Two-chamber homemade incubator, a template and a template for creating an incubator.conditions, you will need to either buy an industrial apparatus or you can make an incubator yourself. The second option is convenient because it is possible to assemble the device of the desired size, and under the required number of eggs. In addition, cheap materials such as 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 machine for breeding chicks is the body. He must keep warm inside himself so that the temperature of the eggs does not change dramatically. Since due to significant jumps the likelihood of a healthy brood is markedly reduced. It is possible to make the case of a house incubator from a framework and plywood, polyfoam, the case from the TV or the refrigerator. Eggs are laid in wooden or plastic trays, with the bottom of the rails or mesh. There are automatic trays with motors that turn the eggs themselves. Or rather, reject them in the direction through the time specified on the timer.
Incandescent lamps with a power of 25 to 100 W, depending on the size of the apparatus, are most often used to heat the air in an incubator assembled by hand. Temperature control is carried out using an ordinary thermometer or an electronic temperature controller with a sensor. So that there is no air stagnation in the incubator, natural or forced ventilation is required. If the device is of small size, it is enough just to make holes near the bottom and on the lid. For an incubator, made by hand from the refrigerator, you will need to install fans, moreover, from above and below. Only in this way will the necessary movement of air be ensured, as well as an even distribution of heat.
In order for the incubation process not to be disturbed, the number of trays must be correctly calculated. The distance between incandescent lamps and the tray should be at least 15 cm.
The same distance should be left between the other trays in the incubator, assembled with your own hands, so that air movement is free. Also between them and the walls should remain at least 4-5 cm.
Holes for ventilation 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 whether the fans are properly positioned and whether the lamps have enough power to heat the incubator evenly. This indicator should not exceed ± 0.5 ° C in each corner of the apparatus after a full warm-up.
How to make a foam incubator with your own hands
Expanded polystyrene - one of the most popular materials for creating an incubator. It is not only affordable, but has excellent thermal insulation properties and low weight. For the manufacture will need the following materials:
- foam sheets 2 pcs.with a thickness of 50 mm;
- adhesive tape; glue;
- incandescent bulbs 4 pcs.25 watts each and cartridges for them;
- fan( suitable and that used to cool the computer);
- thermostat;
- trays for eggs and 1 for water.
Before you start assembling an incubator with your own hands, you should make detailed dimensional drawings.
Step-by-step instruction:
- Expanded polystyrene sheet is cut into 4 identical parts. They will be used for the side walls of the hull.
- The second sheet of expanded polystyrene is first divided in half, and then one of the halves is divided into 2 parts. The width of one should be 60 cm, and the other 40 cm. Part of a leaf with a size of 40x50 cm will become the bottom, and a 60x50 cm lid, thanks to which the homemade incubator will close tightly.
- A hole is cut in the lid for the viewing window with dimensions 13x13 cm. It is also necessary for ventilation. It is closed with glass or transparent plastic.
- A frame is glued from the cuts of the first sheet for the side walls. After the glue hardens, the bottom is glued. The edges of the sheet( with a size of 40x50 cm) are lubricated with glue, and the sheet itself is inserted into the frame.
- After this, the box is covered with tape to improve its rigidity. First, the bottom is covered with an overlap on the walls, and then all the walls.
- For air circulation and uniform heating, the tray with eggs should stand in two bars. They are also cut out of foam. A width of 4 cm is sufficient, and a height of 6 cm. They are glued to the bottom along long walls( 50 cm).
- In the short walls( 40 cm) 1 cm from the bottom, 3 ventilation holes are drilled at the same distance from each other, 12 mm in diameter. Expanded polystyrene badly cut with a knife, because it crumbles, so it is better to burn all the holes with a soldering iron.
- To keep the lid firmly on the incubator, assembled with your own hands at home, foam polystyrene blocks of 2x2 cm( maximum 3x3 cm) are glued to its edge. The distance from the bars to the edge of the sheet should be 5 cm so that they enter the inside of the box and fit snugly to the walls.
- Next, you need to fix the bulbs for incandescent bulbs. They can be hung on strips of a grid.
- The thermostat is installed on the outside of the box cover. The sensor is mounted inside, approximately at a height of 1 cm from the eggs. A hole in the lid for it is pierced with a sharp awl.
- When installing the tray, you need to check that the distance between it and the walls is 4-5 cm, otherwise the ventilation will be broken.
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1 - water tank;2 - viewing window;3 - tray;4 - thermostat;5 - thermostat sensor.
- If desired or necessary, a fan is installed, but in such a way that the air flow falls on the light bulbs and not on the eggs. Otherwise they may dry out.
Heat inside the incubator, assembled with foam plastic, will be kept even better if all walls, the bottom and the ceiling are plastered over with foil insulation.
Incubators with automatic or manual egg flipping
For the incubation process to be successful, the eggs must be constantly turned 180 °.But doing it manually takes a lot of time. For this purpose, and used the coup mechanisms.
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There are several types of these devices:
- mobile grid;
- roller rotation;
- 45 ° tilt of the tray.
The first option is most often used in small incubators, for example, foam. The principle of operation is as follows: the grid 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 performed manually. To do this, it is enough to attach a piece of wire to the grid and bring it out. The disadvantage of such a mechanism is that the egg can simply be dragged rather than rolled over. Less frequently used in self-made incubators with an automatic egg roll roller rotation, since its creation requires a lot of round parts and sleeves. The device works with the help of rollers, closed mesh( mosquito).
To prevent the eggs from rolling, they are in the cells of the wooden grid. When the tape starts to move, all the eggs turn over.
A swivel mechanism that tilts the trays is used in large incubators, such as those made from a refrigerator. In addition, this method performs its task better than others, since in any case, each egg leans. There are automatic trays turning eggs. Included with them are the engine and power supply. In one tray there are several smaller ones. Each rotates separately after a user-defined time.
How to make a device for hatching chicks from a refrigerator or plywood
Before you start to do the incubator with your own hands, you need to make a drawing and a diagram of connecting all the elements. All shelves are pulled out of the refrigerator, including the freezer.
Step-by-step instruction:
- Holes for incandescent bulbs and one for ventilation are drilled from the inside in the ceiling.
- It is recommended to trim the walls of a homemade incubator from the refrigerator with sheets of expanded polystyrene, then it will keep itself longer in heat.
- Old shelf grids can be converted into trays or new ones can be put on them.
- A thermostat is mounted on the outside of the refrigerator, and the sensor is installed inside.
- A minimum of 3 holes for ventilation of air, 1.5x1.5 cm in size, are drilled closer to the bottom.
- For better circulation, you can install 1 or 2 fans on top of the lamps and the same on the floor below.
To make it easier to monitor the temperature and eggs, you need to cut a hole in the door for the viewing window. It is closed with glass or transparent plastic, the slots are thoroughly coated with, for example, a sealant.
The video shows an incubator, made by hand from the refrigerator.
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If there is no refrigerator, the frame is made of wooden boards, and the walls are made of plywood. And they should be double-layered, and between them fit insulation. Lamp holders are attached to the ceiling, bars in the middle of two walls are mounted to install the tray. At the bottom is another extra light bulb for better evaporation of water. The distance between it and the tray should be at least 15-17 cm. In the lid is a viewing window with a sliding glass for ventilation. Closer to the floor along the long walls are drilled holes for air circulation.
By the same principle, incubators are often made from a television housing for a small number of eggs. The process of turning eggs into them is most often carried out manually, since it takes a little time. Trays can be made from rounded strips. Such an incubator does not need any fans, since airing occurs every time you open the lid to turn the eggs. 
A container with water is placed at the bottom of any incubator to create the optimum level of moisture required for the eggs.
You can use 2 inverted coxae to remove a very small batch of chicks( 10 pcs.).To do this, one of them is turned over to the second and fastened with a furniture shed from one side. The main thing that they could not move out from each other. A lamp holder is attached to the ceiling from the inside. Sand is poured on the bottom, which is covered with foil and hay. Foil should have a plurality of holes with a diameter of 3 mm so that moisture passes through it. To adjust the temperature, use a bar with steps that is inserted between the basins.
In order for hatching to occur in any incubator at the same time, the eggs must be the same size, and uniform heating of the whole space of the apparatus is also necessary.
Two-Chamber Homemade Incubator -
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