How to Build a Simple Homemade Chick Incubator

https://www.wikihow.it/Costruire-una-Semplice-Incubatrice-per-Pulcini-Fatta-in-Casa

07-08-2024 |
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Home breeding of chickens has recently become a widespread practice, especially since people have realized the poor living conditions of these animals on intensive farms.Furthermore, raising chicks is a fun project that involves the whole family.Although the cost of a professional incubator is quite high, know that it is not that difficult to build one at home.You most likely already have all the materials you need.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Building the Incubator

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1
Drill a hole in the end of a Styrofoam cooler. The hole must contain a light bulb and its socket.Insert the light bulb holder of any lamp and screw a 25 watt bulb inside.Place electrical tape around the hole and on the light socket, both inside and outside the refrigerator.This detail is very important to reduce the risk of fire.
- You can also use a small box, but the styrofoam cooler works best because it is insulating.
2
Divide the inside of the container into two sections. You can use wire mesh or other rigid material to cordon off an area separate from where the light bulb is.By doing this you protect the chicks from burns.
- Optional Detail:you can create a double floor by placing wire mesh slightly raised from the bottom.This will make it easier to clean the incubator from droppings when the chicks are born.
Place them inside the incubator in the space dedicated to eggs.Since the main job of the container is to keep both temperature and humidity constant, purchase high-quality measuring instruments that are very precise.
This will be the source of humidity inside the incubator.Also put a sponge, so you can easily adjust the amount of water.
5
Cut a viewing window on the fridge lid. Use the glass of a photo frame as a reference to gauge how large the inspection opening should be.Remember that it should be slightly smaller than the glass itself.Finally, secure the glass piece to the lid using tape.
- Optional Detail:Create a "zipper" on the fridge lid by attaching just one side with tape.
6
Give it a try. Before placing the eggs inside, turn on the light bulb and monitor the temperature and humidity for about a day;then make the necessary adjustments to these two factors until they reach ideal levels.Eggs should remain at 37.5°C for the duration of hatching.The optimal humidity level varies, it should be between 40 and 50% in the first 18 days and then between 65 and 75% in the last 4.
- To reduce the temperature, poke holes in the sides of the container.If you find that this lowers the amount of heat inside the incubator too much, close some holes with tape.
- As for humidity, just absorb a little water with the sponge to lower it or add more liquid to increase it.
7
Place the eggs in the incubator. It is essential that they are fertilized, the ones you find in the supermarket will not hatch.If you don't already have chickens and a rooster, then to get some fertilized eggs you need to contact a farmer in the area.Arrange all the eggs close together, so they can maintain a constant temperature.
- The quality of the eggs depends on the health of the hens who laid them.For this reason, before purchasing from a farm, ask the farmer if you can visit the chicken coop.Animals raised on the ground are always healthier than those forced into batteries.
- The optimal hatching rate is between 50 and 85%.
- Laying hens are typically smaller and are raised for egg production.Those destined for slaughter, however, are treated precisely to increase in size.They are generally larger animals that grow relatively quickly.Remember, however, that there are chickens that are raised for a dual purpose.Ask the farmer for more details to find out what variety he is breeding.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Place the Eggs in the Incubator

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Chicken eggs hatch after 21 days of incubation, so you need to know the exact date you put them in the incubator.Additionally, you should also note down the temperature and humidity values.
Rotate them a quarter or half turn three times a day for the first 18 days, so that the upward side is always different.Label one side of each egg with an "X" and the other with an "O" to know which side is facing up.
3
After the first week do the candling, to distinguish the fertile ones from the "dead" ones. You need to hold each egg up to a bright light while in a dark room.Now look at the egg, you should be able to see the inside.You can purchase a specific tool for this task, but in most cases, a small, powerful flashlight will suffice.If you find any dead or unfertilized eggs, remove them from the incubator.
- If you decide to use a flashlight, the lens should be small enough so that the light beam is directed at the egg.
- Alternatively, you can create a craft tool by placing a desk lamp inside a cardboard box.This should have a small round hole on the top.Place the egg in the hole and turn on the light.
- You will have to rotate it gently to better observe its contents.
- A live embryo looks like a black spot with blood vessels radiating from it.
- A dead embryo appears as a ring or streak of blood inside the shell.
- Eggs that have not been fertilized glow completely because they do not contain any embryos.
4
Pay attention to the sounds of the chicks that are about to be born. On the twenty-first day, the chicks "tap" the shells to breathe after breaking the air sac.Check them carefully after this stage, as it will take up to 12 hours for them to fully emerge from the shell.
- If some eggs have not hatched within 12 hours, intervene and remove the top of the shell.
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How to Build a Simple Homemade Chick Incubator

Building the Incubator

Place the Eggs in the Incubator

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