Incubator Humidity for French Black Copper Marans Eggs

[tcblues]

I think not on the beak, I believe the legs must be white not yellow

 

[dheltzel]

Mine hatch great with "dry incubation". I try to keep the RH between 20 and 30%. During lockdown I aim for 80% or higher, but it often goes down to 65% during lockdown. All the eggs, including Welsummers, BBS Ameraucanas, Legbars and Barred Hollands get the same treatment, and all hatch well.

I have noticed that the dark eggs (Welsummers too) hatch a day after the light colored (CCL and BH) eggs. No idea why, it had me concerned the first few times, I thought they weren't gonna hatch, now I just try to be more patient.

After a lot more hatching, it is not the darkness of the eggs that make them hatch a day late, Welsummer hens covered by Legbar roos make Olive Eggers that hatch early and robustly. My current "theory" is that my stock of Welsummers and BCM may suffer some inbreeding depression that shows only as slower incubation times.

I have also become even more convinced of the importance of low humidity before lockdown for colored eggs. I've stopped setting Marans eggs because I have too many chicks now, since they hatch at nearly 100%. Blue eggs also seem to benefit from the low humidity for incubation / high humidity for lockdown method.

 

[One Chick Two]

Does beak color matter in Black Copper Marans?

This much yellow in a beak would concern me as well. This should be watched to see what develops.

Sometimes a chick will be born with a little dab of yellow in the beak area, and then it turns to black with the white tip. Otherwise, BCM chick beaks should be black with a white tip, like your top chick. Any with pure white beaks are usually a sign of recessives.



This chick eventually had yellow shanks. Notice when the male was a chick, his beak had a slightly brownish "horn color" (like in RIR.) So, his mother went in with the layers. (She was a yellow shank carrier.) We had purchased her as an adult, so, luckily, we discovered quickly that she was a cross. (We wanted to get a handful of chicks before the long process of test mating for Wheaten.)

As he aged (he was 1 month old in the photo below), the yellow in the beak, comb and wattles became much more pronounced. Notice also you can't really see yellow in his shanks yet.



Here he was at 5 months old. You can see the yellow in his comb and wattles and in beak. His feet were starting to be fairly yellow at this point.

 

[valleyhoneybee]

I have started using a similar dry incubation method with my Marans, except I don't aim the final humidity quite as high. I agree with you that it seems to be more effective for me anyway. My hatch rate has gone from 10% to 85%!

 

[valleyhoneybee]

Once again, Thank you! Since I don't have the parents of these chicks I don't need to separate the mother but am more concerned with learning which chicks to put into the layer only flock! the chick with the yellow in its beak already has fairly yellow feet. Are the two usually connected?

 

[One Chick Two]

Once again, Thank you! Since I don't have the parents of these chicks I don't need to separate the mother but am more concerned with learning which chicks to put into the layer only flock! the chick with the yellow in its beak already has fairly yellow feet. Are the two usually connected?

Yes, skin/ comb/wattles/ shanks/feet can show indicators of a cross being in the mix.

However.... in this case, I would wait for a few weeks- sometimes chicks born with a lot of yellow can absorb yolk color at first, then, mellow out correctly over time. I have seen more yellow than this turn out fine before. Remember how our little guy above was pretty normal to begin with, and then became increasingly more yellow in his skin as he aged? Well, I have run across crossed chicks with extremely yellow skin/shanks, etc., and they colored out fine. Affected chicks seem to almost always look normal to begin with, and increasingly become more yellow, which is very different than what seems to be happening. They are not usually so yellow to start off with.

Not saying it can't happen... but, IMO, I would consider watching this chick, and photograph it weekly, but, reserve judgement on it for a few weeks.

 

[Eggs-otic]

One chick two : I have really appreciated you knowledge and input ... Thank you ! Just wondering if you sell eggs or chicks ?

 

[cypressdrake]

I have been hatching Black Coppers and Blue Coppers since 2008 with GQF 1502 digital sportmans. Over the first few years I tried different hatching methods, and learned a few tricks that work very well for me. I am in Louisiana and humidity is much higher here with southerly gulf winds, after the winter months. I cover the water tray about 98% with Aluminum Foil, and keep the Humidity at or about - 35%. During winter I don't cover the trays quite as much. I find 35% humidity is much better then a complete dry hatch on Marans. On a dry hatch I always end up having to peel out shrink wrapped chicks under a warm trickle of water. I bring the humidity up to 60-65% on lockdown. I try not to go higher due to the other eggs that are not ready to hatch. I also keep a water bottle in the unit to lightly spray the eggs that's hatching with when I open during hatching. Wetting them makes up the difference of the higher humidity. My average hatch is 90% and I sometimes have 95% and better. This unit has 3 shelves and every week I drop them down a level. I don't always use a hatcher, unless I am running more than one unit. If so I bring humidity up to 75% to 80% during lockdown in the hatcher. Other then that I just drop them to the bottom drawer and spray the ones hatching when I open the unit. I find that this humidity setting works best for my marans. I also hatch Orpington eggs in the same unit and they also do well.

 

[valleyhoneybee]

cypressdrake,
I have had the peeling "out shrink wrapped chicks" issue. (LOVE your description!) While only on my 3rd incubator hatch (which I realize doesn't even qualify me as a neophyte amateur/beginner yet!) I have increased my success rate dramatically, but in my last 2 hatches I have had shrink wrapped chicks. I'm VERY interested in knowing how you spray them when you have to open during hatching. How much do you spray? Do you spray directly on the chick or egg? or do you spray above them? (In other words... can you walk me through the process so I don't drown them? lol) and are you using room temp water? AND, in case I don't succeed next time in avoiding the shrink wrap issue, how do you unwrap them? (again I am attempting to avoid a drowning incident).

Thank you for the information and help!
Valley honeybee

 

[JillZ]

My husband said that one of the long time hatchers he talks to said he sprays his eggs down with warm water from a spay bottle when he opens his hatcher,has anyone out there ever tried this

I realize this is a late response to the above, however, wanted to let you know that an old time who hatched well for years (thousands) told me the exact same thing basically. That every day he would open the incubator and mist down the eggs with warm water.