International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[chickengr]

I have a non marans question:

can we set fresh (just laid) eggs? I have an araucana pullet sitting for a few days and I have just got 9 silkie's eggs. about half of them are today's eggs.

btw, I want silkies instead of incubator.

 

[shepherd6567]

Here is the chick that I assisted. His toes and feet were extremely curled when he first hatched. Starting to think that it was from the stress of the prolonged hatch. Because he is 95% normal already.

 

[KF0002]

I have a non marans question:

can we set fresh (just laid) eggs? I have an araucana pullet sitting for a few days and I have just got 9 silkie's eggs. about half of them are today's eggs.

btw, I want silkies instead of incubator.

Yes you can. A hen that is working on laying a clutch of eggs to incubate will lay her last egg of the clutch and remain on the nest to go broody. You can set them immediately after being laid.

If your araucana pullet has been sitting for a few days you cannot put any other eggs with her. The chicks will be at different stages of development and some will hatch a few days earlier than the silkie eggs causing the hen to abandon the unhatched eggs as she takes what chicks she did hatch off the nest. If you want to set the silkie eggs under her you will have to take the araucana's eggs away first.

 

[KF0002]

View attachment 1331718 Here is the chick that I assisted. His toes and feet were extremely curled when he first hatched. Starting to think that it was from the stress of the prolonged hatch. Because he is 95% normal already.

Yay his toes look good. I do know that immediately after hatching a chicks feet are soft and they do look slightly curved inward because of being inside the egg. It takes them a little bit for their toes to straighten and harden up. Usually by the time the chick has dried and fluffed up after hatching the toes look normal. I'm glad he is doing better.

 

[shepherd6567]

Yay his toes look good. I do know that immediately after hatching a chicks feet are soft and they do look slightly curved inward because of being inside the egg. It takes them a little bit for their toes to straighten and harden up. Usually by the time the chick has dried and fluffed up after hatching the toes look normal. I'm glad he is doing better.

I know what you mean there, but he really struggled walking coming out. I was really glad to get him out. Really dark egg on the C line.

 

[KF0002]

I know what you mean there, but he really struggled walking coming out. I was really glad to get him out. Really dark egg on the C line.

Oh then I bet it is from #8! Her eggs are beautiful! Maximus is his sire. Maximus and #8 are brother/sister and they share the same father (from the FRF line, darkest laying line) so egg color should be even darker in the line C F2's which is what your chick is. He will hopefully turn out nice for you.

 

[Hensndoes]

Anyone here use brooder plates? The reviews say they overestimate how many chicks you can fit under them. I'm going to rely on it until they don't need it anymore. 3-4 weeks if I recall -been years since I had to do the work. I have 14 chicks coming next week so I bought two 12 x12 plates that are "rated" for 20 chicks. Did I go overboard? It's going to be cold in New England for a few more months.

 

[shepherd6567]

Oh then I bet it is from #8! Her eggs are beautiful! Maximus is his sire. Maximus and #8 are brother/sister and they share the same father (from the FRF line, darkest laying line) so egg color should be even darker in the line C F2's which is what your chick is. He will hopefully turn out nice for you.

This I like! It was C #8! I'm pretty certain I had C "Z" hatch also. Beautiful colored egg too. I have all the shells to sort thru and report once I catch up here. 12 out of 30

 

[KF0002]

This I like! It was C #8! I'm pretty certain I had C "Z" hatch also. Beautiful colored egg too. I have all the shells to sort thru and report once I catch up here. 12 out of 30

If it was marked "Z" that is from Zanitta and Maximus. She is also Maximus's sister. Zanitta, #8, and Maximus all share the same sire which was my original FRF cock bird (line B). Zanitta is the biggest of the hens Maximus is with and has tons of copper in her hackle. Those chicks will also be line C F2.

If you had any marked C "Q" those are from Maximus and Queen. Queen is pure line A and has the best type of any hen I have. She is my best girl but she regretably has a white primary feather in her wing. That doesnt make her a cull in my book considering her type and comb are lovely. We can work to cull the white later, for now type and tail angle are my priorities.

 

[KF0002]

Anyone here use brooder plates? The reviews say they overestimate how many chicks you can fit under them. I'm going to rely on it until they don't need it anymore. 3-4 weeks if I recall -been years since I had to do the work. I have 14 chicks coming next week so I bought two 12 x12 plates that are "rated" for 20 chicks. Did I go overboard? It's going to be cold in New England for a few more months.

I think you'll be fine. I bought a generic one on Amazon and it was worth every penny. Mine is called a Brooder Hen, is the brand I think. The chicks love it! It is the largest one for 50 chicks but I have never had 50 chicks under mine but Ive had 30-40 comfortably.