Build an incubator for chicks yourself

What you need:

• Cardboard boxes
• Wire mesh
• Paper or styrofoam
• Water basin
• thermometer
• Hydrometer
• lamp
• Scissors, knives
• Wire knife
• Glue

How to plan the construction of the incubator

• Plan how large the incubator will be. This is mainly based on the number of eggs to be hatched. Note that the temperature is easier to regulate in a smaller device.
• Think about what material you want to build the box from. It is possible to use wood or cardboard boxes for this. The accessories are easy to obtain and easy to work with.
• Note that a wooden incubator is more stable and can therefore be used more often than a cardboard incubator. In contrast, the costs for timber construction are higher.

How to build the apparatus out of cardboard

1. Buy two boxes of different sizes for the cardboard incubator, e.g. 22 x 18 x 12 cm, here called A, and 24 x 20 x 10 cm for the B box. It is advantageous to purchase cardboard packaging from a supplier who has all the cardboard dimensions in stock and you do not have to look for suitable, used boxes.
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2. Cut off the upper parts of both cardboard boxes that are intended for closing the box. On the A-box, mark an edge of 2 cm on the upper side parts, score the lines with a knife and fold the strips to the inside.


Incubator - Instructions

If you want to hatch eggs yourself, you don't need an expensive ...

3. Put the B-box into the A-part and fill the gaps with paper or styrofoam as insulation. Glue the folded strips from the larger cardboard onto the edge of the smaller one to ensure stability.
4. Use metal scissors to cut the mesh wire. Note that the length and width also take into account the height of the water tank, and bend the edges at the height of the basin.
5. Place the water basin in the box and cover it with the grid frame. Insert the probe from the thermometer so that it will be near the eggs and install a hydrometer. The two measured values ​​are particularly important for incubation.
6. Cover the incubator with a glass plate and hang a light bulb over it to heat the container. The suspension should be adjustable to regulate the temperature.