• Home
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Quick and Easy Meals
    • Salad and Veggies
    • Side Dishes
    • Main Courses
    • Breads
    • Beverages
    • Desserts
    • Canning and Preserving
  • Skills
    • Craftmanship
      • Blacksmithing
      • Woodworking
      • Welding
    • Brewing & Distilling
      • Homebrewing
      • Distilling
    • Cooking & Food
      • Cheese & Dairy
      • Drying & Smoking
      • Canning
      • Fermentation & Pickling
    • Homemaking Skills
      • Candle Making
      • Soap Making
      • Spinning & Weaving
  • Projects
    • Workshop
      • Homes & Buildings
      • Sheds & Coops
      • Appliances & Equipment
    • Garden & Outdoor
    • Homemade Products
      • Home Remedies
      • Natural Beauty
      • Cleaning and Home
    • Textiles & Fabric Arts
      • Sewing
      • Knit and Crochet
      • Quilting Skills
      • Weaving
    • Crafts
      • Home Decor
      • Pottery
      • Upcycling
      • Gifts
      • Kids
      • Holiday
  • Gardening
    • Growing Vegetables
    • Growing Fruit
    • Growing Herbs
    • Growing Grain
    • Soil Improvement
      • Composting
      • Worm Farming
      • Fertilizers
    • Aquaculture
  • Animals
    • Raising Poultry
    • Raising Goats
    • Raising Cattle
    • Raising Pigs
    • Raising Horses
    • Raising Rabbits
    • Raising Bees
    • Raising Cats & Dogs
  • Self Sufficiency
    • Emergency Prep
      • Planning
      • How To
      • Skills & Tips
    • Defense & Protection
      • Guns
      • Knives
      • Archery
      • Tools & Weapons
    • Energy & Power
      • Solar Power
      • Fuels
      • Water
    • Home Remedies
Logo
  • Workshop
  • Garden & Outdoor
  • Homemade Products
  • Textiles & Fabric Arts
  • Crafts
You are here: Home / Projects / 7 Easy Homemade Egg Incubator Ideas

7 Easy Homemade Egg Incubator Ideas

Reading Time: 3 minutes

September 18, 2023 By Riley E. Carlson 1 Comment

Are you looking for egg incubator ideas you can build easily at home? Here we have a roundup of egg incubators to inspire your next homestead project. Try any of these and hatch your first batch of eggs!

RELATED: Raising Backyard Chickens – Homestead Handbook

DIY Egg Incubator Ideas Perfect for Your Homestead

1. Styrofoam Cooler Egg Incubator

Incubator for a conclusion of chickens, ducklings and gooses | chicken egg incubator

If you’re looking for an egg incubator idea that costs less than $50, this is the right one for you! A styrofoam incubator is a budget-friendly project that can perform almost exactly the way a branded incubator works.

Styrofoam is a light-weight material that is easy to work with. It is also easy to cut using a small utility knife or cutter making this an excellent homestead project for beginners.

2. Cabinet Cooler Homemade Incubator

Turn a 150-quart cooler into a large capacity cabinet incubator that can handle enough eggs for your next chicks sale. With this project, you’ll be able to hatch a good number of eggs using a cheaper incubator.

The best part about this incubator idea is that it is so versatile giving you tons of possibilities and options for future upgrades.

Check this heavy duty cooler.

3. Aquarium Egg Incubator

Woman monitors maturation of eggs in an incubator | egg incubator automatic turner

Bring back an old aquarium to life by transforming it into an effective egg incubator for hens, ducks, quail, and more. Compare to other items or materials, an aquarium will need less work since it is made of glass.

You’ll be able to see the eggs through the glass so it’s easier to monitor their development.

RELATED: Setting Up A Chicken Brooder

4. Cardboard Box Incubator

This idea will have you realized how easy it is to build a homemade egg incubator. By using a cardboard box, your eggs will now have a warm and safe place to hatch.

With a medium to a large box, depending on your needs, along with the other essential components, it is definitely possible to build your own incubator at home without splurging too much.

5. Tote Cooler Incubator

If you’re aiming for a thick and sturdy egg incubator, then a tote cooler is what you need! A 48 quart Rubbermaid roughneck tote can hold a decent number of hen’s eggs in one batch.

An incubator made of Rubbermaid tote is indestructible. It is built to last and designed to be used and reused season after season with its impact-resistant material.

6. Solar Powered Egg Incubator

This homemade incubator is ideal for off-grid living. It’s also perfect for anyone who’s trying to reduce electricity bills. This is such an efficient and sustainable way of hatching eggs.

By using a solar-powered egg incubator, you can increase your production and profit rate while keeping the process cost-effective.

7. Wooden Cabinet Incubator

Spruce up an old cabinet into a useful and working egg incubator. Aside from being able to hatch a large number of eggs, this homemade incubator idea will give your homestead a chic display.

You can also customize your cabinet incubator and add some features like front door latches and a drawer pull to make it more functional.

Polar Tech 245C Thermo Chill Insulated Carton with Foam Shipper, Medium, 17' Length x 10' Width x 8-1/4' Depth, Original...
Polar Tech 245C Thermo Chill Insulated Carton with...
Rubbermaid Commercial Products BRUTE Tote Storage Container with Lid, 14-Gallon-included, Rugged/Reusable Boxes for...
Rubbermaid Commercial Products BRUTE Tote Storage...
Amazon Basics Medium Moving Boxs with Lid and Handles, 19 x 14.5 x 15.5, Inches 10 Pack
Amazon Basics Medium Moving Boxs with Lid and...
Amazon Prime

Compare to its commercially-produced counterpart, a homemade incubator is less expensive yet can also provide the essential components needed for a successful hatch.

You can build one from recycled items that are readily available around your home making it costs even less. Not only this idea can cut your expenses but it can also give you the satisfaction of knowing you’re using an egg incubator you build on your own!

What other egg incubator ideas do you know? Let us know in the comment section below!

Up Next:

  • Understanding USDA Egg Grades, Labels & Common Terms
  • How To Raise Ducks For Eggs | 10 Tips & Tricks 
  • How To Make A Delicious Mashed Butternut Squash

Fellow homesteaders, do you want to help others learn from your journey by becoming one of our original contributors? Write to us!

Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook!

Filed Under: Projects, Appliances & Equipment

Comments

  1. Mary Ann Crofoot says

    May 16, 2021 at 10:28 PM

    I think it is pretty messed up that when I went and clicked on the how to build a incubator out of and aquarium it took me right to freakin Amazon number I am mad at Amazon right because of all the junk messages I am getting from them using up my space with no way of unsubscribing which is messed up since I never subscribe to it to begin with hate them then it doesn’t give directions.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

DIY Projects And Get This FREE GIFT
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Popular Articles

Top 15 Ways To Make Money On Your Homestead

Kickstart Spring By Starting Your Own Straw Bale Garden

The Best Egg Laying Chickens For Your Homestead

50 Gardening Tips And Tricks To Become A Successful Homesteader

Important Pages

  • About Homesteading
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Returns
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Write For Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Information Disclaimer

Other Great Sites

  • DIY Projects
  • Survival Life
  • Garden Season
  • Outdoor Warrior
  • Sewing.com

Resources

  • Hey Riley
  • Winter Survival
  • Raising Backyard Chickens
  • Canning & Preserving
  • Join Our Newsletter
  • Returns Policy
Homesteading
Email Support: support@homesteading.com
Phone: 512-806-7603

Product returns go to:
1889 E Maule Ave, Ste G
Las Vegas 89119

Copyright © 2025 · Homesteading


This copyrighted material may not be republished without express permission. The information presented here is for general educational purposes only.

MATERIAL CONNECTION DISCLOSURE: You should assume that this website has an affiliate relationship and/or another material connection to the persons or businesses mentioned in or linked to from this page and may receive commissions from purchases you make on subsequent web sites. You should not rely solely on information contained in this email to evaluate the product or service being endorsed. Always exercise due diligence before purchasing any product or service. This website contains advertisements.