one hole in the ceiling of the refrigerator, and make three more in the lower part, closer to the bottom, inserting plastic tubes into them).
4. Fastening sheets of polystyrene foam to the inner walls of the case (you can use double-sided mounting tape or small self-tapping screws).
5. Installation of a heating system. The prepared 4 incandescent lamps must be secured at the bottom and top of the refrigerator body (two pieces each), and the lower lamps should not interfere with the placement of the water container (small 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. Creating a turning mechanism using a car gearbox. To begin, use metal strips and self-tapping screws to secure this element to the bottom of the refrigerator. Then, inside the device, install wooden frame and attach the trays to it, only 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, and it, 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 line it with glass or clear plastic. Reinforce all joints with 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.

Finally, you should check the functionality of all mechanisms by turning on the device for several hours.

Laying eggs in the incubator

Before being placed in an incubator, all eggs must lie in the room for at least 8 hours, because if they were previously in cool conditions, then when placed in a warm incubator, condensation cannot be ruled out.
An equally important stage of preparation is the culling of unsuitable eggs.

So, the following 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 direct placement into the incubator, which also has its own characteristics:

• on one tray it is advisable to place eggs close to each other in size, and preferably from the same type of bird;
• first of all, the largest eggs should be laid out on the trays, followed by medium and small ones, taking into account the incubation period (on average, at least 4 hours should pass between the laying of each subsequent 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 advisable to place the incubator in a room with stable temperatures to make it easier for the device to maintain the indicators inside;
• For complete control over the incubation process, get yourself a calendar in which you need to note the date of laying, the date and time of the turning, as well as the date of the control ovoscopy of the eggs.

The duration of incubation of different types of poultry has significant differences, which means turning the eggs should be done differently.
In addition, the conditions for embryo development will also vary:

• for chicken eggs, the temperature inside the device must be monitored every hour, maintaining it at +37.9 °C for the first 11 days, with a humidity of no more than 66%;
• for duck eggs, the optimal values ​​are +38…+38.2 °C, with a humidity of 70%.

Did you know?Chickens are excellent at remembering faces and are able to retain up to a hundred images in their memory, not only human ones, but also animals.

Temperature conditions for different types of poultry

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

For each type of bird, these indicators are purely individual, so when laying eggs from 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 purchasing ready-made equipment. By equipping the structure with automatic egg turning, you can achieve 80–90% hatchability of chicks.