# how do i make an incubator



## luffy3001 (Sep 1, 2010)

hello i want to hand feed my baby cockatiels i know how to except how do i set up an incubator im going to pull the chicks out at day 5 just before they open there eyes im planning on using a 10 gallon fish tank when showing me how to setup the incubator can u tell me what i will need and if i could h=get it from petco or something and please be specific 
thank u


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I have no experience, but if you google for "make bird incubator" without the quotes, you'll get lots of websites and youtube videos with instructions. When you find one that you like, post the link here so the experienced people can look at it and tell you whether it looks safe and effective.


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## luffy3001 (Sep 1, 2010)

is this a good vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQ1tyfvenqQ


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## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

I sent you a link on your other thread. It's right above these threads. 

http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=6140


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## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

First off I would also wait until the birds are at least 2 weeks old unless you want to be feeding every two hours around the clock. You'd also have better luck looking "make a brooder" as this is what you want. An incubator is for eggs, since you have chicks already you want a brooder.I'll tell you how I did it. 

First I got a piece of styrofoam, you can get these at the grocery store when they put out berries in the produce department, just ask them if you can have one of their Styrofoam berry boxes. I then bought two heating pads, about $15-20 each, make sure you get the kind without the automatic shut off and some electrical tape. Take one of the heating pads out of it's felt cover and place it on the side of your 10 gallon aquarium, cut the styrofoam to a little larger than your heating pad then tape the styrofoam to the back of your aquarium over the heating pad. You'll also need an aquarium mesh top, I got mine at walmart for about $5. Put about 2 inches of pine shavings in the bottom of your aquarium then a layer of paper towels over that. Heat up the heating pad and place the mesh top on top with the other heating pad on top of that. I then took a remnant of fleece and put that on top of the heating pad.

However if you have a little extra money this is what I'd suggest. With the cost of all the supplies needed to make a brooder it would be just about the same price to get this. 
http://www.avitec.com/Aquarium-Brooder-Tops-p/avq.htm


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

The longer you wait to pull the chicks, the less need you will have for a heated brooder. At http://www.cockatielcottage.net/breeding2.html the recommended temperatures are 80°-85°F for chicks with pin feathers, 75°-80°F for fully feathered chicks and 68°-75°F for fully weaned chicks. That's basically room temperature for the older chicks.

I leave my chicks with the parents until they're weaned. The parents stop brooding the chicks when the oldest one is about a week old and the babies keep each other warm after that. I live in a hot place and use the air conditioner to cool the room down to about 80 degrees and the babies look comfortable. A brooder tank might not retain heat as well as a nestbox so you might need some supplemental heating. 

There isn't any additional benefit to pulling the chicks before they're two to three weeks old - it won't make them any tamer. But if you pull them early there is additional risk of problems related to handfeeding like sour crop. You and the babies will be better off if you wait until they reach the normal handfeeding age. Sometimes people are forced to pull the chicks early because the parents aren't taking proper care of them. But if your parent birds are doing a good job it's best to wait until the babies are the appropriate age.


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