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.
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