Premature babies and babies that are having difficulty keeping a normal body temperature are often placed in an incubator. These incubators simulate the mother's womb, keep a steady temperature and regulate oxygen for the baby. These incubators are made with clear plastic so you can see inside and have holes on the sides that allow a person to reach in to care for the baby.
Incubators are used in clinical settings to provide a controlled environment for growing microorganisms. Cultures are collected from various sources, such as blood or tissues, and placed in a petri dish. The cultures are placed in an incubator with a set temperature and humidity and allowed to grow. Lab researchers watch the growth patterns of the culture. This procedure is often used to identify a bacteria or virus or to develop a vaccine.
Chicken eggs are most commonly placed in an incubator, but you can also put in duck, turkey and ostrich eggs. Reptile eggs can also benefit from an incubator. The incubator is held at 99.5 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit for best results, and the relative humidity should be 86 to 88 percent. The eggs need to be rotated regularly to prevent the egg separation and yolk breakage that results in a dead embryo.
After eggs have hatched or other animals are born, they can be placed in an incubator. This is often used if the animal is weak or sick to keep them in a warm, protected environment. Newborn animals and hatchlings do not have the adequate fat stores or thick, established fur or feathers to keep them sufficiently warm, so the incubator assists with this as they grow.