Questions on incubating bantam eggs

[dekel18042]

For the first time I'm trying to hatch bantam eggs and have a few questions.
I'm using a Brinsea Octagon Advance. For large fowl eggs, per the instructions, after day 8 until lockdown I shut the incubator off every day for a period of from a half hour to two hours, usually an hour. Do you do the same for bantam eggs?
Reading the threads here, a fair number of people are saying bantam eggs tend to hatch before LF eggs? Have you found this to be the case?
Which leads me to a question on lockdown. I set 13 eggs Saturday night and my husband added two more today (marking them). So would the earlier lockdown adversely effect these two eggs?
I do plan to candle.
But my biggest worry: We lost our little roo accidently. After thinking about it, decided to wait until next spring and see if we could find another. Two days later I changed my mind and pulled five eggs from the refrigerator and started collecting more. When I had 13 (5 from the refrigerator) and 8 fresh, I set them then added 2 more a day and a half later. Any chance they will hatch at the same time? How long can bantam babies be left in the incubator? I usually leave LF for 24 hours or when I think no more will hatch.
Any opinions on what I can expect under these conditions? My own opinion is the refrigerator eggs are a lost cause although I have gotten some to hatch with LF.
Since no rooster for a week before the last eggs went in will this have an effect plus we have been having hot humid weather. I'm just not sure I'll have any kind of a hatch, but would love another little roo and a few clutch mates.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

My bantam eggs tend to hatch at the same time as my LF eggs. If they're early, that means my temperature was too high and they're all early regardless of size.
The early lockdown shouldn't be a big deal. Those eggs are really close to the first batch, they should be okay.
I've hatched quite a few eggs from the fridge, they're pretty hit or miss (probably because I don't really know how many days they've been in there).
I would expect your eggs to still be fertile, hopefully that's the case since you're rooster-less.

I leave my chicks in the incubator for anywhere from 24-48 hours depending on what I've got going on.

Treat your bantam chicks just like you would the LF. They're still chickens, just a little bit smaller

Good luck with your hatch

 

[laseterlass]

I have Silkies. I hatched 50 in my bator. They hatched on day 19. I thought I needed a new thermostat. Then the broody hens hatched theirs on day 19 too. I know exactly when theirs were due. I had tried to break them and finally gave up and gave them eggs.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

My Black Jap Bantams hatched the same time as my standards, but all of mine generally start hatching (at least pipping) on day 19 because I am using an LG and my temps tend to average more along the 100.5 than the 99.5. It isn't uncommon for bantams to hatch early, but that doesn't mean that they will. I agree you treat them the same way and that fridge eggs are hit and miss. The only thing I differ on is I don't leave my chicks in the bator.

 

[dekel18042]

Thanks for all the info. Guess I'm just scared either none will hatch or I will have bantams coming out of my ears.
Or they will be all girls....or all boys or or or..........The only thing worse than none hatching would be a teeny tiny singleton.
I try not to leave them in the incubator too long, but they need to dry and fluff and if I see other pips or holes I tend to wait.

 

[laseterlass]

I don't leave them in the bator either. A ten gallon tank makes a nice ambient draft free clean brood for the first few days. My incubator is gross after a few days of hatching if they are left and I worry about belly infections