Huge Egg Dilemma. An all or nothing sorta issue...

[Grillmaster33]

Home-grown incubator. Humidity at work! And you can see my soon-to-be Campine Bantam (If I dont mess this up).

 

[Grillmaster33]

Looking through the glass. Different angle:

 

[MissPrissy]

Good luck with your hatch!

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Good luck!

 

[Grillmaster33]

Thanks all. Are the photos showing up for you?

 

[ChickNLittle]

I have been doing staggered hatches for about 4 weeks now with no adverse effect. I just hatched 7 silkies in the same bator with 5 leghorn that will hatch Tuesday and 12 more silkies that will hatch the 26th. If you are worried about bacteria build-up after the hatch of the lone egg, no problem. Grab a towel after the baby hatches, and gets dried off and put in the brooder, and place all the "waiting" eggs in the towel, wrap them up, rinse the bator out really well, put fresh warm water back inside, and let the bator warm back up for about 30 minutes and stick your eggs back in the bator with the thermometer. I did it and had a great hatch. Hens leave their nest for a few minutes at times too, so its not that foreign to the baby chicks.

 

[Grillmaster33]

I was also pretty worried about the humidity levels being too high for the late eggs and not high enough for my soon-to-be chick...

No worries?

 

[Grillmaster33]

Click the link and watch me build-my-own incubator

(Modeled after Miss Prissy's)

 

[MissPrissy]

Great job!!!! I love it! and I love seeing your classroom!!

Get yourself a piece of non-slip shelf liner and put it over the wire in the bottom so when the little chick hatches its feet will have an easier time getting a grip and it can stand sooner and learn to walk within a few hours.

P.S. Are you using a Dimmer to control the temps of the bulb?

 

[Grillmaster33]

No. I was told that the dimmer required a certain light. (Guy at Lowes). And the required light was 75/100/125 Watt bulb. Too hot.

I placed an 11-Watt bulb, and it wouldnt heat the 'bator at all. I went back to the 15-Watt, and opened a bit more ventilation. Seemed to work. I hope it holds over night. Should I drive back tonight to check? I've gotta get this right!!!

By the way, I'm from Central Virginia as well.
Richmond. You?