Low Cost Incubator

[Swift Nick]

I am about to build an incubator, it will probably cost £80+ for wood, thermostat, heater & insulation. But more importantly it will take a few days of precious time to build.
I wanted to ask if anyone has any success with sub £100 chicken egg incubators? And if so which one.
I only need to use it a few times per year, and I only want to put cells in it, not the whole frame.
Thanks

 

[Angry_Mob]

I purchased a Brinsea Octagon 10 with turning cradle second hand from flebay a few months ago for £40. I believe its the smallest incubator they do/did. I've had two batches of chicken eggs through it and now its available for queen rearing. It does work as admin has had success with the same model.

That was a preseason purchase and with them in demand the prices have shot up, even so at that price its maybe worth checking gumtree, local ads and ebay etc for a bargain.

 

[Anduril]

You have 6 hives, I use https://www.custompac.co.uk/polysty...csJOkNunSiHJ_iK7DlaiOaw7KOCNBOSIaAhQzEALw_wcB 2 small holes for ventilation at each end and a circle cut out with acrylic glass for observation, a 12v inkbird ITC1000 so that I can use it to transport from the apiary to the house. Then install a couple of 10w heating pads, G4 halogen 12v 10w lightbulb a small 12v fan and a hygrometer. You would have change out of £80 and be able to incubate 20-40 queen cells. I also bought a decent mains to 12v transformer and made up wiring to plug into the car.

 

[Swift Nick]

You have 6 hives, I use https://www.custompac.co.uk/polysty...csJOkNunSiHJ_iK7DlaiOaw7KOCNBOSIaAhQzEALw_wcB 2 small holes for ventilation at each end and a circle cut out with acrylic glass for observation, a 12v inkbird ITC1000 so that I can use it to transport from the apiary to the house. Then install a couple of 10w heating pads, G4 halogen 12v 10w lightbulb a small 12v fan and a hygrometer. You would have change out of £80 and be able to incubate 20-40 queen cells. I also bought a decent mains to 12v transformer and made up wiring to plug into the car.

Looks like this is the route for me, at the moment the eBay prices are high for Brinsea incubators. I have ordered parts today and shall make a wooden box with a Kingspan sandwich, as I have ply and Kingspan lying around.
Please can you tell me where you place the fan, I presume you don’t want it blowing directly on the queen cells, also I have bought a sponge and intend to put that in an ice cream container on a shelf 150mm above the heat mat, is that how you get the humidity? Thanks Nick

 

[Anduril]

I have the the heating pads, bulb and fan attached to the underside of the top lid, the fan is blowing at the dangling heating pads which are 2-3 inches in length, I'm not using a heating mat. The Inkbird ITC 1000 sits on top of the lid, inside an electronic project enclosure case. Small ice cream container on the floor.

 

[Swift Nick]

I have the the heating pads, bulb and fan attached to the underside of the top lid, the fan is blowing at the dangling heating pads which are 2-3 inches in length, I'm not using a heating mat. The Inkbird ITC 1000 sits on top of the lid, inside an electronic project enclosure case. Small ice cream container on the floor.

Thanks for the info, good point ref the Inkbird in an enclosure case, especially as I am going down the 240v route, as my apiary is at home, so no real distance from where the incubator will be.