The Poultry Keeper

lwescott · Joined: 19 Jul 2008 Posts: 3 Location: Birmingham

I have decided that I want to make an incubator to hatch some quail, and I started off wanting to use a wooden box, but as I have been reading it I have got more and more confused.
Has anyone made one themselves and was it a wooden one or an aquarium or a cool box or a polystyrene box and if so which was most successful?

I am going to use a lightbulb on a dimmer so that I can change the temperature. I already have a digital thermometer, but I need to buy a Hygrometer.
I started off planning to use a computer fan to circulate the air, but a few people have said it will cause humidity promlems. Should I use a fan?

CP · Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 3:42 pm Post subject:

There's a couple of members who have made their own ones but can't remember who just at the moment! Rolling Eyes

Try doing a search. Wink

newby · Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Posts: 147 Location: Dordogne

We made one recently instructions from www.homemadeincubator.co.uk
its from a couple of polystyrene boxes stuck to make them taller instructions are brilliant. Hygrometer from www.thermometersdirect.co.uk had a few hiccups at first but keeps its temp brilliantly. Hatching due in 10 days, but looks good.

lwescott · Joined: 19 Jul 2008 Posts: 3 Location: Birmingham

It will be made of wood, is it a good idea to coat it with something after it has been finished to keep in humidity etc?

newby · Joined: 11 Feb 2008 Posts: 147 Location: Dordogne

Suspect wood isn't thermal enough. get some thin poly sheets,they stick with a bit of cement, they'll keep in the heat and humidity. Ours keeps the temperature steady, and the humidity too, and it was free. Laughing

strangey · Joined: 16 Jun 2008 Posts: 71 Location: Cumbria

I found this site might be of use

http://www.the-testament-of-truth.co.uk/web/incubat.htm

Sylvia · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:59 am Post subject:

Quite an interesting read, 2 things they do say that I think most people will disagree with are, newspaper and sawdust in the brooder. Newspaper is much too slippy and can cause splayed legs, as I found to my cost. Sawdust, when it gets wet/dirty, adheres to the chicks feet and sets like concrete, much better to use corrugated coardboard (thanks Mojo) or wood shavings.
I am sure others will be along to suggest other flooring much more suitable than the newspaper and sawdust.

mojo · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 5:11 pm Post subject:

after years of trying to eliminate splay legs and twisted toes...........only corragated cardboard for me for ages and ages now also use shower mat materiel which is wash and disinfectant freindly . in my small brooders.......and the advantage of cardboard is it it burns any germs

kated · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 2089 Location: norfolk

I use old tea towels to start but at about a week I put in newspaper. Their legs have strengthened by then and newspaper provides them with new things to look at - they're always attracted to the coloured adverts and whenever the new sheet goes in, they all bather like mad on the smooth shiny surface.

mojo · Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 9:15 pm Post subject:

you must take a better class of paper than Le Monde