Build a fully working incubator for under $50

Materials required:
1 styrofam shipping box or cooler $0 - $10
1 small (2-3ft) length of flexwatt (got any spare laying around?) or a small UTH $0 - $20
1 lamp dimmer switch $4 - $10
1 6 foot extension cord $1 - $2
1 thermometer with probe $10 - $20
Tape (i used aluminum duct tape)

Tools required:
box cutter
wire cutters / wire stripper

This is fairly simple and works well for the cost. It is also fairly easily upgraded so you can start with this and add more onto it until you have a more advanced system.

First you will need a styrofoam shipping box. If you've ever had a reptile shipped to you then you have one. If not, you can buy one (or you could even buy a styrofoam cooler for a few bucks at wal-mart).



Next you can cut a hole in the top for viewing. I just used a box cutter and cut a small rectangle in mine so as not to release too much heat. This way you won't have to remove the lid (and all the heated air) every time you check on your eggs. I covered each side of the hole with clear packing tape so that humidity doesnt all escape through the hole, and also having a pocket of air in between the tape will help insulate the viewing window.



Now for the (slightly) tricky part... The electronics! I went to home depot and for a grand total of $6 I got a dimmer switch and an extra 6foot extension cable, the only two materials I didn't have laying around my house.

First you'll need to cut off the "female" end of the extension cable. Then cut the remaining piece in half. You'll want to take the piece of cord WITHOUT the plug on it and attach it to your flexwatt according to the instructions.

Next, attaching the dimmer switch to the circuit. I will explain this with a drawing but it will probably be a lot easier to just follow the directions that come with it, but replace "lamp" with flexwatt :P



I housed all the electronics inside the plastic boxes that wall sockets are encased in, but you can cover up your electronics with whatever you want as long as its fire safe. I.e. no exposed copper wires.

[optional] You can substitute a heat pad / UTH for the flexwatt if you want.

Now attach your dimmer and electronics to your styrofoam box however you think works best. I used a bunch of aluminum dict tape and secured it to the side, facing forward for easy access. Then attach the Thermometer to a convenient place of your choosing. Here's how I decided to do it:



Run the thermometer probe over the lip of the box into the interior. I made a small groove for the wire to fit into so that the lid can still fit snugly. Do the same for the heat tape, and wrap it around the edges of the inside of the box and secure it with tape so that it evenly heats the interior of the box.



Now you've pretty much finished your incubator! All that's left is to calibrate it to keep the correct temperature. Plug in your power cord and dial up the dimmer switch in small increments until you reach the desired temperature (in my case 85 for my fat tail eggs)

I check on the incubator several times daily and make temperature adjustments with the dimmer switch as needed to keep the temperature set.

You can also upgrade the incubator with a thermostat. If you don't want to rewire anything, just dial the dimmer switch up to full and plug it into your thermostat and let it do its thing.

Other tips: place full water bottles inside the incubator along with your eggs. These will act as a buffer and stop the temperature from fluctuating rapidly as water takes time to lose or gain heat.

Good luck with your eggs!