Marans Thread for Posting Pics of Your Eggs, Chicks and Chickens

[KellyHM]

Are you guys able to candle your dark Marans eggs? I tried mine tonight and couldn't see a thing! Granted I'm only on Day 5, but I couldn't even see the air cell! Please tell me this is normal...

 

[Oblio13]

Sometimes I can see the air cell after a week, but that's about it.

 

[KellyHM]

Ok, good. I was hoping it didn't mean they were all duds! They're too expensive for that....lol.

 

[MNKris]

After about 9 days you should be able to see a pretty good shadow in the egg with the base lighter. We have a pretty high power candler and although I can't see veins normally, I can pretty easily tell the difference between an empty egg and growth by day 9. Don't try it at day 5 though. You will think they are all empty!

 

[KellyHM]

Thanks for the info! I could see veins in all my other eggs, and didn't really expect to in these, but was worried when I couldn't even find the air cell. Sigh of relief....then back to holding my breath until next time I candle!

 

[drom]

Quote:
On the Marans Breeders of America yahoo forum someone named Harley has a homemade Marans egg candler photographed. It is a flower pot ( like a terra cotta pot) with the single drainage hole in the bottom of it. He turns the flower pot upside down and places it over a large light bulb ( it looks like a heat lamp bulb) so that the light from the bulb is shooting up through the hole in the flower pot. He places the egg over the hole and turns out the lights. You have to do this at night I guess. Anyway it looks like it completely illuminates the egg.

 

[Solsken Farm]

That sounds like a great technique Drom. We have successfully candled our Marans eggs using an old slide projector. I think the key for us was having a really powerful light.

 

[MNKris]

Quote:
On the Marans Breeders of America yahoo forum someone named Harley has a homemade Marans egg candler photographed. It is a flower pot ( like a terra cotta pot) with the single drainage hole in the bottom of it. He turns the flower pot upside down and places it over a large light bulb ( it looks like a heat lamp bulb) so that the light from the bulb is shooting up through the hole in the flower pot. He places the egg over the hole and turns out the lights. You have to do this at night I guess. Anyway it looks like it completely illuminates the egg.

That's pretty much what I have as well, only not homemade. They work great.

 

[klf73]

Ok, since I am new to the marans, I have a question to how one of my bc is feathering out. They aren't even 2 weeks yet but one of them has what looks to be copper barring(2 lines I believe) on the wings. This normal? I only saw one with it so that is why I am asking.

 

[onthespot]

yes, it's normal, and common variation.