Incubating French Black Copper Marans

[MrsEllis11]

I'm new to posting however I've read many posts over the past four years on incubation and Marans and the other wealth of info on BYC.

I incubated my first set of chicks in January with only 1 of my 9 maran eggs hatching. My other breeds had good hatch rate. The eggs were handled properly prior to incubation and not shipped- local pickup and none older than 6 days before incubating.

I have a LG still-air with automatic turner and kept my humidity at 40-45% first 18 days then increased to 65-70% remaining days. My temperature stayed pretty constant at 99.5. (I used two different thermometers and humidity readers). I did not lift the lid after lockdown and only candled twice. More than half of the maran eggs when inspected after were fully developed and didn't pip.

I would like to try hatching maran eggs again but would like to have any advise for a more successful hatch rate this time around. Thanks!!!

 

[mattsinger]

I had the same results with my first attempt at Marans eggs. When you inspected the eggs after, how did the membrane look. Most of my failed eggs had a pretty tough membrane, which I believe is from not enough humidity. I have a couple dozen in right now...and I have upped the humidity a bit for the first 18days. Ill see if that makes a difference.

Oh, and Im on day 8 .... Ill let you know how it goes

 

[Farmer Viola]

It's so hard to determine why they didn't pip especially at full development... that is heartbreaking, sorry for your loss

I highly recommend the Dry Incubation method... there is a link in my signature about it. Basically, you don't add any water for the first 18 days, you rely only on the eggs' evaporation to create humidity. day 1-18 anywhere from 25-45% is good, and then for lockdown day 19-21 increase to 55-65%.

Your temperature is perfect, and so happy that you have 2 meters to read temp and humidity

check out both the links in my signature

 

[jaystyles75]

I would love to hatch some marans. Where did you get your eggs? I'm in nh, and can't find anyone local

 

[mattsinger]

I bought some off ebay, and some from my birds...... we'll see how they do

 

[MrsEllis11]

Thanks for the replies.
I am in California and picked my eggs up locally. She doesn't ship unfortunately.

So question regarding the humidity...does too much or too little humidity affect the thickness of the membrane and their ability to get to the air sac? I did add some water thru the vent holes carefully only to keep the levels between 25-45% but Viola my average stayed to the 40-45%. If humidity levels drop below 25% on dry incubation is that still okay? I think I went maybe too high on the lockdown humidity level at 65-70 vs 55-65% as you suggested. In the room that I kept the incubator it would get pretty dry so I would add enough water to keep within that level.

Viola, what is your humidity range without any water until day 18? Did you have a good hatch rate? Without any water I'm thinking my humidity level would dip often in the 15% range.

Thanks for all the advise so far!!!
Kristie

 

[MrsEllis11]

Good luck Matt!!! The membranes seemed tough to me. Keep me posted on your hatch.

 

[MrsEllis11]

Viola one other question, on my LG, what's your suggestion for the two red plugs? In/out, one only?? During lockdown and initial 18 days.

Thanks Kristie

 

[mattsinger]

On my first hatch I tried the dry method.. but you urethane house is so dry, the humidity in the bator was 7 - 10% and I think that was my big issue.

 

[MrsEllis11]

Matt what is your humidity level for this batch?