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Ok folks, I'm going to walk you through the cheapest and easiest way to dominate egg hatching. Incubators are expensive and guides are too technical. I promise if you even half-ass copy what I do, you'll hatch birds. I use the same incubator at the same temperature to hatch quail, duck, and chicken, often at the same time.

Let's start with a foam cooler. Grab one from someone you know who orders meat, or buy one from a convenience store for $2. You don't need a giant one, but it needs to be tall enough to get some bulbs inside. Really, you could use a cardboard box. It doesn't matter, I swear. You're going to use a garbage bag liner in it anyway, so don't sweat it.

https://files.catbox.moe/r3m808.jpg

I have 2x this size and 1 little one I don't use anymore. I spilled some sand carrying this one upstairs. We'll get to the sand and how it gets dirty in a minute. Now, you'll need a cheap light socket and a PC fan. Optionally, get a 2 bulb thing like in the picture in case one bulb ever dies on you. As long as you noticed it burned out within a day or so, it's no big deal anyway.

https://files.catbox.moe/r2rloq.jpg

All this stuff is powered by a 12v DC laptop brick I had laying around. You probably have one laying around, too. If not, they're cheap. That little dangler on the right (pic above) is the probe to the thermostat. I use a W1209. You can usually get a 2 pack for $10. The green board is the thermostat and the blue board is a buck converter. You don't need the buck converter, but I like to reduce the 12v so the fan isn't so loud.

https://files.catbox.moe/rgcdjx.jpg https://files.catbox.moe/v6hfjz.jpg

You have 2 plugs for the wall: the 12v power brick and the plug for the bulbs. The 12v powers the W1209, buck converter, and the fan. The AC goes to the bulbs and the relay of the W1209 (think of the relay like a light switch). This is simple even though my wiring is a mess. I never expected anyone to look at it besides me. Here's a beautiful diagram of what the bulb wires are doing:

https://files.catbox.moe/8s7w21.jpg

I just poke some holes to get zip ties through the foam to hold everything on. I use wire instead of zip ties for the little boards since the mounting holes are too skinny. If you want to beef it up, cut a stick or dowel for the wire to grip on the back side of the foam. You can see a couple in the images above.

Now I know what you're thinking, but Ruck, what about the fancy egg racks and egg turners I saw on the youtube? You got a book, brick, rubik's cube, etc laying around? Stick that book under the right side before you leave for work. When you get home stick it on the other side. Your incubator is the egg turner. Did you forget to do it for a day or two? No big deal, I promise.

Congratulations, you made an incubator for the price of the beer it would hold. I'll tell you what to do with the eggs inside in my next post. If you have questions, I'm your guy.

Ok folks, I'm going to walk you through the cheapest and easiest way to dominate egg hatching. Incubators are expensive and guides are too technical. I promise if you even half-ass copy what I do, you'll hatch birds. I use the same incubator at the same temperature to hatch quail, duck, and chicken, often at the same time. Let's start with a foam cooler. Grab one from someone you know who orders meat, or buy one from a convenience store for $2. You don't need a giant one, but it needs to be tall enough to get some bulbs inside. Really, you could use a cardboard box. It doesn't matter, I swear. You're going to use a garbage bag liner in it anyway, so don't sweat it. https://files.catbox.moe/r3m808.jpg I have 2x this size and 1 little one I don't use anymore. I spilled some sand carrying this one upstairs. We'll get to the sand and how it gets dirty in a minute. Now, you'll need a cheap light socket and a PC fan. Optionally, get a 2 bulb thing like in the picture in case one bulb ever dies on you. As long as you noticed it burned out within a day or so, it's no big deal anyway. https://files.catbox.moe/r2rloq.jpg All this stuff is powered by a 12v DC laptop brick I had laying around. You probably have one laying around, too. If not, they're cheap. That little dangler on the right (pic above) is the probe to the thermostat. I use a W1209. You can usually get a 2 pack for $10. The green board is the thermostat and the blue board is a buck converter. You don't need the buck converter, but I like to reduce the 12v so the fan isn't so loud. https://files.catbox.moe/rgcdjx.jpg https://files.catbox.moe/v6hfjz.jpg You have 2 plugs for the wall: the 12v power brick and the plug for the bulbs. The 12v powers the W1209, buck converter, and the fan. The AC goes to the bulbs and the relay of the W1209 (think of the relay like a light switch). This is simple even though my wiring is a mess. I never expected anyone to look at it besides me. Here's a beautiful diagram of what the bulb wires are doing: https://files.catbox.moe/8s7w21.jpg I just poke some holes to get zip ties through the foam to hold everything on. I use wire instead of zip ties for the little boards since the mounting holes are too skinny. If you want to beef it up, cut a stick or dowel for the wire to grip on the back side of the foam. You can see a couple in the images above. Now I know what you're thinking, but Ruck, what about the fancy egg racks and egg turners I saw on the youtube? You got a book, brick, rubik's cube, etc laying around? Stick that book under the right side before you leave for work. When you get home stick it on the other side. Your incubator is the egg turner. Did you forget to do it for a day or two? No big deal, I promise. Congratulations, you made an incubator for the price of the beer it would hold. I'll tell you what to do with the eggs inside in my next post. If you have questions, I'm your guy.

(post is archived)

[–] [deleted] • 0 pt (edited )

I've built a few incubators.

You can use the tried and true thermal wafer that used to be the most common thermostat, a chink module like the W1209, or better controllers found various places.

I've used old milkhouse style heaters for the heating elements for large incubators, you use the heating coil and standoffs.

Had good luck using a SCT 1000 All-purpose 110V Fahrenheit Digital Temperature Controller from aliexpress, make sure you get the Fahrenheit ones because plus/minus half a degree Centigrade will not work well at all.

You can 3d print egg turners or buy one fairly cheaply now, they used to be pricey. Look online, lots of incubator projects often using Arduinos.

[–] • 0 pt

Yes! If you're certain hatching eggs is something you'll be doing for the long term, you can really make a nice incubator. My aim is for at least a few of you to get into quail. This is probably the cheapest way to make something good instead of the youtube videos with a light bulb on a dimmer.

Every time I see a video of a large setup like you describe, it's hard for me not to try it. If I ever really get into selling chicks, I'll go for broke on a fridge size incubator. When I looked into 3D printing my own egg turners, Cura claimed it would take me over 100 hours to piece one together. The arduino or pi and a servo would be easy to get done.

Right now I can easily pump out 50 birds every 2 weeks. That's about the limit for what I'd care to butcher every other weekend. Well, that's about the limit my wife cares to rinse and bag up every other weekend lol.

I hope you stick around and add to whatever info I can post on here.

[–] • 0 pt

So the eggs don't actually have to turn over, they can just tilt 40ish degrees one way and then 40ish degrees the other way?

[–] • 1 pt

Correct! Alternatively, you could just stick your hand in there a couple times a day and roll them around. Palm down, wax on and wax off. That's good enough.