Hatching Silkie and Black Copper Marans together?

[peachRN]

Has anyone successfully incubated silkies with marans? I was planning on doing a completely dry hatch with the marans, but now I'm buying from a local farm who is going to give me a mix of silkies and BCMs. I may try adding some water during lockdown.

Any experiences or suggestions?

 

[Debbie292d]

The majority of what I hatch is silkies, and I wouldn't go below 40% humidity on those. I usually incubate at 45%. One reason I believe they need more is that their shells and membranes are much thicker than those of other chickens. Some compare their shells to porcelain.

For lockdown, I do 70%, but I think 60% would be okay too.

That said, every so often, someone will come along and say they successfully "dry hatch" silkie eggs, but I do not know their situation or the ambient humidity where their incubators are.

I've not had marans eggs, but I did ducks and quail eggs with them before.

 

[peachRN]

The majority of what I hatch is silkies, and I wouldn't go below 40% humidity on those. I usually incubate at 45%. One reason I believe they need more is that their shells and membranes are much thicker than those of other chickens. Some compare their shells to porcelain.

For lockdown, I do 70%, but I think 60% would be okay too.

That said, every so often, someone will come along and say they successfully "dry hatch" silkie eggs, but I do not know their situation or the ambient humidity where their incubators are.

I've not had marans eggs, but I did ducks and quail eggs with them before.

I would have thought that a thicker shell would mean less humidity needed because of a higher risk of drowning. Interesting! Thanks for the tips

 

[Debbie292d]

I would have thought that a thicker shell would mean less humidity needed because of a higher risk of drowning. Interesting! Thanks for the tips

I just followed the suggestions of silkie breeders and last year hatched over 500 of them. I'm a little stuck in my ways, so was trying to see how much I'd go either side. Not much lol.

I used to hatch with an NR 360, and that ran out of water a couple of times, so I know they got down to 30% overnight and still did fine. Now it's only Brinsea automatics, so it stays solid no matter what it's set to.

 

[Debbie292d]

It just dawned on me! Let me tag @2ndTink as I think she mentioned trying a lower humidity with her Marans eggs than in the past. I don't know that she puts silkie eggs in with them though.