Incubator from the refrigerator do it yourself - drawings and video instructions

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Not every poultry farmer, especially a beginner, can afford to buy a factory incubator. Therefore, most often looking for more affordable options, including devices made by yourself. In fact, it is not difficult to make an incubator with your own hands; you just need to know the requirements and characteristics that it should possess, as well as the manufacturing process itself.

The advantages of such incubators

In general, the devices of their own production are not without virtues, among them are:

specialty stores offer a variety of models of automatic incubators with a lever system for turning eggs, but all of them are characterized by a rather high cost,
foam products are often of low quality and not long service life,
factory models with automatic egg flipping are characterized by a limited number due to the special features of the one-story design of the slide mechanism,
often store-bought products for incubating poultry eggs have an unimportant design for turning eggs with a movable wire mesh,
many farmers have a domestic refrigerator that is out of time, which is a pity to throw out and can be used in poultry farming,
some manufacturers tried to start mass production of cheaper egg incubators that you can assemble yourself. However, the consumer was frightened away by the complexity of the instructions for collecting the lever system for flipping trays with testicles.

All these factors determine the wide popularity of incubators with an automatic mechanism for turning the incubation material, made by the hands of craftsmen from a box or domestic refrigerator.

Incubator from the old refrigerator do it yourself

This method is considered fairly simple to make their own hands, and it uses quite a few craftsmen. In order to make an incubator - it is necessary to have a refrigerator that is already old and unfit for anyone. It does not matter what model it is or year of production, as long as it does not have mechanical damage to the walls and plating. It is important for us that it retains its insulating properties.

Tools and materials

refrigerator (without freezer),
thermostat,
4 100 watt bulbs,
convenient trays or grids for placing eggs,
drill, tape, screwdrivers.

Step-by-step instruction

Such an incubator from the refrigerator, made by hand, will be in a horizontal position, naturally, with the door up. Therefore, we remove all shelves from the refrigerator, since they will not be needed.

First, in the door of the refrigerator, you need to cut a small hole (about the size of a box of matches) for air circulation. Outside, the thermostat is attached to it with the help of an adhesive tape, and a temperature recording sensor is output through an inward hole.
A sheet of plywood is installed on the back side of the door, on which 4 cartridges with wiring are mounted and 100 W bulbs are screwed in. The connection diagram of the thermostat is attached. It makes a hole corresponding to the hole in the door. Yellow is the thermal sensor board, green is regulating resistors.
At the bottom of the incubator, it is the back wall of the former refrigerator, put a small container with water to humidify the air.
Over this capacity with their own hands set the grid for eggs, so as not to get wet and be at some distance above the water.

Option number 2. Incubator from the refrigerator do-it-yourself instruction

In this method, you can use the refrigerator freezer as a hatchery, which will significantly increase the survival of young. It will stand upright, as usual, and stands a refrigerator.

Tools and materials

old fridge
small pieces of hardboard,
metal rod 6 cm in diameter,
welding machine,
thermometer and thermistor,
spatula, glue, drill,
a fan with a motor and a tubular electric heater (if there are more than 50 eggs).

How to make an incubator out of the refrigerator with your own hands: step by step instructions

The first thing you need to get rid of all kinds of shelves, cells and irregularities on the inner surface of the refrigerator, and close the cracks and openings tightly with pieces of fiberboard.
After that, you can do the placement of the thermometer with a thermostat. They are mounted in two holes made in the upper part of the case.
Depending on the estimated number of eggs you need to calculate the number of slots. Trays can be made with your own hands from the frame, welded from a metal twig and wrapped with a net. Which one doesn’t matter, some even use fishing. They are installed in place of the shelves of the refrigerator in the same grooves or fastened with screws to the walls. One of the options for manufacturing trays can be found in the video.
For improved air circulation, you need to equip the fan. Its engine is mounted on the back wall, and a tubular electric heater is installed around its blades. Thus, it is achieved that the heat is evenly distributed throughout the volume of the incubator. The connection diagram of the thermostat is shown above.
A water tank is installed at the bottom to maintain the humidity level.

Scheme of the incubator from the refrigerator

What requirements must meet the homemade incubator

To carry out a competent assembly of a homemade incubator, you need to know the requirements that poultry breeders place on them.

Until the time of hatching, the young should take about 10 days. During this period, eggs should be stored at a distance of 1 - 2 cm at a temperature of 37.3 - 38.6 degrees. The degree of humidity of the air at the moment when the first chick pecks the shell, should be 40 - 60%, in the process of hatching it rises to 80%. Moisture drops again before picking chicks.

Eggs can be placed in this unit in two ways. During the hatching of young geese and ducks, the angle of inclination should be 90 degrees. If the eggs are horizontally, then from the point of their location should be moved at an angle of 180 degrees. During the day they need to be rotated at least 3 times. Before the very naklyov, namely a few days before the withdrawal of chicks - the movement of eggs in trays should stop.

For a functional and durable domestic incubator, it is necessary to create an artificial ventilation system. By means of ventilation, the temperature and humidity levels are regulated. Ventilation speed should be 5-6 meters per second.

The incubator from the refrigerator, made according to its own drawings, is intended to become a device in which the incubation process repeats the natural one as much as possible.

The main conditions of incubation

The optimal temperature for quail output at home +37 degrees Celsius

Before proceeding to the description of the design, I would like to write a couple of lines about the conditions that need to be created in the incubator:

The number of days from bookmark to withdrawal should be 20–21 days.
The distance between the eggs in the incubator should be 10–20 mm.
It is necessary to provide a certain air temperature throughout the incubation, depending on the period.
Eggs in the cells are placed vertically, narrow side down, or spread horizontally. Placing the eggs vertically, trays for the convenience of their coup is better to set at an angle of 45 degrees.
When the eggs are horizontal, they should be turned over 180 degrees from the initial position. In automatic mode, the eggs are turned once an hour. In manual, at least three times a day, but preferably every 3 hours. About three days before the end of the incubation, the eggs are turned over.
It is very important to create a good air circulation. The optimum is the circulation at a speed of 5 m / s.

Circulation of warm air inside the incubator will provide a fan

Horizontal way

Homemade horizontal incubator

Simple and common design that does not require much effort. The main requirement is the presence of a refrigerator with a whole plating and thermal insulation.

a refrigerator (if you have a freezer, you need to remove it),
4 100 W bulbs,
thermostat,
drill,
trays,
Scotch,
screwdriver.

Step by step description of the stages of work:

First of all, in the door we make a small hole (about 5x5 cm) for ventilation and start-up inside the sensors of the thermostat, which is mounted next to the hole on the tape. You can purchase a ready-made thermostat, or you can make it yourself. How to make a thermostat for the incubator with your own hands, this article tells in detail.
From the inside we fasten a sheet of plywood, on which we install four bullets for bulbs. The same hole is cut in the plywood as in the door.
At the bottom of the incubator is placed a container with water to humidify the air.
Over capacity install tray for eggs.

Vertical way

Homemade vertical incubator

fridge,
welding,
metal wire with a diameter of 6 mm,
sheets of hardboard,
thermistor, thermometer,
drill,
glue, spatula,
fan for additional ventilation and uniform heat distribution (if you plan to place more than 50 eggs, then you will need a fan.

Step by step description of the stages of work:

First of all, we get rid of shelves and irregularities inside the refrigerator and close the cracks arising from this gap using a sheet of fiberboard.
In the case of the incubator (above) we make two holes in which we mount the thermostat and thermometer.
We make a framework for trays from a bar and tie it up with a wire net. We fix trays in the case of the refrigerator.
On the back wall fasten the fan with a heating element, in the role of which simple light bulbs or a tubular heater can act.
At the bottom of the incubator is also installed a container of water.

The main disadvantage of this design is the lack of automation. You have to turn a large number of eggs by hand. An incubator with an automatic egg flip has a more complex structure than the construction described above, but at the same time performs a flip of eggs without human intervention.

Automatic egg flip in incubator tray

And in the next article you will be able to get acquainted with the model range of the Blitz incubator.

Semi-automatic way

Incubator with semi-automatic egg flipping

The most difficult of the presented options, however allows to save time and gives the chance to increase productivity.

fridge,
self-tapping screws
trays,
metal racks,
a heating element,
fan,
metal axes, as many trays,
thermostat,
sinker,
plank with holes for the axis,
pin,
water tank
screwdriver and drill,
breathing tubes with a diameter of 30 mm 2 pcs.

Step by step description of the stages of work:

Section freezer grinder cut.
In the center of the side walls of the refrigerator with screws, fasten the strips with holes for the axis.
Through the middle of the trays pass through the axles, which are inserted into the slats in such a way that the trays are fixed between the slats.
Another metal strap is attached to the trays on the side closer to the front of the trays, combining them into a single structure. We attach the load to the lower part of the plank, and bring the upper one up through the pre-drilled hole. Now pulling this bar up or down, we turn all the trays at once. To fix the strap in the upper position, it is enough to drill a small hole in it, and fix it by inserting a cotter pin into it.
Mount the breathing tubes in one of the side walls, in the upper part and below, at a height of about 1/3 of the refrigerator.
In the lower part we have four 100 W lamps and a thermostat.
The fan is installed so that the air flow, passing through the bulbs heats the eggs.
At the bottom of the finished incubator installed water tank.

Egg incubation process

The semi-automatic production of an incubator will save you time and allow you to incubate a large number of eggs at once without additional labor costs.

From this video You will learn how to make an incubator from the refrigerator with your own hands:

Device requirements

To carry out a competent assembly of a homemade incubator, you need to know the requirements that poultry breeders place on them.

Diagram of the incubation device from the refrigerator

The incubator from the refrigerator, made according to its own drawings, is intended to become a device in which the incubation process repeats the natural one as much as possible.

There are three ways to assemble such an incubator.

A horizontal model requires a fridge with a full skin and good thermal insulation. 4 light bulbs of 100 W each, a thermostat, a drill, trays, a screwdriver and a scotch are useful. The incubator will be located door down, all the shelves should be removed as unnecessary.

The vertical way is more labor intensive. It will require welding, sheets of fiberboard, metal wire, thermistor, thermometer, drill, glue, spatula, fan. The disadvantage of the design can be called the lack of automation.

Semi-automatic method is the most difficult, but allows you to increase productivity. To create such a device, you need to take screws, trays, a heating element, metal racks, a fan, metal axes, a temperature controller, a sinker, a bar with holes for the axes, a pin, a container for liquid, a drill, a screwdriver, breathing tubes (2 pieces with a diameter of 30 mm) .

Video "How to turn a refrigerator into an incubator"

More about the manufacture of such a device will tell the video. We offer you a step-by-step instruction to help you make an incubator out of the old refrigerator.

Many farmers who do not have enough practical experience do not know where to start. After reading this article to the end, you will understand how to make an incubator out of the refrigerator.

So, an old broken apparatus is taken, parts should be removed from it. You will need an electrocontact thermometer and relay KR-6. The permissible power of the installed coil in the device is not more than 1 W. The design is connected to the network and include 4 lamps. They increase the temperature to 38 degrees. After the initial warm-up of the eggs, the optimum air regime will be maintained with the help of several lamps.

Do not forget to reduce the frequency of operation of the contactor-relay. The finished design should not consume more than 40 watts. You can do without a fan, relying on the natural air circulation, and roll the eggs manually, but it is better to immediately equip the homemade device with all the functions for your own comfort.

In the role of the frame is able to make packaging from under the TV. Inside the framework it is necessary to firmly strengthen, taking for this reinforcement and slats. There are also installed 4 cartridges where the lamps will be screwed. They have a relatively low power and are used to warm and moisten the eggs. In order to observe the precautionary measures and prevent fire, it is recommended to take cartridges from porcelain.

As a humidifier, in order to create optimal conditions for incubation, craftsmen often use a jar in which the eggs do not overheat and normal evaporation is achieved. The distance from the lamp to the eggs should be at least 19 cm, and in the place under the grate - about 15 cm. The masters have adapted to use a simple thermometer as a temperature controller. To the outer wall should be attached to the bath, and she herself should be removable and normally inserted back.

To be able to control the process of incubation at home, 8 to 12 cm holes are made in the surface of the lid of the device.

The process of creating such a device according to your drawings can be seen in more detail in the video.

How to make shelves

If you plan to create a homemade incubator from the refrigerator, designed for 50 chicken eggs, then you will need to install lattice shelves in the machine. It is done this way. Immediately above the tray is placed the bottom shelf, after about 13 cm - the middle one, and the top one should be placed at a distance of 30 cm.

On the bottom shelf, a pair of plates having a diameter of 20 cm is usually installed. Disposable dishes are quite suitable for this. On the middle shelf there will be a flooring from a grid, on the top - a ten, which is connected to the thermostat. Тен размещают вдоль переднего края полки, отступив около 5 см.To the temperature in the incubator is distributed evenly, put a metal plate on the ten.

In an incubator with several trays, designed to accommodate 200 or more eggs, trellised shelves are put in full. It is permissible to remove the freezer from the depths of the refrigerator, which would allow an increase in the number of trays. Installing shelves in such a device is no different from installing in an incubator with one tray. Remember that in a homemade device it is not advised to fill the trays completely, it is necessary to leave free space so that the eggs can freely roll up to 6 times a day every 3 hours 180 degrees.

The process of creating shelves with trays for the incubator can be seen on the video.

Upper body

The upper case of the incubator must be laid grid. A pair of 40-watt light bulbs should be installed in this part of the unit.

Craftsmen often use existing or already unnecessary hives. To avoid falling into the bees, it is advised to lay a metal grid with small-diameter cells on the frames. Above the net, where the first layer of hatching eggs is placed, a liner is placed, which must be covered with sackcloth or another dense fabric. Now about 50 chicken eggs or 24 to 26 eggs of goose eggs will fit in the upper case.

In order to give the body of the incubator rigidity, it is advised to attach a pair of boards, it is best to use oak. In the upper part of them need to connect with the help of bars, and then nailed nails. The boards in the upper part must be bolted to the support frame, which was welded from a metal corner. It should have holes for flanges that will be attached to the body and board with bolts. The axle must be mounted on a bearing attached to the center of the flange.

Threaded sleeves are attached to the lower and upper frame by welding. In the field of fasteners cuts are made, which will not allow the frame to turn over. To connect the frames, they use a rod with holes that allow the bolt to move easily. In the upper parts of the cable is inserted with a cross section of 3 mm. It is mounted on the motor shaft, which in turn is attached to the frame. Leave a pair of holes in the top of the case for the thermistor and thermometer.

It is recommended to use fiberglass as insulation inside the enclosure. Insulating rings will need to be inserted into the vents so that the glass wool does not clog the airways of the babies in the future. To make their own rings, many poultry farmers from experience advised to use a pipe made of plastic.

Video "Incubator from the unnecessary refrigerator"

How to make an incubator at home from an unnecessary refrigerator in the household will be explained in detail by the author of this video based on his own experience.

Step-by-step instruction

First, in the door of the refrigerator, you need to cut a small hole (about the size of a box of matches) for air circulation. Outside, the thermostat is attached to it with the help of an adhesive tape, and a temperature recording sensor is output through an inward hole.
A sheet of plywood is installed on the back side of the door, on which 4 cartridges with wiring are mounted and 100 W bulbs are screwed in. The connection diagram of the thermostat is attached. It makes a hole corresponding to the hole in the door.

Incubator circuit from the refrigerator. Yellow is the thermal sensor board, green is regulating resistors.

At the bottom of the incubator, it is the back wall of the former refrigerator, put a small container with water to humidify the air.
Over this capacity with their own hands set the grid for eggs, so as not to get wet and be at some distance above the water.

In order not to get confused when and which eggs to turn, the only option is to make a mark with a marker or marker. It is also worth remembering that depending on the length of the incubation period and the type of eggs, certain conditions must be observed. For example, cool eggs, do not exceed the humidity and so on.

Homemade horizontal incubator

In this method, you can use the refrigerator freezer as a hatchery, which will significantly increase the survival of young. It will stand upright, as usual, and stands a refrigerator.

Basic requirements for homemade incubator from the refrigerator

Perhaps the main advantage of an incubator from a domestic refrigeration unit is its thermal insulation. For proper operation of both the factory refrigerator and the homemade incubator, this is undoubtedly an important thing.. Before proceeding to the design such a device, you first need to decide how many eggs will be placed there. Poultry farmers who have just begun to learn this craft are usually limited to 50 pieces.

Using the incubator from the refrigerator, you must comply with the following requirements:

Eggs must be kept in an incubator for at least ten days. Rearing chicks at an earlier date is extremely rare.
During the entire period that the eggs will be stored in the incubation chamber, the distance between them should be about 1.5–2 cm.
Within ten days, the temperature is maintained at around 37.5 - 38.5 degrees.
During egg laying, the humidity in the device should be around 45–60%. Later, when the chicks begin to hatch from the shell, humidity should be increased to 80%. When selecting chicks, the humidity is again lowered.
When the eggs are in a vertical plane, the sharp tips turn down or position horizontally. If the eggs in the tray lie vertically, then they should be at a 45 degree angle.
Those wishing to breed chicks ducks or geese should have eggs in the incubator at right angles. Eggs located in the horizontal plane are inverted at an angle of 180 degrees, depending on the initial position. It is recommended to make such a turn every 60 minutes, but at least once every two hours.
Noticing that the chicks begin to break out of the eggs (usually this happens 2-3 days before hatching), it is better not to touch the eggs.
Ventilation plays an important role in the incubation device. Thanks to it, temperature and humidity inside the incubator are regulated. The optimal fan speed is 5–6 meters per second.
Artificial incubation conditions should be as close as possible to the natural environment of hatching.

Variants of making an incubator from the refrigerator with your own hands

Broken or unnecessary refrigerator not necessarily immediately sent to landfill. From it they take out the old freezer and other unnecessary details, keeping in mind that the device will still need to be connected to the electrical network in the future. The structure consisting of a contactor-relay KR-6 and an electrocontact thermometer is connected to the network. At the same time, the resistance power of the coil coils should not be more than one watt.

Include lamp L1, L2, L3, L4. They are required to raise the temperature inside the constructed device to the maximum permissible level. Coil KR-6, included in the grid, will open the contacts KR2. When the temperature drops, the process goes in the second circle. Lamps L5 evenly warm all the eggs, maintaining optimum humidity. The air temperature should continue to be maintained by several lamps. It is extremely important to achieve the maximum decrease in the response frequency of the RC. The indicator should not consume more than 40 W. Power outages are inevitabletherefore, in emergency situations, instead of lamps, you can use dishes where hot water is poured.

How to make a horizontal incubator out of the fridge?

This is the simplest model of an incubator that you can do yourself at home. According to statistics, it is this design that is most often operated by home craftsmen. First of all, need to get unnecessary refrigerator any brand. The main thing is that it has preserved the lining, otherwise the insulating characteristics can seriously suffer.

List of necessary materials and tools:

Fasteners.
Electric drill.
Thermostat, thermometer.
Duct tape.
Egg trays or grids.
Plywood sheet.

Cut a small hole in the door of the refrigerator (no more than a matchbox).
Using adhesive tape, fix the thermostat. A temperature recording sensor is output through the hole.
On the inside of the door install a thin sheet of plywood. The electric wiring and four bullets are fastened to it, where the bulbs are screwed. Make a hole in the plywood sheet so that it coincides with the hole in the door.
Place a container with water at the bottom of the incubator (the back wall of the refrigerator) so that the air can be moistened.
To prevent the eggs from getting wet, a grid is mounted above the tank.
The incubation unit is ready. Selected eggs are prepared before loading. Constantly maintain the desired temperature and humidity. Every day, irrigate the eggs with water to establish the optimum percentage of moisture.

How to make a vertical incubator from the refrigerator?

With this method of manufacturing, the freezer can be used as a hatchery, which, of course, increases chick survival. Required materials and tools:

Several small cuts of fiberboard.
Metal rod.
Fasteners.
Apparatus for welding.
Thermometer and thermistor.
Electric drill.
Fan.
Water tank.

Procedure:

First, you should remove all kinds of shelves, cells and irregularities on the inner walls of the refrigerator. If there are cracks, cracks and holes, then they are closed with pieces of hardboard.
Next, proceed to the installation of instruments for measuring and regulating the temperature. Thermometer and temperature controller are mounted in two holes drilled in the upper area of the housing.
Considering how many eggs will be stored in the incubator, calculate the number of slots.
As trays, you can use a frame welded from a metal rod that is wrapped with a net. Even the fishing net will do. Trays set the same place where previously there were shelves of the refrigerator. If they do not fall into the existing grooves, they are attached to the walls with screws.
Good air circulation is possible only with a fan. Uniform distribution of heat throughout the entire incubation space is achieved by installing an electric heater around the cooler blades.
Place a container with water on the bottom.

The main disadvantage of this designSelf-made, is the lack of an automated mechanism for irrigation and turning eggs. All this will have to do manually.

Semi-automatic incubator from the refrigerator with his own hands

This method of manufacture is the most difficult, but a homemade incubator will differ in increased productivity. To create an incubation chamber from the refrigerator, you will need:

Fasteners in the form of screws and screws.
Electric drill.
Bulgarian.
Screwdriver.
Trays under the eggs.
A heating element.
Racks from strong material.
Breathing tube
Fan.
Plank, with holes made under the axis.
Axis of metal.
Thermostatic device.
Sinker.
Metal pin.
Capacity for liquid.

The process of making semi-automatic incubator from the refrigerator for a newbie may seem rather complicated. Before work should be familiar with the drawings.

Section of the freezer compartment is eliminated with the help of the grinder.
In the rear wall of the device (the central part) and near the door insert racks with holes made. They must be strictly opposite each other. Fix them with screws at the top and bottom.
In the trays with eggs in the center are mounted iron axles, the diameter of which is 7–8 mm. The end of each axis is inserted into the hole in the rack. It should be that the trays are between the racks.
The bar is attached to the front of the trays using screws. It is important to leave a small gap. A load (0.5 kg) is attached to the metal bar. In the upper wall of the refrigerator, a hole is drilled by a drill, from where a plank will be pulled out.
The pin is pushed into the hole located at the bottom of the free end of the strap. It is needed in order to keep the bar and not allow it to move inward under the influence of the load.
Drill two holes for breathing tubes. One is made in the upper part of the side wall, and the other is slightly below the middle of the height of the household appliance.
Determine the boundary of the lower third of the height of the back surface of the refrigerator. At this level, fixed 4 incandescent bulbs of 100 watts. Connect the thermostat.
The cooler from the personal computer is fixed in such a way that the outflow of air from it passes through the heaters, leaving the eggs warm.
Place a container with water on the bottom to provide the required level of humidity.

The procedure for turning the eggs is carried out by removing the stop pin and raising or lowering the bar, which is fixed by means of a pin in the next hole. The tray will change the angle and eggs can warm up from the other side. This is very effective for large incubators, as it saves time on labeling and turning over a large number of eggs.