Maran Assortment coming soon...Newbie needs help

[Alaska Fowl INC]

Haha, lol! I know! My husband keeps dying each time he catches me out there with my nose pressed up to the windows (the eggs are under the windowless portion of the lid, lol.). I can't help it! Each little wiggle makes me so excited!

and you said your husband got the chicken bug,,,,Sarah..lets just be honest here were are all chicken lovers,,,Its okay to be one....

 

[Alaska Fowl INC]

Oh my. My hubby has been bit by the chicken bug. It all started when a friend of mine offered us chicks if we would give her our unused dog kennel for a brooder. Before the chicks hatched we stumbled across an Australorp for sale on Craigslist and we brought her home. Soon after that we added another Australorp girl and then our baby chicks arrived. All our baby chicks are brown or blue layers with maybe and EE in there (they are all mutts really) but none of her chickens lay white eggs so we know we won't be getting any of those. Then we were fortunate enough to add three 10 month old white leghorn hens to the bunch and they have been stellar egg layers. Well, with all the other shades of eggs we have DH and I have been drooling over the Maran's deep brown eggs after seeing them for sale on Craigslist near where we live. I basically just wanted an older pullet or hen. Alas, we were too late and today DH made a plunge and purchased a dozen hatching eggs from a company. They are assorted and say "You could receive: Black Copper Marans, Blue Copper Marans, Blue Birchen Marans, Blue Splash Marans, White Marans, Wheaten Marans, Golden Cuckoo Marans or more..."

Sigh. Not sure I was ready for this but I'll have to be now.

I've been reading up on incubation and whatnot and I was hoping to get some expertise from Maran owners that can put us on the best track. I'm in Alaska and we are suffering through late winter storms this year so I'll probably be setting up out in my garage where I can keep the temperature the warmest/most consistent and where my curious 18 month old can't get to them. I think I'd die if she broke any after the money he spent getting them shipped here.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

SEE

 

[SarahInAlaska]

and you said your husband got the chicken bug,,,,Sarah..lets just be honest here were are all chicken lovers,,,Its okay to be one....

I know! He bought them then went to work so I've been the one rolling them everyday and taking care of them so I've gotten, well, attached . Lol!!!! Ill sleep but I'll be out there at the crack of dawn checking on them!

 

[mattsinger]

Lol, she did have a few chicks she said she got when I asked if she had good luck hatching. There were only three chicks though. Butttttt...GOOD NEWS!!!!! I went in to check (its almost 6pm here) and I have two, possibly three eggs with movement!!!!!!! I watched two shake and roll and the third was just completely say from where if set them. I'm so excited! I'd almost given up hope!

thats great news.....keep waiting and watching

 

[mattsinger]

As of last night, my 4 that have been moving had all but stopped for most of the day...and no peeps could be heard. I did wake up to one that managed to pip through.....now I have to wait and see what progress has been made when I get home from work...

 

[mattsinger]

I've got one that made it out!

Pics soon

 

[kallnojoy]

Congrats!!

 

[SarahInAlaska]

I've got one that made it out!

Pics soon

Yay!!!!!

 

[mattsinger]

Yay!!!!!

Thanks Sarah.... The rest havent moved or made a sound since they all went active almost two days ago. Guess I'll continue to wait....

 

[SarahInAlaska]

Thanks Sarah....  The rest havent moved or made a sound since they all went active almost two days ago.  Guess I'll continue to wait....

I bet they are just a little slower! Congrats! I'm so jealous. Mine stopped moving again. Hopefully they will keep at it. I'm having humidity issues. I filled the inset trays and had to put in a one cup measuring cup full of water and I'm still under 60% humidity so it might be they don't have enough water to float and easily move around.