Humidity for Black Copper Marans and other breeds... Help please

[phishless13]

Hello everyone. I have some Black Copper Maran eggs on the way and the seller informed me that the humidity levels are different for this breed during incubation. Anyone have any suggestions or ideas about what levels worked best for them? Also, I have some Buff Orpingtons on the way and i am looking to know if there is any difference for them as well... I am using a hovabator forced air and a little giant still air both with auto egg turners.

 

[Alaskan]

sometimes, since the pigment layers can be so thick on Marans eggs, not enough moisture is lost during incubation.

As a result, a little lower humidity is often best.

35% humidity is good for the first part of incubation.

If you can see in the eggs at all, see if you can see the air cell at the top of the egg, and see if it is matching the diagrams that you can find on the web.

like this one:

If your air cell is way off on day 7, 14, or 18, then adjust your humidity accordingly.

The orpington eggs should do fine at the same humidity levels. I think a little too low humidity during incubation is better than a bit too high.

For the last part of incubation, try to up the humidity to 60 to 70%. Even higher, especially when they start hatching (which will happen naturally because they are wet when they hatch) is just fine.

If you want to be more scientific than what I stated above... you can weigh the eggs.

A good explanation of how to do that, is here:
http://www.avianaquamiser.com/posts/How_to_weigh_eggs_and_calculate_weight_loss/

 

[phishless13]

Thank you for your response. My humidity is running at around 40% for the BCM and 45-50% for the BO. I have come up with a system of using shot glasses for water reservoirs instead of the pan in the bottom of the incubator. I found that I have more control of my humidity levels using a couple shot glasses and adding a little water each day. I am using a Hovabator forced air for the BO and a Little Giant still air that I added a computer fan to which has turned it basically into a forced air or circulating air incubator. So far so good. 19 days to go. I will post my hatch rate and some pictures. Any tips for candling the very dark BCM eggs? I have 12 BCM and 16 FBCM eggs and the FBCM eggs are about a 7 on the color scale.

 

[dheltzel]

Last year I hatched Marans with all my other breeds and they hatched great with no discernable differences. I think any changes needed are overstated, chicken eggs hatch very well under a surprising variety of conditions. You might get a few more to hatch if you fuss over them, but in my opinion, those are the weaker ones and if you keep only the easily hatched ones for breeding, you will be selecting for a good trait.

 

[Alaskan]

I don't even try to candle my Marans eggs.....

I try to put in a few other eggs.... right now with this batch of Marans and some dark Olive eggs, I put two white leghorn eggs.

I will candle the leghorn eggs.

I will quickly glance at the Marans, and sniff in the incubator maybe once a week...... that is it.

Either they hatch, or they don't.

I find I do better if I stay away from the incubator more.... or I fiddle too much.

 

[phishless13]

Thank you for the feedback. I wish more had chimed in.. I get conflicting info from the World Wide Web. Some say to incubate dry and some say 45%...

 

[dheltzel]

IMO, high humidity is huge cause of "unexplained" chick deaths. I keep the humidity between 20 and 30% until lockdown, they try for 80% or more. Works for everything, including Marans. I just don't buy that the differences make the incubation different, if you dry incubate, it will work for everything.

 

[mattsinger]

I hatch mine with low humidity. I keep it at about 30% for the first 3 days, then let it run with no water until lockdown. This usually puts me at aobut 12%. At lockdown, I raise it up to about 60 - 70 and they seem to do fine.

 

[Alaskan]

I hatch mine with low humidity. I keep it at about 30% for the first 3 days, then let it run with no water until lockdown. This usually puts me at aobut 12%. At lockdown, I raise it up to about 60 - 70 and they seem to do fine.

really? down to 12%???

wow

 

[phishless13]

really?  down to 12%???

wow

I think he is talking 12% weight loss...