CALIFORNIA The Whole State thread

[ronott1]

Quote:

You are already taking pictures for next years calendar contest!

Picking up Marans eggs tomorrow to hatch! Should I sand them or spritz them each day?

 

[debs_flock]

Aww Sunny, they are adorable. Congratulations!

I set eggs today for the NYD hatch and I threw in one BCM egg. I set a complete hodgepodge of 42 eggs from my own yard. A few here, a few there. That will be quite the juvie growout pen, from huge Rocks all the way down to bantam rocks and silkies.

Deb

 

[chiqita]

Lol! Then quit suggesting I start showing them!

Seriously, I'm still so nervous about the spread of disease that I doubt I'll start showing any time soon.

It can be any of these issues plus several others. Marans overall do seem harder to hatch so eggshell thickness and other factors do come into play with these breeds. Deb brought these eggs to me herself and the cool weather helped us to avoid temp extremes in transit. The nice thing about these thick shells is the low porosity. These eggs stay fresh longer than other eggs and because of this I don't stress so much about candling the marans eggs. I didn't worry about these at all, other than doing a sniff test every few days. Actually I've never had a marans egg go bad on me and I've hatched a lot of marans!

OK enough shop talk. Time for pics!!!

I've noticed Marans eggs are trickier then some others to hatch. I'm experimenting right now with an oe f1 roo on my marans hens and a oe f1 hen with a marans roo. I want to see if there is a difference in hatching viability.

I know not everyone has trouble with them. But I do notice they are trickier then my other eggs. Homegrown silkies and oe f1 I have 100% on. Marans not so much. 3 of my hens are inbreed, but none are related in any way to my roos and the other 3 hens are from very different stock.

Speaking of Marans, Ron, I just looked at the hatch I had where the eggs from mostly your pullets... and I only have 2 that look to be boys. You might have passed your genetic magic on to me!
Give me more of those hens!!!

 

[ronott1]

Quote:

Yes! the eggs I am picking up tomorrow will be from the same place as those! Exciting!

Pictures please!

 

[SunnyDawn]

You are already taking pictures for next years calendar contest!

Picking up Marans eggs tomorrow to hatch! Should I sand them or spritz them each day?

I didn't do anything to mine. I do the dry hatch method, which up here means a humidity pump is still needed. I kept them between 25 and 30% for the first 18 days then I up the humidity as high as I can get it (I shoot for 65% but it is so dry up here, especially in winter, that 55-60% is usually what it hovers at) with extra bowls of water and the pump keeping the reservoir full at all times. I did spritz the eggs a few times during hatching but this is only because one of the babies was getting a little dried out at first. If you can keep your humidity up during hatch without opening the incubator it is much better. Once a few were hatched the humidity level went back up and then they all started to pop at once.

It's more important to keep the eggs cool before hatching and to avoid too much jostling while in transit. We pack a pillow to rest them on and wedge them in so they aren't rocking back and forth too much. If they are in the car with you be sure to keep the heater low. The best temp to keep them at is 55 degrees. Part of that philosophy comes from my belief that the more I intervene the weaker my stock will be in the future. If they can't hatch without our help then they aren't super strong, healthy stock to begin with. I need to consider the health of the whole flock and the future flock. I don't consider that extra humidity boost as helping since they would get that from the broody if I weren't incubating them.

Good luck with your hatch!!!

Aww Sunny, they are adorable. Congratulations!

I set eggs today for the NYD hatch and I threw in one BCM egg. I set a complete hodgepodge of 42 eggs from my own yard. A few here, a few there. That will be quite the juvie growout pen, from huge Rocks all the way down to bantam rocks and silkies.

Deb

Wow, that ought'a be fun! Good Luck!

 

[ronott1]

Quote: Thank you for the tips!

I have been keeping them at 35 to 40% and I do not rush to add water when it dips down. The Pene x CL eggs(most of them were dark) did very well.

I will try the Marans at 25 to 30%.

 

[SunnyDawn]

Thank you for the tips!

I have been keeping them at 35 to 40% and I do not rush to add water when it dips down. The Pene x CL eggs(most of them were dark) did very well.

I will try the Marans at 25 to 30%.

If you had good luck with pene eggs you should do well with the marans eggs too. You've hatched enough. You know what you're doing.

 

[ronott1]

Quote:

The Penne eggs were a bust but the Penne x Cream Legbars were a Dream! only one of those did not hatch(died at zipping)

 

[Hangtown Farms]

I picked up some nice Crele penedesenca x cream Legbar eggs from Deann today.
was gonna get 6 but she had a few older eggs she asked if I wanted to throw in there. They a 7 days on the older ones. I said what the heck.
I have more white empordanesa eggs on the way will be here Thursday so will put all these in together. Will be 10 days old on three of these but what the heck.

 

[SunnyDawn]

The Penne eggs were a bust but the Penne x Cream Legbars were a Dream! only one of those did not hatch(died at zipping)

We'll keep our fingers crossed for you.

I picked up some nice Crele penedesenca x cream Legbar eggs from Deann today.
was gonna get 6 but she had a few older eggs she asked if I wanted to throw in there. They a 7 days on the older ones. I said what the heck.
I have more white empordanesa eggs on the way will be here Thursday so will put all these in together. Will be 10 days old on three of these but what the heck.

10 days is fine for hatching eggs.