Homemade incubators

[glenniedragon]

Have candled eggs with homemade candler, can see life! the network of vessels is very clear amazing to see- this is 3rd time lucky hopefully, I'm going to have to think about more accurate humidity regulation if these dont hatch.

fingers crossed
kind thoughts
Deb

[glenniedragon]

We are now the proud parents of 2 little chicks! four hatched but 2 died within 24 hours the 2 that are left are real little characters. What makes it extra special was that they hatched on my sons 3rd birthday!. I'm still considering adding a fan as 4/18 hatching is an awful hatch rate. We have a friend who insists that you can sex chicks by their wing feathers, using his method we think they are both pullets-but I'm not convinced. He says the difference is that in a pullet the primaries are longer than the coverts where on a cockeral they are the same length......I'll wait and see

kind thoughts
Deb

[Boots]

Congrats New Mama

[Olive]

Well the thermostat kit arrived and thermistor... now just to put it together - but i havent got a solder arghhh so will have to beg, borrow. steal one.

I still need to take my ecostat thermostat and heating element out the polystyrene case - but think i have everything else ready to go...

Hopefully will have it built in 12 days and thats the BIG incubation day.

Thanks for posting this - Ihave seen the kit and thermistor on ebay for £14.99 so your thread saved me a tenner already as i was thinking bout buying it!

[Olive]

Ok I've assembled the thermostat !

Just need the bulb thingy now - will pop to wickes tomorrow hopefully and get one,.. i just hope the thermostat is working right!

[glenniedragon]

Good luck! how many days til the eggs arrive? I've just sexed my successful hatchings from my homemade incubator.....and both are girls whoopie!

kind thoughts
Deb

[Olive]

Congrats on the girls!

I collect eggs next tuesday - so 8 days!

But im not sure the thermo is working, red light doenst come on.

Got a sick dog and a HUGE vet bill

Everything is going wrong... i still dont have my allotment and all the seeds i've sowed are taking over my kitchen... its all just a nightmare!

[glenniedragon]

Have you got an accurate thermometer? If you havent got your light wired in yet difficult to test, Did you see the diagram in the photos at the top as to how to wire it up? I've soldered my thermister on to a longer piece of wire so that sits inside the box and the controller can sit outside...is there anyway you can wire into the existing element to click that on to heat-but dont fiddle with that unless you're sure what you're up to......so many questions sorry.....trying to help but its a long way to see from here!

kind thougths
Deb

[glenniedragon]

P.S sorry to hear about your poorly dog

kind thougths
Deb

[Olive]

Deb - where does the thermistor go?

I thought it went through those 1st 2 blue boxes???? have i got that bit wrong lol? Cant quite tell from your photos and i really have no idea what im doing lOL

[glenniedragon]

Yep thats right! you can make the 'legs' longer with thin wires if you want thats about the only other modification. Make sure you have secure solder so it is conductive....other than that you now probably know as much as I!!!

kind thougths
Deb

[Olive]

OH so the solder has to be really secure???? I thought it was just to hold the bits in place... maybe i should resolder some bits LOL.

Why would the thermistor need to stick out more?

Sorry for silly Q's. LOL

[glenniedragon]

I have it so the thermister is in the box and the thermostat sits outside the box, to avoid it getting damp which doesn't do much for electrical doohickies. Touch the solder iron on the pin rather than just on the solder, as the contact heats up it melts the solder rather than it being the iron directly-does that make sense? it then flows down the lowest point and makes a good electrical contact- I'm sure there's some soldering masters out there who could give us a few more pointers!

good luck
Kind thoughts
Deb

[Olive]

Ahhhh ok then - I told you I hadnt a clue didnt I! BTW I'm a brunette in case you were all wondering ;o

[Zander]

Hi
Found this site http://www.homemadeincubator.co.uk

That goes into things a little more detail using the same thermostat as already mentioned.

I found the website helpful getting the wiring right for my own incubator for my chicken eggs, they also do a soldered version of the thermostat, I found soldering it myself a niightmare.

Best of three attempts got it. It woyuld have been cheaper buying their soldered version.

My homeade incubator is working fine (so far, only on the fifth day though)