# do-it-yourself egg turner?



## Cheryl aka JM

I'm currently expieriencing a small obsessive need to set eggs...I'm over run with hovabators and moved on to the converted refrigerator bator. My current egg turner (my sister) is beginning to give me the look that often previews an episode of channeling our mother when I set more eggs. So I started hunting for some automatic egg turners that plug into the wall. Those things are kind of expensive! Geeze! So....I see on Ebay they are selling the egg turner motors and I got the idea that people might be building their own and putting those litte $10 motors on them. Is that the case? Where would I find instructions on how to build a do-it-yourself automatic egg turner that won't give me the evil eye when I set just a couple dozen more eggs?


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## Patrick

It's not worth the time and hassle. I've seen people who have refrigerator and other homemade incubators who just buy a hovabator turner for each shelf. Often the shelf size makes for a lot of wasted space, too large for two turners, but still much more space than is needed for one. Nothing in life is free. Either you pay for an incubator that makes the most use of available space, or you save money but sacrifice efficiency by using a cheaper homemade one. You can buy larger turner units to reduce some of the wasted space, but they're still not designed to fit most refigerator spaces efficiently. You have to have good engineering skills to hook it all up and make it work.


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## EnnisLakeFarm

I bet that if you searched the net you would likely come up with something that works for your set up.
I just got my very first Hovabator, I am pretty excited to get a batch of eggs going. My husband hopes I don't get quite so involved as you are though


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## jcatblum

Check a forum site just for chickens (on B.Y.C.) ElwoodLightfoot built a fridge bator & used a rotisiere to turn the eggs in the fridge. Entire build cost him $50 from start to finish. He is one of those guys that collects lots of stuff & manages to think outside the box. Great guy to talk to, I am sure he can help you out.


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## travis91

Get a Reptipro 6000( ive talked to the owner on the phone and he supports backyardchickens and is a active member on the forum) they hold 32 eggs with turners.. fully digital and hassle free warranty.. its what im saving up for


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## ElwoodLightfoot

jcatblum said:


> Check a forum site just for chickens (on B.Y.C.) ElwoodLightfoot built a fridge bator & used a rotisiere to turn the eggs in the fridge. Entire build cost him $50 from start to finish. He is one of those guys that collects lots of stuff & manages to think outside the box. Great guy to talk to, I am sure he can help you out.


Your too kind :kissy: I got ideas form all over while I was researching, I love my Iron Hen LOL I have way too many eggs in it now too, I was actually candling eggs and took a break to look for something since I am setting up some new hatchers to go along with my bator and found your post, the link to my page is here Elwood Lightfoot's Chicken Incubator - BackYard Chickens Community hope it helps some, building the turner was a really fun project and it works very well if I may brag a little :lonergr:


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## FarmerAl

Found an old rotisserie for $5 at the thrift store. I followed the directions from this web site; http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/homemade-incubatoregg-turner, My incubator is different but simply had to adjust the arms to make it work. If you don't like that, there is a great little roller version on YouTube [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLxT4rutgvE[/ame]. I hope this helps.


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