Abandoned eggs

[khybentz]

hey all! I had my first broody hen, I got 5 eggs from friends that have a rooster. Exactly 21 days later the chicks hatched and I now have five heathy chicks that mama is looking after. Here is the issue. I dont know anything about the process of incubating eggs, I made the mistake of five days after setting the first clutch of eggs I also got 4 bantam eggs from another friend. So the hen has been up and about with her chicks for almost a week and only sits on the eggs at night, so I thought they stood no chance, well to my surprise I candled them today at day 21 and I see movement! So here is my question, I don’t have a incubator is there another way to successful hatch the eggs myself a DIY way? I heard a heat lamp and damp towel? Any other suggestions? TIA

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I wouldn't go heat lamp because infrared heats what it is aimed at and nothing else so you could have spots too hot and some too cold.
Anything that generates heat, enough to heat a space to 99.5F will work. However, that space needs to be humid enough that the chicks won't shrink wrap when they crack the shell. Shrink wrapping is when the inner membrane dries out, it shrinks and doesn't allow the chick to move and it dies.
Just a regular light bulb will work. 40 watts is probably sufficient. Perhaps in a cooler with a container of water.
They will also need oxygen so you'll have to drill some small holes top and bottom.