Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[johnderosa1]

I like your idea about using a hot water spray bottle!
With BCMs since last year I have always done dry hatches until day 18. I don't know if it's because the BCMs have an extra paint job   but they don't seem to lose moisture in the shell the first 18 days as easily as other breeds. When I did leave water in there, I had a bunch of too large chicks unable to turn around in the shell and a horrible live hatch rate. Now I dry hatch and it's 90-100% success.

I have had terrible results trying to hatch BCMs until my last attempt. My basement is way too dry to do a dry hatch... Relative humidity 8-12%... Normal settings caused a lot of late quitters... I got a digital hydrostat with humidity pump and set it at 40% for days 1-20 and then 65% for day 21. This was close to what the seller recommended for her eggs(brenda little). 11 eggs developed , 8 hatched on their own and I helped 1. Pretty great results for shipped eggs. I will definitely use this method next time as well.

 

[scflock]

I have had terrible results trying to hatch BCMs until my last attempt. My basement is way too dry to do a dry hatch... Relative humidity 8-12%... Normal settings caused a lot of late quitters... I got a digital hydrostat with humidity pump and set it at 40% for days 1-20 and then 65% for day 21. This was close to what the seller recommended for her eggs(brenda little). 11 eggs developed , 8 hatched on their own and I helped 1. Pretty great results for shipped eggs. I will definitely use this method next time as well.

I'm glad to be reading this. I won't be hatching until July or August, but I have been reading that BCMs are a tough hatch. I have had my best hatches, with any breed, at 40%

 

[Lucky KY Chicks]

Thank you for the reminder.This is going to drive me  crazy lol.

There is  no indication size wise that any of the chicks could be 1/2 cochin banty.

I am thinking that there must be wheaten genes

my next hatch is around March 7 and if there is a pattern ... there could be a white chick again.

I will try to separate some of these birds when the temps get a bit  better. That might not help me much though.
For example... I could  have one rooster with the gene...and a hen that would be in a different pen.

Might be better if I simply start all over with new blood. ??? 

It is up to you. If wheaten is recessive then you will only hatch about 25% wheaten from the carriers. But half the black chicks will carry wheaten from two adult carriers. I'm not sure what your coops are like but you could collect separately from the hens by separating them out and rotating one rooster or using trap nests to collect and mark the eggs from each hen and run only one rooster in the pen. You would have to divide each hens eggs in the incubator though. It's difficult how ever you do it. If you keep a male and female wheaten then you can cross your possible carriers to them to get quicker results as approximately half the chicks from a wheaten x wheaten carrier will look wheaten I believe. New bloodlines could be easier. And yes I would sell them as dark egg layers. Or you could also just tell people exactly what they are, BCM/Wheaten Marans crosses that do not breed true and should only be kept as pets and not bred.

 

[Deckgirls]

Here is my new chick!!!!!

 

[Alaskan]

WOW! super fuzz on the legs!

 

[Turkeytruff]

I have had terrible results trying to hatch BCMs until my last attempt. My basement is way too dry to do a dry hatch... Relative humidity 8-12%... Normal settings caused a lot of late quitters... I got a digital hydrostat with humidity pump and set it at 40% for days 1-20 and then 65% for day 21. This was close to what the seller recommended for her eggs(brenda little). 11 eggs developed , 8 hatched on their own and I helped 1. Pretty great results for shipped eggs. I will definitely use this method next time as well.

Interesting - my latest dry hatch was 10% humidity and had a 95% hatch. I think the secret is to find out what works for you, in your area, at different times of the year. Great that you've found what works for you.

Here is my new chick!!!!!

What a cutie!!!

 

[Turkeytruff]

I totally agree with you. My Marans eggs hatch later than everyone else, and more of them pip in the middle of the egg rather on the fat end where the air cell is. My first hatch I had to assist half of them with getting out. When I hatched with a broody, they all hatched with no problem. I'm getting ready to set some more eggs soon. I'm going to lock them down earlier this time hoping I won't have so many that pip in the wrong place!

yes that is interesting - my Marans usually are 1-2 days later. I have not thought of locking them down earlier, is that a common practise? If it works, that's great - so far I have decided that hatching in cartons air hole side up is the way to go

 

[scflock]

Ok, got my new flock moved to the new coop where I can get a good look at them. Most definitely 4 pullets and 4 roos. At least I will have my pick of Roos in a few months. One of the pullets is a little tattered looking and no feathers on her feet, so she may be a cull. Looking like I may at least have a good foursome to start with. I will get some pics this weekend for evaluation

 

[Deckgirls]

WOW! super fuzz on the legs!

are they normally less fuzzy? this one is my first marans and i'm hoping its a girl!

 

[Alaskan]

Quote:
Well, the Marans in the US was only recently officially adopted... and not everyone was breeding to the french (fuzzy legs) standard. Some were breeding to the British (no feathers on legs) standard.

When the Marans became official in the US, they chose the French (fuzzy legs).

As a result, the amount of leg feathering on Marans is WAY all over the place, depending on what breeder you are buying them from.

And I for example

breed to SOP, EXCEPT for the legs... I try to keep my legs in the 'very light' category since:
1. I do NOT like feathers on the legs, it makes the birds more difficult to keep healthy since I have mud, and then freezing weather, etc. There is less risk of frostbite on toes if the toes have no feathers
2. Most of the people that I sell to, specifically ask for Black Copper Marans with *NO* feathers on the legs, because they also live up here in Alaska, and do not want to deal with the feathered feet.