Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[NTBugtraq]

How did the hatch go in the new 100?

96 set. 68.75% fertility rate, 77.27% hatch rate, 17.6% mortality after hatch (first 3 days in brooder), leaves me with 42 chicks, mostly BCM looking. Day 3 has started in my 2nd hatch, with 100 set.





The eggs below are my 2nd setting, these are Gen 2 eggs, note the distinct difference in shell color of some.







I am collecting eggs for my next setting by keeping only dark eggs from up to 14 days before setting, and then filling the remaining space with 7 day-old or fresher eggs.

 

[scflock]

96 set. 68.75% fertility rate, 77.27% hatch rate, 17.6% mortality after hatch (first 3 days in brooder), leaves me with 42 chicks, mostly BCM looking. Day 3 has started in my 2nd hatch, with 100 set.





The eggs below are my 2nd setting, these are Gen 2 eggs, note the distinct difference in shell color of some.







I am collecting eggs for my next setting by keeping only dark eggs from up to 14 days before setting, and then filling the remaining space with 7 day-old or fresher eggs.

How did you like the incubator overall? That hatch rate is kind of in line with what you were doing in the 40, isn't it? I was kind of hoping to see 85 or better

 

[NTBugtraq]

How did you like the incubator overall? That hatch rate is kind of in line with what you were doing in the 40, isn't it? I was kind of hoping to see 85 or better

Yeah, no improvement in the hatch rate yet, but I'd never set eggs laid in the dead of winter before. I think the outside temperature has had some impact on egg quality, but that could also just be me defending my bad habits. I started the first hatch at 35% RH, and got way more weight loss than I wanted, so day 2 changed it to 42%, and wandered around after that. In the end I had ideal weight loss, but the way I got there may well have created the losses. This hatch I started at 50%, and had ideal weight loss for 3 days so far.

I wish the humidity pump wasn't so loud, and I wish there was a door sensor that told it not to try and recover humidity via the pump for the first 30 minutes after the door closing. So now I unplug the pump for 30 minutes after I weigh. Otherwise, it tends to think it needs way more water (cause, say, it drops to 35% after the door was opened) when in reality it recovers a lot of that RH without additional water.

I love the automatic leveler, even though it often isn't truly level. Its enough that it works. Once you put the tops on the egg baskets (when you go into lockdown, to keep the live chicks from falling out), they could have given a bit more space between the level trays. Its a tight fit getting the lower tray out.

IMO, you couldn't use this thing without a humidity pump. I struggled trying to get a low enough RH (I was aiming for 40% during my tests) without the pump. IMO, can't be done with what they supply, you'd have to make your own water reservoir. When I bought mine the pump came free.

So, all-in-all, well worth the cost.

 

[scflock]

Yeah, no improvement in the hatch rate yet, but I'd never set eggs laid in the dead of winter before. I think the outside temperature has had some impact on egg quality, but that could also just be me defending my bad habits. I started the first hatch at 35% RH, and got way more weight loss than I wanted, so day 2 changed it to 42%, and wandered around after that. In the end I had ideal weight loss, but the way I got there may well have created the losses. This hatch I started at 50%, and had ideal weight loss for 3 days so far.

I wish the humidity pump wasn't so loud, and I wish there was a door sensor that told it not to try and recover humidity via the pump for the first 30 minutes after the door closing. So now I unplug the pump for 30 minutes after I weigh. Otherwise, it tends to think it needs way more water (cause, say, it drops to 35% after the door was opened) when in reality it recovers a lot of that RH without additional water.

I love the automatic leveler, even though it often isn't truly level. Its enough that it works. Once you put the tops on the egg baskets (when you go into lockdown, to keep the live chicks from falling out), they could have given a bit more space between the level trays. Its a tight fit getting the lower tray out.

IMO, you couldn't use this thing without a humidity pump. I struggled trying to get a low enough RH (I was aiming for 40% during my tests) without the pump. IMO, can't be done with what they supply, you'd have to make your own water reservoir. When I bought mine the pump came free.

So, all-in-all, well worth the cost.

Sounds good. I'll look into that if sales continue well this year

 

[snowbird]

First setting of BC Marans eggs for the year. This is natural lighting by the front window.

 

[NTBugtraq]

First setting of BC Marans eggs for the year. This is natural lighting by the front window.

Very nice, I assume these are from your own birds? How many layers do you have?

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
We have 27 female we are working with this year, after a couple of hatches we will single mate all of the female.

 

[happyfrenchman]

Ok, guys, I'm about to start my next adventure with BCM, hopefully better than the first. I was on Julie Akers' waiting list, and she just called. They will be here Thursday

Bon Chance SC

 

[scflock]

Bon Chance SC

Merci
I really hope these are at least good starter birds. My last flock was awful. Julie was highly recommended

 

[happyfrenchman]

Yeah, no improvement in the hatch rate yet, but I'd never set eggs laid in the dead of winter before. I think the outside temperature has had some impact on egg quality, but that could also just be me defending my bad habits. I started the first hatch at 35% RH, and got way more weight loss than I wanted, so day 2 changed it to 42%, and wandered around after that. In the end I had ideal weight loss, but the way I got there may well have created the losses. This hatch I started at 50%, and had ideal weight loss for 3 days so far.

I wish the humidity pump wasn't so loud, and I wish there was a door sensor that told it not to try and recover humidity via the pump for the first 30 minutes after the door closing. So now I unplug the pump for 30 minutes after I weigh. Otherwise, it tends to think it needs way more water (cause, say, it drops to 35% after the door was opened) when in reality it recovers a lot of that RH without additional water.

I love the automatic leveler, even though it often isn't truly level. Its enough that it works. Once you put the tops on the egg baskets (when you go into lockdown, to keep the live chicks from falling out), they could have given a bit more space between the level trays. Its a tight fit getting the lower tray out.

IMO, you couldn't use this thing without a humidity pump. I struggled trying to get a low enough RH (I was aiming for 40% during my tests) without the pump. IMO, can't be done with what they supply, you'd have to make your own water reservoir. When I bought mine the pump came free.

So, all-in-all, well worth the cost.

NT.... have you tracked the hatch rate as it relates to how long the eggs sit before you start incubation? In other words, do eggs hatch at a lower rate if they wait longer before incubation.... 14 days is a long wait to hatch. Do you keep them chilled for the 14 days? I do a rolling incubation and I have never had as high a success rate as you have. But I have big issues with too much humidity. I finally put in a digital temp controller and went a dry hatch.... but again still not at the rate of success you achieved. Congrats.