Dual Incubator/Brooder Heater

[CalgaryFarmer]

Here is my dual incubator/brooder heater. After being used as an incubator, it is flipped over and then used as brooder heater.

The main components common to the incubator and the brooder heater are as follows:

1. The bottom of a pet carrier.
2. Seed heat mat
3. Temperature controller

Main component that is exclusive to the brooder heater is:

1. Chick entrance

Main components that are exclusive to the incubator are:

1. Hardwire mesh floor
2. Pet carrier opening cover
3. Incubator top

Optional components for the incubator:

1. Humidity gauge
2. Fan
3. Egg turner

Information will come slowly as the incubator/heater is being used.

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

I have used this as a brooder twice and I am currently on my second hatch as an incubator.

The pet carrier I use is medium in size, measuring 20.25 inches by 27.5 inches where it joins the top of the top of the pet carrier.

As an incubator, it is quite large. It is quite large as a brooder heater, so this size will need a large brooder.

The nice thing about this setup is that most of you should have a pet carrier. As well, the main components, seed mat heater and temperature controller, can be high quality while costing less than a cheap incubator.

The seed heat mat I use is 20 inches by 48 inches. They are US$25-35 on amazon. The smaller, 10x20.75 seed mat, may not produce enough heat.

The temperature controller I use is an Inkbird ITC 308. It is currently US$24.50 (reg $36) on amazon.

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[CalgaryFarmer]

Here are some more pictures of the carrier opening cover.

The carrier opening cover is just a piece of cardboard that has been cut to shape and folded over. 2 long bolts are used to keep the cardboard tight to the carrier opening.

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

Here are 2 photos of the carrier opening, without the cover.

You can see that I have a couple of containers for water/humidity under the hard wire floor. I put pine shavings in the container to help with the humidity.

The metal band in the photo is metal pipe strap. It is used to hold the seed heat mat in place. I wrapped it in tape where it contacts the heat mat to reduce the potential for abrasion. I use 3 pieces of the metal pipe strap, one on each side of the pet carrier and one on the bottom.

To hold the metal pipe strap in place, I drilled holes in the pet carrier and fed thin bolts through the carrier and the pipe strap and secured the bolts with nuts.