Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[Oil Patch]

I had decent results with some recently purchased eggs. Nineteen of twenty four were fertile and fifteen were healthy hatch. All were BCM.

 

[flgardengirl]

It actually might be better if you can get your eggs during the cooler months. I always have better luck with shipped eggs during the winter, fall or very early spring provided they don't freeze lol. I even have good luck with refrigerated eggs. During the hot months, I have terrible luck with shipped eggs, even if I put them under a broody. I had eggs shipped to me from NY and WA all the way to FL during December and had great hatches. Be sure you are letting them settle at least 12 hours before putting them into the incubator after shipping. It does seem to help.

 

[snowbird]

It actually might be better if you can get your eggs during the cooler months. I always have better luck with shipped eggs during the winter, fall or very early spring provided they don't freeze lol. I even have good luck with refrigerated eggs. During the hot months, I have terrible luck with shipped eggs, even if I put them under a broody. I had eggs shipped to me from NY and WA all the way to FL during December and had great hatches. Be sure you are letting them settle at least 12 hours before putting them into the incubator after shipping. It does seem to help.

I agree 100% with this post, several year ago when I started buying a lot of Marans eggs on the internet this method worked real well for me also. In warm weather I refrigerate the eggs also.

Very good post.

 

[blackbirds13]

keeping this bit of advice locked in my brain housing group for future reference. Thanks.

 

[maryhysong]

Lucky you! The PO must have been nice to your package. I have Welsummer eggs in the 'bator now; I candled a few when I put them in and the air cells looked really good, not like the poor BCM eggs. So will probably have a decent hatch. I am on a wait list for day old chicks but don't know when they will happen

 

[Oil Patch]

I really like getting chicks in the fall or early winter here. I always have better results this time of year. I would really like to find some good BCM breeders so I can purchase more eggs to incubate. Does anyone have a list?

 

[Keara]

See how one has much thicker legs? I would bet that is a male, hopefully leaving the other to be a female!

-Keara

well I must be turning into the crazy chicken lady; I have just finished ALL! 512 pages of this thread (and now starting on the BCM SOP thread!)

I am finally a BCM owner; my two chicks, from shipped eggs are one week old. I find the differences between them already fascinating.
Chick 1 on the left and 2 on the right

#2 on the left and #1 on the right

#1 on the left and #2 on the right

.

 

[maryhysong]

See how one has much thicker legs? I would bet that is a male, hopefully leaving the other to be a female!

-Keara

That's my guess too. Either both male (my luck ;-P) or #2 is male. I am a bit concerned tho, #1 doesn't seem to be growing as fast and is now the smallest of 6 chicks; my other four are barred rock X Buff Orpington mutts and they are a bit smaller than #2 but bigger than #1.

 

[ashandvine]

Getting ready to set up three single pairs. Thanks to snowbird and Arielle I have some ideas as to who and what. Brown boy is not dead yet but that's because of time and weather. I would also like him to be a bit bigger if I am going to eat him to make it worth the trouble for my hands.
I will pair
the large straw colored male with the melanized pullet who has great feathered shanks. He is big and she a little small right now but lets hope for moderation.
then I am toying with the idea of putting my best cockerel over my two pullets (one out of Miss Donna's get and one out of Taylor Farms) or he with one and my 'second' cockerel with another. I like this idea for genetic discovery. I like the first for ease of housing.

Gosh this feels like a journey without wheels.

 

[Wynette]

I had decent results with some recently purchased eggs. Nineteen of twenty four were fertile and fifteen were healthy hatch. All were BCM.

How do you know that 5 weren't fertilized?