Before laying eggs in an incubator, it is very important to know whether they are fertilized and how the development of the embryo proceeds. To control this process will help a special device - an ovoscope. Do it yourself with your own hands is simple, you just need to make a little effort. There are several ways to make such a device. In any case, you will spend only a few minutes on the manufacture, so choose the most suitable option.
What is an ovoscope and what is its principle of action?
This device is used in cooking to determine the freshness of the product, but more often in farming to establish fertility. That is, using this device you can check the quality of the eggs.
The principle of operation of the ovoscope is quite simple. It is based on the translucent of an egg with an ordinary lamp. Therefore, you can easily make an ovoscope with your own hands in 5 minutes. Eggs are laid in small recesses on the body. And inside the device just the lamp is located.
Usually, ready-made ovoscopes work from the network and are designed for transmission of about a dozen eggs. Although there are larger specimens, allowing to determine the quality of more than twenty pieces. There are also miniature devices that can only illuminate one egg at a time. Depending on the model, the device will differ markedly in weight and dimensions. At home, it is quite possible to make one and the other instance.
Lamp selection
First of all, it is worthwhile to figure out what type of lamp is suitable before making an ovoscope for checking eggs with your own hands.
Often install halogen light sources. But such devices must be used with caution, because they heat up very quickly. The continuous operating time of the ovoscope should be no more than five minutes. If you need to check another batch of eggs, then the device is turned off until it is completely cooled.
More modern devices have LED lamps. They have several advantages over halogen ones. The device can be used continuously for a longer time. Egg heating is also excluded when they are scanned, so their properties remain unchanged.
That is, if you want to make an ovoscope with your own hands, then it is better to take lamps of small power. And remember that the egg does not need to be overheated, otherwise just damage the embryo.
The simplest ovoscope
To make the most basic ovoscope, you will need materials that you most likely already have. This is a light bulb, a sheet of cardboard and scissors:
1. The contents of the egg will be best seen in the lumen, if you use a dark background as a limiter. Therefore, cardboard is recommended to take black. Cut an oval in the center of the sheet with scissors, which will be slightly smaller in size than the egg.
2. Go to the light source (chandelier, sconce or table lamp). Stand at a distance of about thirty centimeters from it.
3. Hold the prepared sheet of cardboard as a partition, and with your other hand bring the egg to the hole.
The simplest ovoscope (do it yourself with your own hands is easy) is ready. Now it can be used for its intended purpose.
Paper ovoscope
For this method of manufacturing an ovoscope, you will need a sheet of paper, glue or tape, scissors, as well as a light source (for example, a table lamp or a flashlight).
1. Roll a piece of paper into a tube so that one end is about six millimeters smaller than the average egg. The other edge in diameter should correspond to the light part of the lamp. That is, one side of the bag will be applied to the lamp, and an egg should be applied to the other edge.
2. Fix the ends of the tube with adhesive tape or glue so that they do not unwind.
3. For more convenient use of the fist, cut it so that its length is about nine centimeters.
4. The ovoscope for eggs (do it yourself with your own hands) is ready! Optionally, you can connect the flashlight and the corresponding tip of the tube using tape.
What to make a more convenient option?
If in a home incubator you want to raise chickens regularly, then you will use the ovoscope almost constantly. Then it makes sense to make a more convenient and reliable device for scrolling eggs. You can also make it from improvised materials that can be found at home.
So what is needed? The main components of a home-made ovoscope are a weak bulb up to a hundred watts, an electric cord (if desired with a switch) and a body made of fire-resistant material. From such a minimal set, even a girl can make an ovoscope with her own hands.
1. First decide what you will make the basis of. For example, it can be a can or a wooden box. The most optimal size is considered to be about thirty centimeters. But you can make the foundation larger or smaller depending on your needs. The main thing is that a light bulb should be placed there.
2. Cut a small hole at the bottom of the box.
3. Insert a lampholder into it so that the cord with the plug goes out. Secure with tape or glue if necessary. The light bulb should not fall.
4. In the box lid, make an oval hole. It should be less than an egg about half a centimeter, otherwise it will fall down.
5. Put the finished appliance on the table and plug it into the network. If everything is done correctly, the light will come on.
This is a pretty good way to make a reliable ovoscope with your own hands in 5 minutes.
Ovoscope Tips
The ovoscope allows you to detect not only external, but also internal defects. However, it should be borne in mind that the eggs to be checked should be clean enough. This will facilitate the identification of damage.
Depending on the incubation time, different contents can be seen with an ovoscope. In the early stages it will be the yolk and the air chamber, after - the blood vessels, and at the very end - the already formed chick. If they have damage, then the device will show this when scanned.
The air chamber looks like a dark rounded spot and has a fixed position, so when turning the egg, it should not move. The yolk can move, but should not touch the walls of the shell. Cracks in the egg when scanned look like dark stripes or spots.
Now you know how to make an ovoscope with your own hands in just a few minutes. It is very easy and simple, and most importantly, helps to save the budget.