Hatching Black Copper Maran eggs under a hen?

[valleyhoneybee]

I am attempting to add black copper Marans to my flock. I have had an extremely good hatch rate with my bantams and successfully raised 17 day old cuckoo Marans. HOWEVER, the black coppers seem to not have as great of a success rate. I have purchased 3 batches of fertilized eggs (one hasn't arrived yet). I happen to have two broody hens and have placed each of the batches under a hen. The first hen has hatched 1 chick out of 6 eggs and is still sitting on 3 (the other 2 died). The other hen has kicked out 6 "dead" eggs so far and should be hatching the rest today or tomorrow. Has anyone else had a better success rate hatching black copper Marans under a hen (there seems to be a high mortality rate using incubators)? Any tips?

 

[PirocaKeeper]

I don't have a lot of experience hatching them. I have a FBCM rooster and a couple of FBCM hens. All I know is the their egg shells seem to be harder for the little ones to pip through. I have hatched 4 in an incubator together with others breeds and I had to really watch the eggs and assist a little, it was like they would peep and then not be able to finish. I also one of the FBCM hen hatch her own 4 and I had no issues with those, I also kept and eye, but for some reason, those under Momma did not seem to have issues. 2 things were different. The first batch I placed in the incubator where from the beginning of the laying cycle, so I am assuming they had a much healthier shell, the ones Momma layid on, where literally the last 4 eggs in her cycle, so I am assuming less stronger shell. I have also heard from other people that state the same, that for some reason FBCM chicks have a harder time. (My very first time, I ordered eggs (12), 1 out of 12 started hatching and never finished and die. 2 other die without even trying), but those were not from my own hens. I ended up ordering chicks from MI Marans and now I have my own adults. Hope this information hellps

 

[valleyhoneybee]

Thank you, it does help. The one chick is very confident! There is only 1 egg with a chick left under the hen, but I am not confident it will hatch. The shell/cycle theory makes since. I will start looking for that pattern. Thanks again!