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

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

oh, i just reread my last post and i want to clarify that i didn't meant to say that styrobators are not "real" incubators...it's just that there's such a huge difference in the instructions between a styrobator and a cabinet 'bator...it's like us "regular joes/josephines" are kinda set up for a whole lot of failure initially because of the haphazard instructions. but anyway.

 

[drom]

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Very pretty boy

 

[drom]

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Yes, but the cabinet incubators are so different than the little ones, do the instructions still make more sense to use with any incubator?

I just got an R-com. I am assuming there will be some instructions and suggested settings for hen eggs. So, I am thinking I might want to go with the specific manufacturer suggested settings for this device.

The more upgraded model of the R-com has a weight and density loss management feature in the software program, but I just got the standard model.

 

[drom]

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So, I guess what Buddy's post says about the over 55% is that he thinks they can drown. But then I hear other people say that Marans eggs shells and membranes are tough and you need higher humidity. Oh, I'll see how it works out in mine. Sounds like everyone just develops their own best method based on their conditions.

 

[gary43055]

im planning on getting a incubato.r not a lot of money. tops 100 dollars. i might get 2 styrobators. then get 2 eggturners.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

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It has worked wonders for me. I've been using the "weight loss method" with my styrobator since reading Buddy and Jamie's advice in that one Hoss of a thread (which is now locked, I believe...go figure).

I just weigh the eggs regularly and manipulate the humidity accordingly, in order to achieve a 12-14% weight loss, or as close as I can get to that target.

I have two dozen BC Marans eggs coming on Monday...yay!

 

[havi]

Here are a few pictures of my BC Marans rooster. He was one of two, but sadly a hawk killed the other one. And of course it had to get the one that was the better of the two. This one has way to much orangy yellow coloring. I havent really been able to get good profile pictures yet. Its been so nasty here with all the rain, snow and high winds. I'll try to get some more pictures posted later.

I plan on getting into breeding BCM and Araucanas. Not for show or anything, but just for my personal interest in them. I got these from 3chickens, and Im very pleased! Within the next month or so I will be looking to buy some more. If anyone will have some for sale, let me know.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

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If it's at all possible to boost that budget up to like $130-ish, I highly recommend the Genesis 1588 by Hova-Bator. I would rather use that and turn eggs by hand than to use a lesser incubator with an egg turner.

The idea of getting two styrobators for $100 makes me think you're thinking of the LG still-air incubator and, yikes...I wouldn't even consider that myself.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

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I just went back and checked out that thread.

Have a look at Jamie's post, #255, in the middle of the page: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=113681&p=26

That's exactly how I've been doing it, with the exception of during days 1-18, I'll push the envelope a bit further on each end, depending on how the weight loss is going. For the hatching phase, I keep it at 58-60% RH. It will rise a little as peeps start hatching and I've had it go to like 62.

My understanding is that the big danger of peeps drowning comes from the eggs not having lost enough weight during the setting phase, so when the peep pips into the air cell, it drowns in the excess fluid.

I have not read anything about the Marans egg shells and membranes being thicker and needing higher humidity for the hatch, but I do believe that they are perhaps not as porous (they're clogged with that "Marans paint"?) as other shells and thus need more "persuasion" during the setting phase to ensure adequate weight loss. Case in point, my last hatch was 7 BC Marans and 9 Olive Eggers...the Marans had only lost like 9+% while the OEs had lost 12+% on average. These eggs all came from the same breeder at the same time. Although the Marans eggs had fallen short of the target of 12-14% weight loss, everybody hatched. And they hatched with gusto, a day early.

I think it's important to make a distinction between the two different phases...setting and hatching. During the setting phase, the goal is to achieve that weight loss, thereby ensuring that the air cells are large enough. Then, during the hatching phase, the goal is simply to keep the membranes soft and pliable by boosting humidity. That's how it works in my head at least.

Clear as mud?

 

[cpartist]

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I think your roo has a very nice profile-very pleasing body shape, comb and tail, and his hackle and saddle feathers are a nice shade of copper. If you breed him look for cockerels that have his good characteristics, but with less red on the breast. I hope others with more knowledge than I will weigh in here, but personally, I'd work with him...especially if you are getting dark eggs from your hens (those two girls in the background look to have nice coloring). If you start with another set of eggs, you may find you just have another set of problems to work with (like squirrel tail or straw hackles or egg color)...that seems to be the nature of Marans.