Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[math ace]

I might look into getting a livestock guardian dogs to keep outside. The rescue lady I got my key west chickens from had a Great Pyrenees and told me it chased bobcats off on a regular basis at their place.

You might want to touch base with HighSpringsChix. She uses guard dogs for her flock and is relatively local...

 

[math ace]

O0O0O what kind of new incubator? Did you build one or buy one?

I got the new hovabator with the digital display for temperature and himidity. The BEST hovabator I have used so far.

https://www.gqfmfg.com/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=77

 

[math ace]

Thought about that too. He doesn't have very much spur growth yet, so it is very likely nails. Wait till I tell my husband he has to help me do that! lol

This is easily done with the battery operated toe nail grinders for dogs..

http://www.petsmart.com/product/ind...ferralID=05d2598d-5621-11e2-97b3-001b2166becc

 

[maryhysong]

It has been our experience that if they pip and stop, they were fully developed. Most of the time around here it means that the humidity was too high and the eggs did not evaporate enough. Marans eggs are very thick and this causese problems with the evaporation process. The chicks actually drown before they get hatched. I would suggest that you check the humidity inside your incubator.

Sorry,
Ernie Haire
Arp, Texas
www.Marans2XL.com

Ernie what level of humidity have you found most successful for Marans eggs?

 

[DMRippy]

I know that is not directed at me... but that is not what happened with my eggs. My bator was not holding temps at night and they were just delayed in hatching. I have had a good hatch too .... but they were not marans. I have very good hatches with my marans at about 25-35% for incubation. I have 85-100% hatches most of the time. At lock down I make sure the hatcher is about 50% and when they start hatching it will go up sometimes to 75-80%. I have had it RAIN in my hatcher

condensation on the glass will drip.

 

[xlboergoats]

Ernie what level of humidity have you found most successful for Marans eggs?

I incubate at 30-35% humidity. If it falls slightly below that, I don't get excited. When I move the eggs into the hatcher, it is at about 55-60%. Once the chicks start to hatch, the humidity will raise slightly due to the moisture on the chicks. As they dry off, the humidity will lower itself.

We were running a higher humidity when we first started hatching. We had successful development, but small air spaces when we candled eggs. We would get far more pips than hatched chicks. A friend and long time Marans breeder explained that my chicks were drowning inside the shell.

Sincerely,
Ernie Haire
Arp, Texas
www.Marans2XL.com

 

[Wynette]

I incubate at 30-35% humidity. If it falls slightly below that, I don't get excited. When I move the eggs into the hatcher, it is at about 55-60%. Once the chicks start to hatch, the humidity will raise slightly due to the moisture on the chicks. As they dry off, the humidity will lower itself.

We were running a higher humidity when we first started hatching. We had successful development, but small air spaces when we candled eggs. We would get far more pips than hatched chicks. A friend and long time Marans breeder explained that my chicks were drowning inside the shell.

Sincerely,
Ernie Haire
Arp, Texas
www.Marans2XL.com

These discussions are alwasy so interesting to me; I believe it has a ton to do with what altitude you're in. I've tried incubating at lower humidity as Ernie mentions above, and I always get sticky chicks, to the point that some can't even hatch (and I am a firm believe in not helping, so it's awful to open up an egg to try and find out what happened and see that the chick was simply stuck & couldn't get out).

I'm in Michigan; I run my humidity at 40-45 through day 19, and then increase it to 65. After hatching thousands of chicks, and experimenting with the humidity levels, this seems to work best for me.

I think once you find out what seems to work for your area, just keep doing it the same way.

 

[DMRippy]

Quote:
I think you are right in that you need to find what works for you and your bator.

 

[Organics North]

Finally found them ViVi! and on my monitor I can not view the photos clearly enough to make any comments.

Got more pics?

Good to see you still working on BBC Marans..

I have a very fine Black rooster from the our 2011 hatch... Just perfect. His off spring gave me some copper bleed through cockerels, but a pullet that is just perfect, nice form and good foot feathering. I am slowly getting the copper out.... Keep the ones without copper. Have not worked too much on egg color other than only hatch from the darkest eggs of the birds with the least copper and use only copper free roosters.

This has not been a major project, just gently nudging my precious BBS Marans in the right direction... Some day I will kick it up.... Just love the birds, The current rooster is the most regal and polite fella I have ever known...

Yep, have to admit we are Marans addicts, the birds demeanor and quality off egg is just off the charts for us...

 

[flgardengirl]

I got the new hovabator with the digital display for temperature and himidity. The BEST hovabator I have used so far.

https://www.gqfmfg.com/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=77

Cool incubator..I didn't realize they had a digital version now. I use my little LGs for hatchers. I put computer fans in there with an air baffle and they work great for hatching and/or incubating.
I have the KeyWest-bators so really almost don't need an incubator anymore lol. They are excellent moms too but some of them are still wild which leads to chicks being more wild.
I have a broody silkie hen and a broody olive egger right now. Our rabbit just had 4 babies. They think all its spring here with the mild winter we are having!

I am still working on my wino-bator too. I got the flex watt heat tape for it but it didn't heat up quite enough and since there are ledges on the sides for shelves I can add anymore strips to it. So I just bought another heater that comes with a digital thermostat and fan that is made specifically for cabinet incubators. http://www.ebay.com/itm/IncuKit-4-C...t=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item3f0d5dace1
Now I just have to finish the air baffle in the back and get everything together and try it out lol.

That flex watt heat tape works awesome for my flower/veggie seed starting shelves though! I am going to order some more to do my other set of shelves!!!
Here is a link with a video on how to use it. http://www.bigappleherp.com/Flex-Watt-Heat-Tape I bought mine off ebay and it was just a little cheaper than ordering it directly from the website and arrived in like 2 days.