Make your own incubator
Arid Land Information Network
How to make it
Make some holes on the front door A to facilitate airflow, the holes should be on the side of the
lamp. The metallic reservoir is made to keep the place hot incase the lamp goes off. The reservoir
must not be too heavy because the angle blocks hold it. Separate the incubator length into 3
sections so that the lamp can take up a 1/3 of the space and put the grilled shelves in the
remaining space.
How to use it
Use only those eggs that were laid 2-5 days before. Before the start of the operation,
o Close the holes on the front door with wet cotton and
o Remove the cotton when the chamber is hot.
o Heat the incubator with up to 36 or 38 degree.
o Keep the eggs in a way that the sharper edge points downwards.
The operating temperatures and activities are as described in the chart.
Follow the activities described in the chart below:
Days
Temperatures
Activities
From 1st to 7th day
380 to 390
Turn the eggs 3 to 5 times
a day
From 8th to 10th
380 to 390
Turn the eggs 3 to 5 times
a day and perform a mirage
test to remove the bad eggs
dayFrom 11th to 12th day
390 to 400
Turn the eggs 3 to 5 times
a day
From 13th to 19th day
390 to 400
Turn the eggs 3 to 5 times
a day
From 20th to 21st day
390 to 400
Put some papers on the
grill to prevent the chicks
from falling through it
Put a different mark on the two sides of the egg in order to know if you have turned all the eggs.
If the eggs are not turned as required they will be less fertile and you will get fewer chicks.
Mirage test
Make a box with a small hole from
cardboard. Put a strong source of light
e.g. lamp or an electric bulb in it. Put
an egg in front of the source of light to
see how the embryo is developing. A
good egg will have a dark spot followed
by lines (veins) spreading across the
whole egg. Check the temperature
regularly and change the intensity of
the light according to your needs.
Ensure that the thermometer is put on
the lower shelf. The number of chicks
from this incubator depends on the
number of eggs and care in handling
the incubator.
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