Incubating marans eggs - Help Please!

[Chic Chick]

This is my first time incubating marans eggs so I have some stupid questions. I think I've already made a mistake because I've got them incubating with silkie eggs. Reading some posts I come to the conclusion that bantam eggs hatch a day earlier usually and marans a day later...Is this true?
I've also read here that the humidity level should be higher when hatching marans eggs...now is this higher right through the whole incubation period or just the last 3 days?
I'm also wondering about the temperature in the bator also, should it be lower because the dark egg shell absorbs more heat then a white shell?
Any help on this would be appreciated.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

My experience has been that Marans are just chickens and they hatch just like other chickens.

 

[bigdawg]

i hatched cuck coo marans along with some mutt chicken eggs. all did fine together. but my silkies pip ed at day 18. both times i took some pipped eggs out of the turner. if they do hatch early wait at least 24 hrs and then very quickly get out the ones that hatched.

 

[Peeper7]

I hatched a mixed batch with no problem -- enjoy it! The only part I found frustrating was candling these very dark eggs.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Quote:
I wouldn't do this. I'll leave peeps inside the 'bator for 2 or 3 days if I have to, in order to keep from opening it and ruining the rest of the hatch. Most definitely, I would not ruin the Marans hatch in favor of some ugly Silkies.

Peeps go in the mail for 2-3 days all the time, there's no need to rush to get them out of the 'bator.

 

[Peeper7]

Agree.... except about the "ugly silkies." Shame on ya!

 

[Chic Chick]

I'm not even attempting to candle my marans eggs but the silkies are developing nicely. It's a tough call...I have 36 silkie eggs and 17 marans eggs in right now.
I want to hatch my silkies early because I'm sure when I want their eggs in April all the hens will be broody They also stay soo small for so long that they will just fit in with the next batch that I hatch out for Easter. But I also want these marans too because these will be mostly replacement stock and they come from the darkest eggs I have. I'll just have to move one batch into a different bator and hatch them separately.
Any thoughts on the heat? Maybe that would make the marans hatch earlier also?