Incubator automatic do-it-yourself drawings with dimensions. DIY incubator

, actual a question for both poultry enthusiasts and professional farmland.

Industrial devices often have high price, and their application impractical in conditions small household plots.

For breeding poultry in small quantities are fine home... Moreover, to construct it with desire will be able each.

Important points when making an incubator

At independent making very important the moment is to create comfortable, maximally close to natural, conditions for breeding birds.

First of all it is worth taking care of the constant maintenance of the necessary temperatures inside the incubator and arrangement in it ventilation.

When brood hen hatches eggs on its own, natural temperature and humidity are formed for normal development of chicks.

V artificial conditions, the temperature in the incubator must be constantly maintained at 37.5-38.6 degrees at humidity level in 50–60% ... And for even distribution and circulation warm air is used compulsory ventilation.

Attention: violation of the temperature regime at any stage incubation period(overheating, underheating, excessive or insufficient humidity) can lead to a significant slowdown in the rate of development of chicks.

In particular, excessive humidity in the incubator negatively affects embryo development in the egg and can lead to the death of the chick before it is born.

Insufficient moisture the air in the appliance makes the egg shell overdried and very durable that unacceptable when hatching.

Do-it-yourself incubator

To create an automatic incubator do it yourself You will need to make or purchase from the store the following equipment:

Frame for the incubator itself;
Tray system;
A heating element;
Fan;
Automatic swing mechanism.

Incubator body

Body for a homemade incubator can serve, Washer knocked out of plywood box and even unclaimed Bee hive.

To keep inside the incubator comfortable microclimate(keeping warm), walls housings are sealed (most often with foam), and for entering inside fresh air small holes are made.

The size incubator and number in it, egg trays are selected based on needs the owner.

Tray system

As trays for eggs, you can use a durable metal mesh with cells of size 2.5 cm... Trays will hold on on special pins, which in turn will carry out automatic coup fixed trays.

L = (H - ((N + 15) * 2)) / 15

Where L- the number of trays, H- refrigerator height, N- distance of trays from heating elements.

For example: Height incubator 1 meter... To calculate maximum number incubator trays, subtract from it distance to heating elements with a margin 6 cm(to avoid overheating), multiply on 2 and divide by the height necessary for the arrangement of ventilation. We get:

L = (100 - ((6 + 15) * 2)) / 15 = 3.86

Maximum amount trays that will be required to create an incubator is four.

A heating element

To maintain a constant temperature in a large incubator can be used heating spirals from irons, sequentially connecting them together.

For small designs, you can get by with a few incandescent lamps average power. They can be placed both "above" and "under" trays at a distance not less than 20 cm.

Note: when installing the lamps, a thermometer must be placed in the incubator to accurately control the temperature and a bath with water is installed so that the air inside the device is moist. To control humidity, a psychrometer is used, which can be purchased without any problems at any pet store.

Fan

V small a homemade incubator will be enough one fan, for example, from an old computer. Air circulation is very important in the arrangement of the incubator and plays key role in a brood of chicks.

In addition to evenly distributing warm air, the fan pushes inside necessary for eggs oxygen and removes carbon dioxide. For air flow into the device at the top and bottom of the case, it is necessary to make multiple holes the size 15-20 mm.

Automatic swing mechanism

Swivel pins, on which the trays will be fixed, must be ideally aligned to prevent skewing of the entire structure. A parts of the mechanism connecting the trays and driving them rigidly fixed between themselves.

As drive low-power (up to 20 watt) reduction motors and chain with an asterisk.

Note: for smooth turning of trays with eggs it is necessary to use a chain with a minimum pitch (0.525 mm).

For a complete automation process, is added to the motor power circuit relay(switch) which will on one's own turn the motor on and off.

It's important to know: Before loading eggs and starting incubation, you need to check and test the created system for 3-4 days. Stabilize the temperature and humidity, experimentally find a place for the fan and start the swing mechanism, stabilize the swing speed and tilt angle of the trays.

so making an automatic incubator at home without the cost of modern technologies, the task is quite feasible. The main thing- compliance sequences the actions described above and the utmost attentiveness to the work.

For construction, you can use improvised means: frame old refrigerator, washing machine, plywood or chipboard box, for wall insulation- Styrofoam or an old blanket will do, a computer fan will provide an even distribution warm air throughout the structure.

Following video talks in detail about the incubator for hatching eggs with your own hands:

For a small farm, compact devices for hatching young animals are needed. At home, it is easy to make an incubator with your own hands using materials at hand.

The focus is on the case, which should provide a stable temperature regime... For this purpose, an old refrigerator or a box made of polystyrene is suitable. Trays are inserted inside into which eggs are laid. The work on turning them over and maintaining the required temperature can be automated.

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Advantages

A homemade device has several advantages:

1. A hand-made device is cheaper.
2. You can make a product in accordance with your needs for the required number of eggs.
3. A device made from improvised means is cheaper to maintain.
4. It is possible to install an additional power supply. It will be necessary in the event of a power outage.

Requirements

The beginning of work consists in the preparation of construction drawings and the development of an electrical circuit diagram. At this stage, the necessary requirements for the device are laid down:

1. Additional space is provided in the incubator housing to be able to increase the volume of rearing of young stock.
2. The focus is on the heating method and thermal insulation.
3. Availability of ventilation. For this, holes are drilled on the side and in the bottom. When made from a refrigerator, fans are installed inside.
4. The device must have a reliable power supply system that would not fail.

The incubator is located in a warm and dry room with a temperature of at least 20 degrees and a humidity level of no more than 20%.

Simple incubator

The easiest way to make an incubator is wooden version... The property of wood to heat up slowly and give off heat at the same rate makes it a convenient material.

Manufacturing Description:

The box can be taken ready-made or put together yourself.
Inside, the space is sheathed with plywood to cover the cracks.
Holes with a diameter of 10 mm are drilled from above and covered with glass. These will be observation windows.
Supports are made of polystyrene for the installation of trays.
In the lower part, wiring and cartridges are being installed.

This kind of incubator, made out of a box, refers to a simple design that you can make yourself.

For quails

For quails, a box is taken in which humidity control is provided. It is supported by ventilation holes and water containers located in the incubator.

The grids on which there are quail eggs must be able to rotate at 45 degrees. This is achieved by a lever brought out from the body.

From the fridge

To make an incubator from the refrigerator, remove the freezer and all the shelves from it.

After drawing up a drawing and a connection diagram, the following steps are carried out:

Holes are drilled at the top. One for ventilation purposes, and the rest for incandescent lamps.
In order to preserve heat, the walls of the refrigerator are sheathed with expanded polystyrene.
Trays are installed. If possible, refrigerator shelves are remade for them.
In the upper part, outside, a thermostat is being installed. The sensor is located on the inside.
At the bottom, 3 holes of 1.5 x 1.5 cm are cut for ventilation.
Fans are located near the lamps and below. They provide air circulation.

The advantages of such an incubator are its dimensions, which can hold up to 500 eggs.

Incubator from the refrigerator

Styrofoam

This material is optimal. It has low weight, low price, and has thermal insulation qualities.

The materials used are:

2 sheets of polystyrene with a thickness of 50 mm and dimensions of 100 x 100 cm.
Glue or tape.
4 incandescent lamps with 25W sockets.
Fan.
Thermostat.
Trays.

Step-by-step instructions for making an incubator for chicken eggs:

1. The first foam sheet is cut into 4 equal pieces. They will become the side walls of the incubator.
2. The second is divided first in half, and then one of the halves is cut into sheets 50 x 60 and 50 x 40. The first will become the lid, and the second will become the bottom.
3. A groove of 13 x 13 cm is made in the lid. It is simultaneously both a viewing and a ventilation opening. Closed with plastic on top.
4. The first sheet, cut into 4 parts, is glued into a frame. The bottom is glued from below.
5. The entire body with the bottom is tightened with adhesive tape.
6. Foam supports are attached along the walls and trays are installed on them.
7. At a distance of 1 cm from the bottom, a soldering iron burns out 3 ventilation holes with a diameter of 12 mm.
8. For rigidity of the cover, bars are attached to it from all sides. They are also made of foam. They are spaced 5 cm from the edge and go inside the case. Fitting tightly to the side walls, the lid is securely fixed.
9. A hole is pierced with an awl in the cover. Outside there is a thermostat, and inside there is a sensor.
10. Incandescent lamps are attached.
11. The trays located inside should be 5 cm away from the walls so that the ventilation process is not disturbed.

To keep the heat in an incubator made of foam plastic longer, you need to additionally insulate the walls and ceiling. Foil insulation is suitable for this.

From the microwave

An incubator is made from a microwave oven according to the same principle. The disadvantage is its small size. Therefore, it can be used to hatch quails.

Manufacturing features:

The body of the microwave oven is lined with foam for better heat retention.
To ensure the flow of fresh air, a ventilation hole is made at the top. The door is not insulated.
A tray with eggs is inserted inside. Directly below it is a container with water for humidification.

Homemade incubator connection diagram

Automatic egg flipping

In order to successfully carry out the incubation process, the eggs must be rotated 180 degrees. If you do it manually, it takes a lot of time. Automatic rotation is used for this purpose.

Types of mechanisms with automatic overturn:

1. Movable mesh. Typically used in small structures. The principle is that the eggs lie in the cells, and a net is laid under them, which moves slowly. During its movement, the eggs begin to rotate. The disadvantage is that they may not roll over, and the mesh will pass idle.
2. Roller system. Finds less often use in the manufacture of their own hands. The system consists of rollers with bushings on which the mesh is stretched. It is difficult to make this at home.
3. Tilt the tray at an angle of 45 degrees. Eggs located in the cells do not roll. But as the nets move, they begin to turn.

The latter method has found application in large incubators made from a refrigerator.

Having a household, it is beneficial to have a small device for hatching young animals. There is no point in purchasing an industrial version, which is expensive. A hand-made device will fully meet the necessary requirements and size of the farm. The cost of repairing it is minimal.

In household plots, the use of large incubators industrial production may not be practical due to their large storage capacity. To grow a small number of poultry, small incubators are needed, which you can do with your own hands, using available tools and materials.

We will present several methods for making incubators. However, even a homemade incubator must meet certain requirements, which you will learn about in this article.

How to make your own chicken egg incubator

Breeding poultry is a fairly profitable activity, but for uninterrupted production of productive young animals, you need to buy or make your own hands a device in which young animals will be hatched.

How to make an incubator for chicken eggs or quails with your own hands, using materials at hand, you will learn from the sections below.

What you need to pay attention to

For full-fledged breeding of young poultry, you should adhere to certain recommendations and requirements regarding the use of an incubator and its manufacture:

The temperature regime at a distance of two centimeters from the eggs should not exceed 38.6 degrees, and minimum temperature is 37.3 degrees;
Only fresh eggs are suitable for incubation, which should not be stored for more than ten days;
The incubator must be kept at an optimum humidity level. Before peeling, it is 40-60%, and after the beginning of peeling, it is 80%. The moisture level should be reduced before hauling chicks.

Breeding young poultry also depends on the location of the eggs inside the incubator. They need to be placed vertically (pointed end down) or horizontally. If the eggs are vertical, they should be tilted to the right or left 45 degrees (when laying goose or duck eggs, the tilt is up to 90 degrees).

If the eggs are placed horizontally, they must be turned over at least three times a day by 180 degrees. However, it is best to turn the eggs every hour. A few days before pecking, the eggs are stopped turning.

rules

If you are interested in how to make a homemade egg incubator, you should know that this device is made according to certain rules.

To make an incubator, you will need:

Material body, which retains heat well (wood or foam). This is necessary so that the temperature inside the device does not change during the hatching process. An old refrigerator, microwave oven or even a TV can be used as a case.
For heating eggs use ordinary lamps (from 25 to 100 W, depending on the size of the incubator), and to control the temperature, a regular thermometer is placed inside the device.
So that the inside of the incubator constantly receives Fresh air , you need to equip ventilation. For small appliances, it is enough to drill holes in the side walls and bottom, and for large incubators (for example, made from a refrigerator), several fans are installed (under and above the egg rack).

Figure 1. Common types of incubators: 1 - with automatic egg turning, 2 - mini-incubator, 3 - industrial model

Trays or grates can be purchased or made from wire mesh. It is important that there is space between the trays for free air circulation.

Peculiarities

Ensure good ventilation in the incubator. Preference should be given forced ventilation, since the constant movement of air will maintain the required temperature and humidity inside the incubator.

Figure 1 shows the main types of incubators that can be used for hatching young poultry in a backyard farm. Below is a video overview of the operation of an industrial incubator for a thousand eggs.

How to auto-rotate eggs in an incubator

Incubators without manual turning of eggs are not very convenient, since a person needs to constantly monitor the incubation process and manually turn all eggs. It is much easier to immediately make a homemade auto-rotate incubator (Figure 2).

Instructions

There are several options for arranging the auto-rotation of eggs in an incubator. For small appliances, you can simply equip a movable net, which is driven by a small roller. As a result, the eggs move slowly and gradually turn over.

Note: The disadvantage of this method is that you still have to control the overturn, since the eggs can simply move from their place, but not overturn.

Roller rotation is considered more modern, for the arrangement of which special rollers are installed under the grate, rotating the eggs. To prevent damage to the shell, all rollers cover mosquito net... However, this method also has a significant drawback: to manufacture the auto-rotate system, you will have to take up free space in the incubator by installing rollers.

Figure 2. Scheme of automatic turning of eggs in an incubator

The best way is considered to be the overturn method, in which at once the entire tray of eggs is tilted 45 degrees. The rotation is activated by a special mechanism located outside, and all eggs are guaranteed to warm up.

How to set eggs correctly in an incubator

Incubation of poultry eggs should be carried out taking into account certain characteristics and maintain an optimal mode of hatching young animals. The table in Figure 3 shows the basic requirements for hatching eggs from chickens, ducks and geese.

First of all, during incubation, the correct temperature should be maintained (minimum 37.5 - maximum 37.8 degrees). It is also necessary to regularly check the humidity, determining it by the temperature difference on the "wet" and "dry" thermometer. If a "wet" thermometer shows temperatures up to 29 degrees, then the humidity is about 60 percent.

Figure 3. Optimal incubation modes

The incubation regime must also meet the following requirements:

Turning eggs must be done at least 8 times a day;
When breeding young geese and ducks, the eggs must be periodically cooled in a combined way: the first half of the incubation of the eggs is cooled with air for half an hour, and then irrigated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate;
During the hatching of young animals, the air temperature on the "dry" thermometer should not exceed 34 degrees, and the humidity should not exceed 78-90 degrees.

It is important that insufficient heating of eggs, regardless of the stage of incubation, can slow down the growth and development of embryos, since the chicks absorb and use protein worse. As a result of insufficient warming, most chicks die before hatching, and the surviving chicks later hatch, their umbilical cord does not heal and their belly grows.

Underheating, depending on the stage, can cause some disturbances. In the first stage of incubation, they include:

The intestines are filled with fluid with blood;
The kidneys are enlarged and the liver is colored unevenly;
Swelling appears on the neck.

During the second stage of incubation, subcooling can provoke:

Swelling of the umbilical ring;
The intestines are filled with bile;
Enlargement of the heart with subcooling in the last few days of incubation.

Overheating of eggs during incubation can cause external deformities (eyes, jaws and head) and hatch early. If the temperature regime has been elevated in the last few days, the chicks may have deformed internal organs (heart, liver and stomach) and the walls of the abdominal cavity do not grow together.

Strong and short-term overheating can lead to the fact that the embryo dries to the inside of the shell, swelling and hemorrhages appear on the chick's skin, and the embryo itself is located with its head in the yolk, which is not normal.

Figure 4. Normal development of the embryo (left) and possible defects in case of violation of the moisture regime (right)

Prolonged exposure to high temperatures in the second half of incubation leads to early movement of the embryo in the air chamber; unused protein can be seen inside the egg. In addition, many chicks are observed in the brood, which hatch through the shell, but died without drawing in the yolk.

Violations of the humidity regime can also provoke serious disturbances.(Figure 4):

High humidity causes delayed development of embryos, embryos use protein poorly and often die in the middle and at the end of incubation;
If the humidity was increased during biting, the chicks may begin to adhere the beak to the shell, goiter develops, and an excess of fluid is observed in the intestines and stomach. Swelling and hemorrhage may develop on the neck;
An increase in humidity often causes late hatching and hatching of sluggish young animals with a swollen belly and too light down;
If the humidity was low, biting begins in the middle of the egg, and the shell membranes are dry and too strong;
At low humidity, small and dry young growth is hatched.

It is especially important to maintain optimal humidity (80-82%) during the mowing period. It should be noted that during all incubation periods, one should strive to maintain the temperature and humidity regime that exists during natural incubation.

Figure 5. Possible defects of eggs when translucent with an ovoscope

The incubation time depends on the type of poultry. For example, for chickens of meat breeds, it is 21 days and 8 hours. If the normal incubation regime was maintained, the beginning of pecking begins on the 19th day and 12 hours after laying the eggs, the chicks begin to hatch already on the 20th day, and after another 12 hours most of the young appear. During incubation, eggs must be periodically scanned with an ovoscope in order to detect damage in time (Figure 5). You will learn more about ventilation and temperature control during incubation in the video.

What is needed for this

To properly lay eggs in the incubator, you need to warm up the device in advance and prepare the eggs.

For hatching young animals of any poultry, only eggs are suitable that have been stored for no longer than a week in a dark room with good ventilation at room temperature. Before laying them, they must be shone through with an ovoscope and the eggs are taken without damage, cracks and growths on the shell.

Peculiarities

Only eggs of the correct shape and with a characteristic shell color for a certain type of bird can be placed in the incubator.

You also need to find the right wire rack to match the size of the eggs. For example, for quail, a smaller grill is required, and for turkeys, a larger one. It is also necessary to familiarize yourself in advance with the temperature and humidity conditions of incubation for each type of bird.

How to make a homemade incubator from the refrigerator

Very often, home incubators are made from old refrigerators, since the body of these household appliances is quite spacious and allows you to simultaneously display large batches of young poultry.

See how to make an incubator from the refrigerator with your own hands detailed instructions, you can in the video.

Instructions

Before starting the manufacture of the incubator, you need to draw up a drawing and a plan for connecting all the necessary elements. You also need to wash the case and remove all shelves from it and freezer.

The procedure for making an incubator from an old refrigerator includes the following steps(Figure 6):

Several holes are drilled in the ceiling for attaching lamps and arranging ventilation;
The inner part of the walls is trimmed with thin sheets of foam plastic so that heat remains inside the device for a longer time;
Trays or grates for eggs are installed on the shelves;
A temperature sensor is placed inside, and the thermostat is brought out;
Several ventilation holes are drilled in the lower part of the side walls, and in order to ensure a higher level of air flow, fans are installed above and below.

Figure 6. Scheme of manufacturing a household incubator from an old refrigerator

It is also advisable to cut through a small viewing window in the door to make it easier to observe the incubation process without opening the door.

How to make a Styrofoam incubator step by step

The body of a homemade incubator can be made from an old TV box or a styrofoam box, reinforced with a frame made of wooden slats. Four porcelain lamp holders must be fastened to the frame. Bulbs for heating eggs are screwed into three cartridges, and the fourth bulb is used to heat the water in the bath. The power of all bulbs must not exceed 25W. Examples and drawings for the manufacture of simple incubators are shown in Figure 7.

Note: The average lamp is often turned on only at a certain time: from 17 to 23-00. A bath of water to maintain moisture can also be made from scrap materials. For example, using a herring jar, cutting off part of the lid from it. From such a container, water will evaporate better, and the lid will prevent local overheating of the eggs.

An egg rack is installed inside the homemade incubator. The surface of the eggs on the wire shelf should be at least 17 centimeters from the light bulb, and the eggs under the wire shelf must be at least 15 centimeters away.

An ordinary thermometer is used to measure the temperature inside the incubator. To make it convenient to use the incubator, its front wall must be made removable and covered with cardboard or other dense material. Twists are used to secure. Such a removable wall allows you to put trays with eggs inside the incubator, put a tray and change the water in it, as well as carry out all other manipulations.

Figure 7. Schemes for the manufacture of simple incubators from a refrigerator and a box

In the lid of the incubator, you need to make a window that will serve for ventilation and temperature control. The window is 12 centimeters long and 8 centimeters wide. It is better to cover it with glass, leaving a small gap in width.

For additional ventilation along the long wall near the floor, you should also make three small square holes (each side is 1.5 centimeters). They must be open at all times for a constant supply of fresh air.

How to make a microwave incubator

An incubator from a microwave is made according to the same principle as a device from a refrigerator. But it should be borne in mind that many eggs will not fit in such an incubator, therefore at home it is used mainly for breeding quails.

When making an incubator from a microwave oven, you need to consider some features.(Figure 8):

Outside, the body must be sheathed with thin sheets of foam to stabilize the temperature inside;
Ventilation holes are left in the upper part, and the door is not insulated or sealed for additional fresh air;
A tray for eggs is installed inside, but since there is not enough space in the chamber for cans of water, a container with a liquid for humidification is placed directly under the tray.

Figure 8. The procedure for making a microwave incubator with your own hands

It is also necessary to provide for the protection of eggs from overheating by installing barriers on incandescent lamps.

How to make ventilation in an incubator with your own hands

In a homemade incubator, there is also no special cooling system for eggs, as they are cooled for several minutes during the turning process. During the entire incubation, the temperature should be maintained at 39 degrees.

For ease of use, legs can be attached to the incubator. And since this equipment is very compact, and the process of incubating eggs is not accompanied by the release of unpleasant odors, young poultry can be hatched even in a city apartment (Figure 9). The procedure for making a simple homemade incubator is shown in the video.

How to make a humidifier in an incubator

For normal operation of a homemade incubator, pour half a glass of water per day into the bath. If you need to increase the level of humidity, you can put a rag in the bath, which is washed every two days.

For laying eggs, special slats are placed in the incubator, and the eggs are placed in the gaps between them. The slats should be rounded on the sides. To make it easier to turn the eggs, you need to leave a free space in the tray that corresponds to one egg.

Note: Eggs in a homemade incubator are manually turned 180 degrees. It will be better if the eggs are turned up to 6 times a day with an equal time interval (after 2-4 hours).

Figure 9. Drawings for the manufacture of simple do-it-yourself incubators

To maintain humidity, no devices are provided in a homemade incubator, and this mode is maintained approximately. It is recommended to install 25 or 15 Watt bulbs to evaporate liquid. The evaporator is not turned on before the biting begins, and if you turn it off too early, the eggs will form too hard shells that the chicks cannot break.

Breeding chicks is simply impossible without special equipment. Poultry farmers often purchase industrial devices, as they consider this to be the only possible solution... But making such an incubator with your own hands is not difficult at all. In this case, the device will not only be much cheaper, but also fully meet the requirements of the breeder.

Breeding chicks is simply impossible without special equipment.

For the manufacture of the simplest home-made apparatus, foam is used. It is very easy to make such an incubator yourself.

For the manufacture of the simplest home-made apparatus, foam is used

Styrofoam;
cardboard boxes;
Scotch;
light bulbs and sockets;
thermostat;
a pair of fans that are used in computers;
container for liquid;
thermometer;
plastic trays.

The whole manufacturing process comes down to several stages:

Preparation of drawings taking into account all dimensions.
In accordance with the drawing and dimensions, the necessary elements are cut out of the foam and attached to each other with tape.
In the finished box, electrical wiring is done.
All walls of the box, both from the inside and from the outside, are closed with cardboard.
Holes are cut in the cardboard for light bulbs and fixing trays.
A hole is cut out in the upper part, which is covered with plastic. Thus, the viewing window appears.
Fans are fixed.
In the lower part, containers for liquid are installed.
At the final stage, the trays are fixed and the bulbs are screwed in.

Incubator from the refrigerator: how to do it yourself

For manufacturing, you can use a two-chamber or ordinary old refrigerator

For manufacturing, you can use a two-compartment or an ordinary old refrigerator. As in any other case, the work begins with the preparation of the drawing and drawing up a diagram according to which all the elements will be connected. All the shelves are pulled out of the refrigerator itself.

To make such an incubator, you must follow the instructions below:

From the inside of the future structure, several holes are drilled in the ceiling for lamps, as well as through holes for ventilation.
The walls are covered with sheets of polystyrene foam, which will help retain heat.
An egg tray is made from old grates.
Above, with outside fix the thermostat, and from the inside - the sensor.
Several holes are drilled in the bottom for ventilation.
A pair of fans are fixed at the bottom and top.

A small hole is cut out in the door, which is covered with plastic and coated with sealant.

Incubators with automatic egg turning: how to do it yourself

In order for the incubation process to be correct and successful, the eggs must periodically rotate

In order for the incubation process to be correct and successful, the eggs must rotate periodically. It is both inconvenient and undesirable to do this manually, since this violates the temperature regime. That is why it is recommended to independently assemble a device equipped with a rotary mechanism.

To do this, you will need the following materials:

plywood sheets and wood blocks;
Styrofoam;
tray;
net;
4 lamps;
metal plates;
containers for liquid;
motor with worm gear.

Step-by-step instruction:

Using bars and plywood, the frame is assembled.
The structure is sheathed with polystyrene from the inside.
To turn eggs in automatic mode, they think over the main mechanism - install an electric motor.
An axis is made in the upper part of the box, on which the trays will be installed in the future. For this, a grid is used.
A pin is made of the plates and connected to the overturn axis, brought out.
A rod is screwed to the motor and connected to the tray and pin.
Light bulbs are installed at the bottom of the apparatus and covered with metal plates.
A thermometer and liquid containers are installed.
Small holes are made for ventilation.

This automatic design makes it easy and simple to incubate even 1000 eggs. After all, there is no need to constantly turn them manually.

Making a multi-tiered incubator

To increase productivity, devices consisting of several tiers are often used.

To increase productivity, devices consisting of several tiers are often used. It is much more difficult to assemble such a structure, but if you take care of the preparation of the drawings, the installation process will become much easier.

The assembly is carried out according to the following scheme:

The body is constructed from plywood.
On the back side, a removable door is made of the plate.
The space inside the box is divided into three compartments. The distance from the ceiling to the side partitions should be about five centimeters.
Trays are installed in the side compartments.
To make the trays turn over at the same time, fix the handles on each of the trays.
The middle compartment is equipped with a thermostat and heating elements.
Each compartment has its own door.

Heating system

Regardless of the type of incubator and the materials used, special attention must be paid to the heating system

Regardless of the type of incubator and the materials used, special attention must be paid to the heating system.

There is whole line requirements that must be followed:

Heating elements are placed both under the trays and on the side, top and perimeter.
The distance from the heating system to the tray should be at least 25 centimeters when using bulbs and 10 centimeters when heated with nichrome wire.
Lack of drafts.
The error of the maintained temperature is no more than half a degree.

The regulator can be used in several types:

bimetallic plates;
barometric sensors;
electrical contactors.

Particular attention is paid to security measures, since all homemade devices are fire hazardous.

Even a novice poultry farmer can make an incubator on his own. But there are a number of points on which productivity directly depends:

Heat must be maintained at all times, even if there are power outages. For this, a special battery must be provided, into which hot water... Covering the structure with a blanket, the temperature will remain for about twelve hours.
The heat should be distributed evenly. To avoid the need to constantly rearrange the trays, it is recommended to equip the device with two heat sources. One on top and one on the bottom.
Temperature optimization is also important. In order for the flow of warm air to flow faster in the process of making trays, the bottom is equipped with metal mesh... The trays themselves should be movable, not stationary. Due to this, there will simply be no problem with temperature fluctuations.

DIY small incubator (video)

A simple home incubator from the refrigerator (video)

The main advantage of a homemade incubator is its low cost. After all, you will have to spend only on consumables. In addition, only in this case it is possible to accurately select the size of the equipment and calculate required amount trays depending on the scale of production. Moreover, the workflow is not at all complicated and fun.

Let's talk about secrets ...

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inability to move comfortably and easily;
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Making an incubator with your own hands is very simple and even not very experienced poultry farmers can do it.

Homemade incubators have many advantages - low cost, reliability and simplicity, the ability to make a design on a large number of eggs.

There are many options for homemade devices. Sometimes the most unexpected materials are used to create them - refrigerators, buckets and even basins.

The article discusses how to make an incubator correctly at home.

Types and drawings of devices

Most breeders breed chicks at home. There is not always a brood hen ready to hatch birds. In addition, it is often necessary to get young animals within a certain time frame.

According to experienced bird breeders, a simple hatcher house incubator can sometimes produce up to 90% of birds' hatch.

Some manufacturers offer to purchase kits for making home incubators.

But the lever flip of the tray is difficult to assemble for a person who does not have special skills.

But if you have the appropriate diagram or the necessary drawings, then you can make an incubator with your own hands without any problems, even at home.

If you want to figure out how to make an incubator, you first need to complete the drawings of your future device.

A homemade home incubator can be made from a variety of materials at hand - scraps of wood, an old refrigerator, or even out of a box.

It is important to ensure that your device is well insulated. A large selection of heat-insulating materials is presented on the modern market - foam plastic, mineral wool and much more.

The incubator is heated using conventional incandescent lamps with a power of 25-40 watts. For a small device, 4 lamps are enough. You can also heat the incubators with electric heating elements.

If you are using lamps, the eggs should be at least 25 cm away from the heating element.

If the air is heated by a nichrome wire, then the eggs can be at a distance of 10 cm from it. It is very important to avoid drafts, otherwise the chicks may not hatch.

Out of a cardboard box

The simplest version of such a device for the home can be built from an ordinary cardboard box.
Prepare a box of about 50 x 50 x 50 cm.

Glue it inside with paper and felt in several layers. Make a window at the top through which you will follow the process.

For the wires, make small holes through which you connect the 25W light bulbs. Lamps are installed 15 cm above the eggs.

Cover the holes around the wires with cotton wool so that the heat important for future birds does not go away.

The trays can be knocked down from wooden slats; also attach slats to the walls of the box to which the trays will be attached.

In order for the warm air to be evenly distributed throughout the entire box, a fan must also be installed.

You can use a fan from a broken computer. To increase the humidity inside the incubator, place a small container of water at the bottom.

You need to install such an incubator not on the floor, but on wooden blocks, at a height of 15-20 cm from the floor in a place of your house where there are no drafts.

From a bowl or basin

Such home-made devices for the home are perfect if there are power outages.

To make it, you will need two bowls or similar containers of the same size, preferably metal.

Such round containers will warm up evenly, which means the eggs will too.

The bowls are placed one on top of the other so that a cavity forms inside. On the one hand, they need to be fastened together with furniture awnings or in another way convenient for you.

This will give you an openable cover.

Hang the cartridge in the upper center bowl. You can attach it to the bracket using glue or silicone. This will keep your bowl intact.

Better, of course, to make a hole and insert a cartridge into it, but in this case you will no longer be able to use the bowl for its intended purpose.

In a deep container, the lamp can be installed horizontally, and in large basins, install several bulbs (select their number by testing).

Pour 1.5-2 cm of sand into the bottom bowl, then put foil, and top with straw or hay.

Punch a few small holes in the foil to help the moisture evaporate. You need to install the entire structure wherever your home has about the same temperature.

When you have assembled your device, warm it up, and put the thermometer in the center at the height where the eggs will lie.

From time to time, water should be added to the dried sand. Sand not only humidifies the air in the incubator, but also serves as a heat accumulator.

If the lights in your house are turned off, you can place the incubator in a pot of warm water and cover with a blanket. So you can not be afraid for the safety of your eggs.

You can also put the incubator near the battery, and in the summer - take it out in the sun. Sprinkle the eggs with water every day and turn them 180 °.

Making an incubator using foam

The frame of the egg incubator is made of polystyrene from wooden blocks, and inside and outside it is sheathed with plywood.

Styrofoam sheets are inserted into the cavity between the plywood layers. Some poultry farmers beat wooden frame tin, and inside the incubator is insulated with a layer of foam.

An axle is inserted through the upper wall of the foam structure, on which the egg tray is attached. The handle of the axle is brought out, and with its help the eggs are turned over.

The trays should be made of a dense mesh with cells of 2 by 5 cm. Install the thermometer so that its scale looks out. At the bottom of the case, 4 lamps of 25 W each are installed.

Every lamp needs to be covered sheet metal 1 mm thick. To do this, place 2 bricks around the lamp and put metal on them.

Place a tin water bath between the lamps.

Give a few pieces of copper wire a U-bend and attach to the trays, and cover them on top with pieces of cloth - this will help increase the evaporation area.

In the upper and lower walls of the incubator, make about 10 holes through which fresh and humidified air will flow.

From the fridge

Very often breeders use old refrigerators to build an egg incubator at home. In fact, this is a ready-made home incubator, which should only be slightly modified for the convenience of the process.

The freezer compartment is removed from the refrigerator. In its place, 4 lamps of 100 watts are placed. A small window must be cut out in the refrigerator door in order to control the incubation process.

One 25 W lamp is also installed at the bottom.

A glass or tin partition is attached above it, on which a tray of water and a piece of wet cloth are placed to increase the amount of vapors.

An egg tray is placed even higher, and a control thermometer is fixed at the same level. This is the most simple circuit incubator from the refrigerator. But there are also more complex options.

You can make a device with the ability to turn eggs in the process. First, make the body stiffer.

For this, boards are attached to the side walls, which are connected from below with bars. Make grooves in the boards into which the bearings are inserted, thanks to which the eggs will be turned over.

After that, frames or trays for eggs are installed, a cable is attached to the frames, with the help of which the trays are turned over. The end of the cable is led out and secured to the engine.

In order for the coup to be carried out correctly, the drawings of the device should be prepared in advance and discussed with a professional.

V back wall a fan is built in.

Refrigerators have a chute that drains the water and should be reversed and fed through to the fan when chicks begin to hatch.

Automatic incubators

To achieve maximum performance, eggs must be kept under specific conditions.

The most important thing is to turn the eggs on time and maintain the required temperature regime, the fluctuations of which should be within half a degree.

This is quite difficult, which is why some poultry farmers use self-made automatic devices with a thermostat.

Bimetallic plates, barometric sensors and electrical contactors can act as a thermostat.

Ready-made thermostats can be easily purchased in stores or made yourself.

In addition to thermoregulation, the automation is also responsible for flipping the trays. To do this, you need a Dream-12 device with a 12 V supply voltage.

It is also required to install a humidity regulator. Computer units can be used to provide power.

It is better to buy trays for automatic incubators in the store.

Light bulbs are connected in series by 2 pieces - 2 at the top and 4 at the bottom. Place the water baths at the bottom of the incubator, and the incubator at the top.

When your incubator is ready, you should test its operation for two to three days.

Set the desired temperature and try to maintain it at all times. It is especially important that the eggs are not overheated.

If the eggs are kept at a temperature of 41 ° for at least 10 minutes, the embryos will die. Flips of trays must be carried out 2-3 times a day.

In order to achieve maximum hatching of chicks, a lot of attention must be paid to the selection and storage of eggs under special conditions. Eggs should be stored lying down.

Storage temperature - no higher than 12 °. Turn them over from time to time. Eggs with a rough or thin shell, irregular shape are discarded.

With the help of an ovoscope, the eggs are examined for the presence of two yolks or an oversized air chamber.

Eggs must not be washed before incubation, as this will compromise their natural defenses.

Differences in incubators for quail eggs

Many poultry farmers are interested in how to make a do-it-yourself quail incubator.

To make a homemade quail incubator, the same materials are used as for chicken incubators. The main difference is the size.

A do-it-yourself quail incubator can be two to three times smaller than a chicken incubator.

If you make a do-it-yourself quail incubator at home, you can make it the same size as chicken ones, only you can fit three times as many eggs in the trays.

If you decide to breed birds at home, then for this purpose you will need an incubator with foam as insulation. It can be used not only to breed chickens, but also other birds. In this article, we will show you how to make a Styrofoam incubator.

What is needed

The first thing to do is decide on the number of eggs that you plan to grow in a Styrofoam incubator. This factor will affect what kind of interior this unit. In the event that more than fifty eggs will be processed at the same time, then you will definitely need to install a fan. Its presence is required for uniform heating of the entire area. If you plan to warm up a small number of eggs, then the installation of this additional unit is not required. The main thing is to correctly place the devices for warming up.

This unit consists of the following parts:

body, with foam insulation;
heating system;
egg trays;
additional devices for humidity and temperature control.

Before starting the assembly process, we recommend making a drawing of the future structure. For the manufacture of the incubator body, you can use different materials... Plywood, chipboard sheets, cardboard boxes, an old refrigerator are perfect for this purpose. Main criterion, according to which the choice of material is made - ensuring proper thermal insulation. You can use felt, foam, batting.

Device

In order to ensure proper ventilation, we make a gap of up to eight centimeters between the wall and the tray. When working with a large incubator, on the foam, which is used as insulation, it will also be necessary to make holes so that carbon dioxide can escape through them. A certain distance should also be between the bottom and the floor, as seen in the photo.

Heating system

Heating elements can be placed in different places of the incubator relative to the trays:

above;
evenly over the entire plane;
at the bottom.

If you make this unit with your own hands, then the best option will be the heating installation from above. It is in this case that the situation of giving off the maximum amount of heat will be achieved. To determine at what distance you need to install them, you should analyze the power of the heater.

Egg tray

The easiest and cheapest way to make a do-it-yourself egg tray. In this case, use wooden planks... The frame is easy to make from metal or nylon mesh, as shown in the video. The cells must be made in such a way that a hen's egg can easily fit in them. The most convenient option is to make a design according to the drawings of the furniture box.

During the operation of the incubator with foam, you will need to constantly turn the eggs over. If in the future you plan to carry out this process yourself, then before it starts, put a cross on one of the sides of the egg.

If you wish, you can make a device for simultaneously flipping the entire tray. To do this, we will make a movable frame without a bottom, with a width of 1-2 mm and a length of 10 cm. Further, cells must be fixed on it at a distance of up to 10 cm.

Additional devices

In order for an individual to develop normally, the incubation process must proceed taking into account all the conditions necessary for this. Control devices will help us with this.

To determine the humidity in an incubator, a psychrometer is used as the main insulation material, in which foam is used. It is sold at any veterinary pharmacy. You can also DIY it. To do this, you need 2 thermometers, which you will need to attach to the board, as seen in the photo. Then one of them is immersed in a bandage, and then in water. Thermometer number two does not need to be immersed in water. Now, to determine how humid the air is, it will be enough to calculate the difference between these two indicators.

In order for the temperature in the incubator to be constant, it is necessary to install a thermostat. It can be an electronic device with a power of no more than three hundred watts. He will have to keep the temperature in the range of 35-40 degrees. The thermostat must be placed in a plastic base. It also needs to be equipped with a temperature control device, a sensor and a load indicator. This device will work continuously.

Advantages

Previously, in order to bring out quails, a bucket was enough and table lamp... Now this method can be considered quite risky. It is better to make the device yourself, because materials such as polystyrene, plywood and iron are not very expensive and generally available.

A self-made incubator has a number of advantages:

the process of breeding chicks can be year-round, and not depend in any way on the season;
there is an opportunity to always check the process - in real conditions you would not be able to do this;
the incubator can be easily moved to a place convenient for you;
low production cost and quick payback.

Let's summarize

If you make a DIY styrofoam incubator, you will get enough cheap way breeding domestic chickens. This unit can be used many times. You can support the resulting offspring yourself, thereby providing yourself and your entire family with a healthy diet. It will also be very profitable to sell the received chicks. That is, a device made of ordinary material can become your home business.

Ravilov V.V. | 2015-03-17

Suppose the gentle March sun awakened in you a craving for an increase in the number of poultry, and there is no desire to tinker with a hacksaw on wood or metal, then you can make an incubator from sheet expanded polystyrene (polystyrene).

We will not reinvent the wheel and discover America, but use the successful experience of our Australian colleague, a craftsman. He independently, with his own hands, in a matter of hours made an incubator of small capacity for chickens and made a photo and video report on his research. So the floor is for Candyman.

I made this incubator out of expanded polystyrene sheets and named it Esilbator, after the hen that laid the eggs for my first egg incubation experiment.

I fastened the cut-to-size incubator walls with adhesive tape to ensure the required strength and tightness.

Fig. 1. Styrofoam incubator

Fig. 2. The incubator is pretty simple.

Incandescent bulbs with a power of 60 watts are used as a heating element in the incubator, and another one, I do not know its power, has worn off the marking.

The temperature in my incubator is controlled by a thermostat industrial production, and the uniformity of heating the eggs is ensured by two fans, one of which is installed at an angle of 45 degrees, and the second pumps heated air from the compartment with the lamps to the compartment with the eggs.

The photo below shows a 60-watt light bulb with a reflector.

Fig. 3. Top view of the finished incubator

Fig. 4. Heating element lamp 60 watt

Second lamp of unknown power

Fig. 5. Auxiliary incubator lamp (watt 40, not more)

The main fan, it pumps the heated air from the heating compartment to the incubation compartment.

Fig. 6. Incubator main fan

Both lamps, in addition to the thermostat, are connected via a dimmer. This simple addition gives me even more control over the temperature, since I do not have central heating at home. When the temperature needs to be increased quickly, I turn on the second lamp and brighten the light.

Fig. 7. Dimmer knob

In the incubator, on both sides, I have installed containers of water. First, it gives the required air humidity. Secondly, the tanks in the water serve as heat accumulators and provide an even distribution of heat, complementing the installed fans. I used regular 80mm PC fans.

I used two conventional thermometers and one digital thermometer / hygrometer to control the temperature and humidity in the incubator.

Fig. 8. Temperature regulators

Fig. 9. Thermometers

Fig. 10. Thermometers

Fig. 11. Thermometers

The eggs, in my incubator, are set in standard, plastic egg trays, which were installed on cardboard rolls with a diameter of 4 cm for easy turning. Yes, I turned the eggs by hand, the incubator was in a hurry.

For hatching chicks and used only fresh eggs. In order not to purchase an ovoscope, the built-in flashlight of the phone was used to see through the eggs.

Fig. 12. Mobile ovoscope

Eggs for day 5.

Fig. 13. Translucidation of eggs on the 5th day

Fig. 14. Translucidation of eggs on the 5th day

Fig. 15. Translucidation of eggs on the 5th day

On the seventh day, the blood ring became clearly visible.

Fig. 16. Translucent eggs on the 7th day

Content:

The desire to receive more and give less is human. But it sometimes leads to the miser pays twice. This postulate can be applied to incubators as well. The poultry farmer really needs it. Big, good and high quality is expensive. For example, the price of an incubator for 300 eggs is 29,000 rubles. And the cheap one can last one season, and even spoil the hatching eggs. So it turns out that savings do not lead to good.

But now for those who are “friendly with technology” and have skillful hands, there is an opportunity to save money and get a reliable (there will be no one to blame) device, very important for the poultry farmer. This is a homemade incubator. On sale there is complete sets for collection, and also sold separately the automation necessary for their improvement.

Requirements for homemade incubators

Before assembling an incubator, you need to know technical conditions that he must provide.

When incubating chicken eggs, the number of continuous days of its work is 21 days.
Eggs are laid out in the incubator at least 10 mm apart
The incubator temperature changes depending on the stage of development of the embryo in the egg.
In automatic mode, the eggs are turned once every hour.
Optimal humidity and ventilation are maintained. Air speed 5 m / s.

Ready-made kits

To facilitate the work and increase the reliability of the future design, it makes sense to purchase a ready-made set of automation for a homemade incubator. For example, such as in the picture below.

It includes:

Thermostat providing automatic visual control for temperature and humidity.
Sensors that scan the temperature and humidity conditions inside the incubator.
Transformer 220/12 V.
Multi-purpose tray with automatic rotation. Either quail or chicken eggs can be placed in it.

The price of this kit is 5,000 rubles. But on the other hand, you can be sure that the incubation process is proceeding correctly. The temperature and humidity correspond to the specified parameters, and the eggs turn on time.

If you are only interested in automatic egg turning, then you can purchase a simpler kit.

This photo shows the overall dimensions of the device. They will tell you how to place it in your future incubator.

This kit consists of the following:

Reversible motor - 14 W, 2.5 rpm;
Sprockets - 1 meter;
Limit switches - 2 pcs;
Mounting bracket;
Connecting wires.

The kit is sold already assembled and configured. It just needs to be connected to the control thermostat. Price - 3990 rubles.

Connecting this device in a homemade incubator looks like it is shown in the diagram.

But the motorized trays must be in some kind of enclosure. And it matters for the incubator. After all, inside it, thermoregulation of air exchange is carried out for the incubation of eggs. Therefore, the insulating qualities of the material from which the incubator will be made are very important.

A great option for a case is an old refrigerator. Its body also has the properties of a thermostat, and the doors close conveniently and securely.

Conversion of the refrigerator into an incubator

Before you start assembling the incubator from the old refrigerator, you need to get rid of unnecessary parts in it and remove the freezer.

To ensure proper air exchange, you need to establish a ventilation system.

Ventilation and humidity

To ensure ventilation, two holes with a diameter of 30 mm are made in the refrigerator case. One is below, the other is above. Tubes are inserted into these holes. By completely or partially covering these openings, you will regulate the air exchange inside the device.

Install the fan on the rubber cushions below. You can use a computer fan. Place a cuvette of water nearby. With the help of the vapors of this water, it will be possible to regulate the humidity in the future incubator. Fasten the heating elements. These can be ordinary incandescent lamps or heating elements.

Air exchange in this case is as follows.

Below the air heats up.
Moistened with water vapor from a cuvette.
The fan drives the air flow upward.
Part of the heat is given off to the hatching eggs;
Part of the air is cooled and blown out.
After cooling, part of the air goes down, while the other enters from the outside through the lower hole.

Heating system

The simplest option heating - these are incandescent lamps with a power of 25 W. Four lamps are taken. Two are installed at the bottom, two at the top. Or you can use more powerful lamps (40 W), but take a smaller number of them (2 pieces). Heating elements can be an alternative to lamps.

Trays and their turning mechanism

You can buy a motorized tray made in China. They are also of high quality, but are cheaper than imported ones. Their kits include:

a frame on which mini-trays with egg cells are installed;
power unit;
low-speed engine, eliminating sudden jerks when starting to move.

These are very handy trays. Their rotation is carried out by a built-in motor, which can be simply connected to the supplied power supply. The full cycle (90 degrees) of rotation of the trays takes two hours.

If you do not want to take advantage of this very convenient solution, you can make the trays yourself. For example, from metal, wood and mesh or any other available material. The main thing is to install them without skewing in the body of a homemade incubator. Fix the pivot shafts for trays with brass bushings or use special bearing supports.

A chain drive can be used as a mechanism for turning the trays. Its connection diagram is shown in the figure above, and how it will look in the installed form in the photo below.

Conclusion

It is worth making an incubator yourself only if you have the skills of plumbing and are “friends” with electrical engineering. Then you will be able to significantly reduce your expenses for the purchase of this product. It won't work at all for free, but you can purchase and install better and more reliable components.

All component parts of this device can be easily purchased. It was written about it above. To control the entire mechanism, you will need to purchase a thermostat. Then apply your skills to plumbing.

As you can see, this type of equipment for the coup is more troublesome than purchasing a mechanized tray. And the price gain is not so obvious.

If you want to buy an egg incubator for yourself, but you do not have money for this apparatus, since this equipment is professional. There are many homemade incubators on the internet, but they are difficult to make and require tons of materials. I'll show you one good idea how to make an incubator with your own hands and not spend a lot of money on its materials. In such an incubator, your chicks will hatch within 21 days.

Required materials and tools:
- foam boxes
- lamp holder
- 4 wooden blocks
- the fabric is breathable
- heat and humidity sensor
- hacksaw for metal
- screws
- knife
- the usual frame with glass from under the photo
- electrical tape or tape
- construction stapler
- water tank

Step 1: First, we need to measure the dimensions of our box. Each size may be different, it depends what kind of box you have.

Step 2: From wooden blocks, you need to make such a frame. The height of the frame should be slightly higher than the height of the container you have chosen for the water.

Step 3: Now take a fabric that allows air to pass through well. We put the fabric on the work surface and cut it off a little with the remainder to stretch it.

Step 4: Next, we stretch the fabric and fasten it to paper clips with a stapler, or whoever does not have it on small nails.

Step 5: Drill a small hole for the chuck in one side of the box. It should be higher than the screen so that the light bulb does not come into contact with it. The power of the light bulb depends on the size of the box. For example, the size of the box is 30 * 25 cm, a 10-40 W light bulb is enough.

Step 6: Next, you need to insert the socket into the hole and screw in the bulb. The light bulb must not come into contact with the foam box.

Step 7: Now you need to cut 2 holes in the wall of the box and 4 more holes in the lids.

Step 8: To observe what is happening in the incubator, you need to make a glass. Cut out a window for glass on the lid.

Step 9: Disassemble the photo frame and secure the glass with electrical tape.

Step 10: Now let's start assembling. Place a container with water on the bottom of the box. Put up the screen. Install the humidity sensor and place the eggs on the cloth. Close the lid.

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