Incubator for Queen Rearing

[Hachi]

Done a search of the forum that has proved inconclusive. I'm going to try QR next year and am starting to pull my kit together. I was looking to buy an incubator, nothing massive but good enough to put my sealed QC's in. Seen a few YouTooobe vids who say even Brainsea temp control is not as good as it should be which is a worry.

What do you use and what do you recommend please? Noting I might be crap at it and need to sell on the kit, I have only a modest budget.

Thanks

 

[Blunt Spike]

Make one, the Apiarist has a how to guide i think.

 

[JamezF]

Make one, the Apiarist has a how to guide i think.

Portable queen cell incubator - The Apiarist

James

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Done a search of the forum that has proved inconclusive. I'm going to try QR next year and am starting to pull my kit together. I was looking to buy an incubator, nothing massive but good enough to put my sealed QC's in. Seen a few YouTooobe vids who say even Brainsea temp control is not as good as it should be which is a worry.

What do you use and what do you recommend please? Noting I might be crap at it and need to sell on the kit, I have only a modest budget.

Thanks

We had Brinsea incubator for hen eggs. Temperature control was extremely accurate, normally within 0.5 degrees of the set point.

 

[madasafish]

I had a lot of success with
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/29412502...tOpb6hwXBXnC5fyaGIh3/5A7Nh|tkp:Bk9SR5K3gODcYA
modified to take 8 QCs.
Kept temperature very stable

 

[Hachi]

Portable queen cell incubator - The Apiarist

James

Looks like the parts bill comes to £70 plus my lack of electrickery skills means I'd be better offer buying one but thanks for the heads up.

 

[Hachi]

I had a lot of success with
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/29412502...tOpb6hwXBXnC5fyaGIh3/5A7Nh|tkp:Bk9SR5K3gODcYA
modified to take 8 QCs.
Kept temperature very stable

Shame it can't be modified to take up to 15 there's one one FB Mkt Place for £15

 

[Ian123]

Shame it can't be modified to take up to 15 there's one one FB Mkt Place for £15

Just wondering why you actually need an incubator in particular if your just trying some Qrearing.

 

[Hachi]

Just wondering why you actually need an incubator in particular if your just trying some Qrearing.

Technically I don't but my personal circumstances next year might dictate and/or bring in a number of personal factors that using an incubator might mitigate the risks down for me to make it a success. Assuming I can get one at a decent price. of course.

 

[mbc]

I bought one like this for transporting cells as it'll work from a fag socket, turns out its perfectly adequate to incubate 40 plus cells ftom sealing to hatching;
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25490488...oCm5ry4TWW&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[Hachi]

Thanks I always like recommendations. Sadly its shipping from China and given it looks likely to even my untrained eye that its just about to kick off between China and the USA will impact on shipping I reckon. I'll keep a watching brief tho and see how it goes.

 

[Into the lions den]

Jolanta uses a Brinsea one....its absolutely fine. No need to worry about degrees of satisfactory..good enough is good enough....and going even finer in temp control just increases cost for no perceptible gain.

 

[Hachi]

Thanks Murray, as ever your advice is always welcome and spot on. I'll do battle with swmbo FB Mkt place later

 

[Wingy]

I made one for £20. Used a polystyrene box used to transport frozen food, a 12” tube heater and STC 3028 dual temp / humidity controller. Temp wired to the heater to control temp, humidity just to monitor the level which is obtained by placing a jar of water next to the heater. I can do 20 cells at a time

 

[SWEET]

Done a search of the forum that has proved inconclusive.

Page 2 of this board - Queen Cell Incubator

Very good.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Sadly Hachi will not be able to realise his plans for next season
Not in this world anyway

 

[Erichalfbee]

Sadly Hachi will not be able to realise his plans for next season
Not in this world anyway

I bet he’ll nail it there though

 

[jeff33]

I made one for £20. Used a polystyrene box used to transport frozen food, a 12” tube heater and STC 3028 dual temp / humidity controller. Temp wired to the heater to control temp, humidity just to monitor the level which is obtained by placing a jar of water next to the heater. I can do 20 cells at a time

Would you have any pics of the setup please @Wingy? I have put a bid on a 2nd hand Brisnea but if that falls I can build one to my exact specs.

 

[nantmoel]

Look at the RCom range, if you are lucky enough you may get one a the secondhand sites.

 

[jeff33]

Look at the RCom range, if you are lucky enough you may get one a the secondhand sites.

I managed to pick up a 2nd hand Brisnea this morning. Its only a small one but gonna try it this year, see how I get on and take it from there. With my current resources I can realistically only deal with 15 Qcs at the time and maybe do 2 batches in the season weather permitting. Pointless me making lots of splits and nucs if I can't sell them and end up with more hives than I want.