Get chicks - roll your own incubator for about $10

You don't have to suit up in your old polyester leisure suit if you want to get chicks. You also don't have to spend $50 on a store-bought incubator if you want to hatch your own. Instead, you just need to follow the neighborly help and thoughtful advice recently offered in the HomesteadingToday.com poultry forum entitled "Has anyone made their own incubator?"

Here is a sampling of some of the responses to the question:

• I just made me one and am getting eggs next week to put in it. I got a thermometer/hygrometer at HD and a light for heat. I've had it set up and running since last night and the temp is holding steady and so is the humidity ... Here's the link I used to make mine:
• If I were going to make an incubator today I would make one on the lines of a Sportsman, using one or more of the little computer fans for air circulation and buying the thermostats and heater from GQF. Computer fans are a dime a dozen, the wafer thermostats are cheap and the heater is also inexpensive. I think a sheet of plywood makes the whole thing except for trays, and they are simple to build.
• I built a sourdough starter heater from a little styrofoam chest, a 25 watt bulb, and a dimmer switch. Total cost was under $10. We have a clock with an outside temperature remote, and we put that remote in the cooler. That way, we have digital readout of the temp, and can control it to a degree with the dimmer switch.
• You can make a simple thermostat using a wafer and a snap action switch. The wafers can be found at many feed stores or farm supplies ...
• I've never had an electric incubator, but here's some plans ...
• Here are a few links ...

There are also several links on the cited article to plans and pictures of home-grown incubators; and everything else you need to play chicken on the cheap.