California - Northern

[lawatt]

I would be happy with 10. It seems like a solid number especially if she has done it before. My son's project hen hatches 12 or 13 (LF but small size) but end up losing some.

i put 8 under my first-time broody a couple of weeks ago, and one has vanished -- but she seems to be doing fine with 7.

 

[chiqita]

They can do 12 if you expect the weather to stay warm in 3 weeks. If you are selling a few as they age you can do more. The marans carry a wide load. The tricky point is making sure they are all warm at night from 2.5 -3.5 weeks.
Laura you might think about washing the eggs with an ecoli killer. Isbars are having the issue with carrying it in the ovaduct and the chicks die. Its been facinating watching people cope with and figure it out. Might help!

The problem was directly from gff. They have stopped selling until they figure it out. But im sure you actually know more about it then I do as you are talking to more breeders!

The thing im seeing most now is biebs dying off at 4-5 months. They seem dangerously suspetable to something at that point that looks like maraks...

 

[Audio51]

Quote:
I just checked out the YouTubes and would love to do this, but I live on a suburban-sized lot and not enough room to do this. In fact, I have been letting the grown girls I have forage when weather permits and have notice that we basically have no grass in the back yard. I will likely have to confine them long enough to let the grass get going again. I think they are nipping off the new shoots before they can get going.

 

[ronott1]

I just checked out the YouTubes and would love to do this, but I live on a suburban-sized lot and not enough room to do this. In fact, I have been letting the grown girls I have forage when weather permits and have notice that we basically have no grass in the back yard. I will likely have to confine them long enough to let the grass get going again. I think they are nipping off the new shoots before they can get going.

They will ruing any grass you use in a lawn. let mine out in different groups late in the evening.

Tractor coops work great too.

 

[Audio51]

The hatching eggs I shipped made it in good shape!

Packing:

Good to hear! Now to see how they hatch!

 

[ronott1]

Good to hear! Now to see how they hatch!

Yes!

I hope that hatch well!

 

[ronott1]

Fleming outdoors is having a Poultry Sale!

http://www.flemingoutdoors.com/

 

[Audio51]

How many chicks can my Marans reasonably take care of?
It's so much easier when she does it, but I don't want to overload her. Hatching is no problem, I have my incubators, just taking care of them and keeping them warm.
I'm thinking probably 10, but it would be nice if she could do more than that

**Edited, she was a pretty good mom last time, and i think she's going broody again

My Wyandotte did 10-12 last year but it was warmer weather so not as much brooding needed. It think it also depends on the space they are in. Mine start out in the broody coop so they can;t get too far away from her. When it's real cold I also put a brooder light in with them so the chicks can use it if Mom is scratching around. After a week or so I start letting them out into the main pen after the others go out to forage, then by about 2 1/2 to 3 weeks I let them out to forage with the rest of them. I have not had a Marans raise chicks before but they seem about the same size as the Wyandotte so I am guessing she could cover the same number. I do have 8 eggs under one right now so we shall see how she does..

 

[Audio51]

happy to report that all four of my staggered-hatch silver campine eggs have hatched successfully, and that the teeny babies are integrating right in to the brooder with the six two-week-old chicks (3 campines, 3 swedish crosses) that are already there. all ten of them are quite rambunctious!

and there are 12 eggs still in the incubator, set to hatch in a week (plus 7 under a broody girl out in the coops), AND one more bunch of isbar eggs being shipped -- the woman i'd gotten eggs from in San Diego has decided to give up her isbar flock (she's getting ducks instead!), so is sending me her remaining eggs for free, except for shipping -- so will attempt to hatch shipped eggs one more time!

Nice job, Laura! That is wonderful! Glad the integration is going well. You are so lucky to get the Isbar eggs...especially for free. Hope that hatch goes as well as the others!

 

[Audio51]

Quote:
I love that one with the light boy and spotted head! What breed is it?