Help with hatching Black coppper Maran eggs

[millejn3]

Hi everyone,

I just purchased 20 French Black Copper Maran eggs and need a little help. I have hatched hundreds of turkeys, ducks, and other chickens in the past but have never hatched the BCM's. The person I bought the eggs from tells me that he dry incubates for the first 18 days and then fills the water pan for the last 2 days. He tells me that Maran aggs are harder to hatch because the darker shell does not let the oxegen in like a regular egg so he dry incubates for the first 18 days which allows more oxegen to get into the chicks useing a forced air bator.
HELP!!!!! I normaly run 99.5 and around 50% humidity. What do I do??? Dry incubate or run like I normally do?
??????????????????

Thanks everyone,
millejn3

 

[Illia]

I also was quite afraid of what to do with humidity, as everyone says they're tricky. . . My first hatch, I did 45-50% humidity for day 1-18, and increased it to 55% on day 18-20. On hatch day and forth, I increased it to 60-70% and everything ran good.

I decided on this because after all the opinions everyone has posted, I saw a poll asking whether to raise, lower, or keep the humidity the same on lockdown. Almost everyone said to keep it the same, and quite a few said keep it the same until hatch day. So, I did that - And I ended up having most of them hatch on day 22, but I had a decent hatch rate. The fertility and development went great, but I think since I opened the incubator twice during lockdown

I may have compromised the ones that died, because they looked perfectly fine when I opened them in the end. .

 

[millejn3]

He also told me that some will go as many as 5 days over before hatching so not to worry to much about an even hatch. Earlier today after reading his email I run out to my incubator and removed all water. (Eggs have only been in for about 6 hours) After a second thought I went back out to the bator and put water back in but decided to run at about 50% like I normally due until I could seek a little input on these eggs. So should I maybe just run lower humidity? I would like to put some of my own Astrolorp and Buff eggs in the bator also but dont like the idea of running any lower than 50% on them...I guess it wouldnt be a big loss if I lost a few of my own as the girls are laying plenty every day but the BCM eggs are a little pricey so they are my first concern right now.

 

[cook_kaka_ook]

Just do it like you normally do. I had 100% hatch on shipped blue and black CM's from Sebrightmom. Day 1-17 at 99.5 to 102*F with 40-50% humidity in a still-air Hova Bator. Increased the humidity to 60-70% day18-hatch date. Candling was a tall order for me the eggs were too dark to candle so I gave up. Goodluck to you.

Here are some photos of my new chicks hatched last 03/07.
hatching pipping moments

in the brooder

4 days old

Blue Copper Marans

buff sexlinks

 

[millejn3]

Great Looking chicks!!
Thats why I ran back out and put the water back into the bator. I have had outstanding sucsess with my hatches over the years and just couldnt fathom incubateing with no water at all!
I have always seen the message board here but never joined. Well her I am now.
Thanks for everyones help.

 

[aussieheelr]

This is the first time I've had any sucess with shipped eggs (can see into the BCMs) but the others are doing good.
I fill to 40% then let it be until it gets to 20% then fill back up... lock down is tuesday so at that time I'll lift the humidity to 60%.

 

[mulia24]

I think that's usual for us to incubate using dry incubate, since when we don't dry incubate, the embryo will be drowned.

good luck for you and I suggest you to do it normally but I can give no warranty at all (not even the egg seller).

 

[geebs]

I hold between 35 and 40 percent and increase to 65 on day 18 and LOCKDOWN takes on a whole new meaning when dealing with Marans.... I can help you when they start to hatch... There are a few tricks... They can go 4 or 5 days over.. this is true.. the darkest eggs hatch late... smaller eggs hatch first also... Do not mix banties in your hatch and lighter eggs will stagger your hatch and ultimately make you open the bator earlier than you would have to without them in there!!! DO NOT remove the babies unless you absolutely are going to lose them... (if your still have pipping).... If you have to remove babies (a death is impending)... I would remove the whole bator to my bathroom.... turn on the hot shower and close the door bringing up the room humidity to match the bator. ( I would invest in a couple of hygrometers if you haven't already)...and then remove my babies quickly and make sure that if I have to add water I would Add HOT water that way the steam helps out... It improved my staggered hatches... I can get 75 percent on shipped eggs. I use a 1588 and a coleman cooler and I manage to get a 100 percent on marans from my pen frequently. I put the eggs in open egg cartons w/o tops (point side down of course) on day 18 so that the babies don't knock around the eggs of the siblings pipping and accidently drown them. This single factor really increases the chances... I dampen it as it make a good sponge for bringin the humidity up. Make sure everything is the way you want it for lockdown... Because once you lock it down... That is it!!! I hear a lot of ppl open it to take chick outs... that kills the ones that haven't hatched.. All the moisture escapes through the pores in the eggs and creates a condition where the chicks cannot turn inside the shells and there is nothing that can be done... Once the humidity leaves the egg... there is no getting it back....so no matter how much you add humidity after the fact.... in that one second...it is done...You hatch rates go up expodentially by never opening the hatcher...Make sure there is good footing and nothing babies can hurt themselves on....(giving you no reason to have to perform acts of heroism.

Good luck and post pix and progress resports... Sorry to be so lengthy. I guess I am passionate!!! ha ha

One more note... Looking at them frequently with a flashlight taxes the hatched babies and causes them to heat up the bator with thier bodies and then they get aggressive....So limit your viewing as the hatch wears on....If you see them attacking one another check your temps (reduce it as necessary) and turn the lights off and get things quiet...

 

[millejn3]

Thanks for all of the good info everyone!! My plan is to run a little lower humidity than normal (I run about 50% normally) Say about 40% and no higher than 45% until day 18. Then I will raise to 60% to 65% for the hatch. Thanks for all of the help everyone!!! Will add a few pics of the eggs later today.