How to Make an Incubator With a Container

Instead of eating eggs, make chicks from them.

People have always wondered whether the chicken or egg came first. If you make an incubator, the egg always comes before the chicken. Incubators can be made with containers. The best types of containers are coolers. Despite its name, coolers are efficient at containing a constant temperature. This is needed to provide a similar environment to a nesting hen. Styrofoam containers offer an inexpensive and easy method.

Things You'll Need

• Styrofoam container
• Styrofoam container lid
• Digital heater
• Marker
• Pencil
• Plastic cup
• Thermometer
• Super glue

Instructions

1. Place the lid of the styrofoam container with the inside facing toward you.

2. Place the digital heater in the middle of the lid. Draw the outline of the digital heater using a marker. This marks the place where the digital heater will be mounted.

3. Take the digital heater off the lid.

4. Poke a hole in the center of the outline using a pencil.

5. Place the digital heater onto the inside of the lid. Pull the electrical cord of the digital heater through the hole in the lid.

6. Pull the electrical cord away from the lid until the digital heater makes contact with the inside of the lid.

7. Tape the exposed electrical cord to the outside of the lid using duct tape. Wind the duct tape around the electrical cord. Tape the remaining duct tape to the outside of the lid. This secures the digital heater in place.

8. Glue a small thermometer to the bottom of the container, directly under the digital heater.

9. Provide the eggs with the necessary humidity by pouring 1/2 cup of water into a plastic cup. Place the cup in the corner of the incubator.

10. Place the eggs in the container and close the lid. Plug in the digital heater to start the incubation of your eggs.

Tips & Warnings

• Digital heaters are available at your local hardware store.

• Use the thermometer to measure the temperature of the incubator.

• Cover the incubator with a blanket. Keep it away from sunlight.

References

• Stanford University; Incubation: Heating Egg; Paul R. Ehrlich, et al.; 1988

Resources

• University of Georgia; Eggs Came Millions of Years Before Chickens; Whit Gibbons; October 2008
• Clemson University; Incubating Eggs of Domestic Birds; October 1996