Do-it-yourself quail egg incubator: how to make, types and selection rules

Making an incubator for quail eggs is a profitable and affordable business for everyone. You can assemble it with your own hands from improvised means, the main thing is to know the basic subtleties of the process. This adaptation makes it possible to obtain young animals at low financial costs. Given that adults have practically no parental instinct, only a well-equipped incubator can help in breeding quails.

What is an incubator for

One of the advantages of quails is their compact size, you can keep them in a small area in large numbers.But for breeding a particular population, often the natural offspring is not enough. In addition, one female is not able to sit out more than 12-15 pieces. There are situations when a quail completely refuses to hatch them.

To successfully breed quails at home, you need to have a hermetically made box, a box - an incubator. It must have a sufficiently thick thermal insulation layer, an efficient heating system and egg containers. With a competent approach, all the conditions for the normal growth of a new generation should be organized in the incubator.

There is a huge range of ready-made quail incubators on the market. But their cost is not small. To reduce costs, such a device can be easily assembled according to ready-made drawings and using available materials.

Basic Requirements

A self-made incubator can fully provide the eggs with a comfortable microclimate if it meets certain standards.For quails, the temperature regime in the box is very important, deviations are permissible in terms of only 0.1 degrees (+ or -). It is important to install an accurate thermometer in the incubator; it can be ready-made, purchased in a store, or made at home. In addition, in a home-made house for future chicks there should not be any gaps, crevices, heat should be stored inside, and not go outside.

In an incubator made from improvised materials, conditions should be organized as close as possible to natural ones. This applies not only to indicators of air temperature, but also to the level of humidity. To install the device, you will need experience in working with electronics and a soldering iron. In addition, the incubator should have a special egg rack.

Varieties of incubators

Before you go to the store for a quail hatcher, you should learn more about the most common models.Often, owners use boxes designed for large poultry to breed young quails. Only instead of a coarse mesh, a fine mesh is used.

In addition to some models, there are special containers, trays for small egg products. So, no need to be upset if the incubator you like is not equipped with suitable trays, you can buy them separately.

There are three groups of devices on sale, distinguished from each other by flipping eggs:

1. Handmade, attracting consumers with an affordable price. But there is one drawback - the need for human participation. Quail eggs will need to be turned on their own periodically.
2. Mechanical, easy to use. A mechanical type handle is provided here.
3. Automatic, allowing the owner not to participate in the coup of eggs. All actions are performed automatically after a certain period of time.

Regarding the cost, the difference between all positions is not very significant. If possible, then preference should be given to automatic type incubators.

Selection rules

When buying an incubator, you should pay attention to the case. If it is made of wood or plastic, then the temperature during the incubation process will be distributed unevenly. In such conditions, the eggs will not be able to fully develop.

This also applies to heating elements. The entire available area should be evenly heated, and not its individual parts. The drawer must have a temperature regulator with a range of 35-40 degrees.

How to make an incubator with your own hands

To make a homemade house for new young animals, you can use various improvised means. The main thing is to take care of an efficient heating, lighting and ventilation system.

From a wooden box

Wood is the most affordable material in the household. Suitable here and sheets of plywood, and OSB boards, boards. For a homemade incubator you will need:

• ready wooden box;
• plywood/styrofoam/any heat insulator;
• wooden logs (3 pcs.);
• water tanks (2 pcs.);
• mesh fine mesh;
• retainer rails;
• heater resistors PEV-100, 300 Ohm (2 pcs.);
• incandescent lamps (power 40 W);
• wire in heat-resistant insulation.

The algorithm for assembling the incubator provides:

• Sheathing the walls of the box with sheets of plywood, foam plastic.

• Making a viewing window in the lid of the box. In the future, it will need to be glazed.

• Installation in each corner of the lighting box. Wiring costs 20 cm from the cover.

• Pulling a fine mesh onto a metal frame. After that, place the resulting structure 10 cm above the bottom of the box.

• Installing a fan, thermostat and thermometer.

• Place water containers on the floor in a box.

From a non-working refrigerator

An ordinary household refrigerator is quite suitable for breeding quails. To convert it, you need to do a few simple manipulations. Among which:

• Replace shelves with trays.

• Insulate the walls with foam. Mount the fan, install the lamps and thermostat.

• Place at the bottom of the water container.

From a foam box

Polyfoam is an affordable and easy-to-use material. With a skillful approach, you can make a home incubator in a short time. The following scheme is followed here:

• Assemble a box of foam, pasting the seams with tape, and inside with foil.

• In the lid make a viewing window.

• Install inside the incandescent lamp. On the sides of the box, drill 3 holes with a diameter of 12 mm for air circulation.

• Install the thermostat, fixing the sensor inside at a height of 1 cm from the egg tray. Also mount a fan, insert containers for eggs and place a bowl of water on the bottom.

From a plastic bucket

A small "house" for future chicks can be made from a bucket. The technology here is simple. It is enough to follow the basic assembly principles:

• In the lid make a window.

• Install a pair of incandescent bulbs from the inside.

• In the middle of the container, place the tray, stepping back 70-80 mm from the bottom, drill holes for ventilation.

• Set a bowl of water at the bottom.

Quail incubator - a device that allows you to bring out a sufficient number of chicks at home without financial costs. You can make it yourself, using available materials and tools.

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