May 2020 Hatch-A-Long

[FortCluck]

I have 3 black copper and 6 blue birchen in the incubator. I can see a little bit in the blue birchen as the eggs are a bit lighter, but forget seeing anything in the black coppers!

So maybe my lighter eggs are blues... I have super dark eggs that I can see only an air cell. Two of those have the internal pips.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

So maybe my lighter eggs are blues... I have super dark eggs that I can see only an air cell. Two of those have the internal pips.

I don’t know if it makes any difference as Marans are graded by the egg color, but the 3 darkest ones here are the black copper. The breeder marked the eggs, the only way I know the difference. Guess it’ll be a surprise to see what they look like when they hatch! Question if you know the answer; can you tell the difference between a “black“ blue birchen and a black copper when they are chicks?

 

[FortCluck]

View attachment 2147194
I don’t know if it makes any difference as Marans are graded by the egg color, but the 3 darkest ones here are the black copper. The breeder marked the eggs, the only way I know the difference. Guess it’ll be a surprise to see what they look like when they hatch! Question if you know the answer; can you tell the difference between a “black“ blue birchen and a black copper when they are chicks?

Hmmm @CluckNDoodle might know the answer. This is my first time with marans. I’d like to know the answer as well.

 

[FortCluck]

View attachment 2147194
I don’t know if it makes any difference as Marans are graded by the egg color, but the 3 darkest ones here are the black copper. The breeder marked the eggs, the only way I know the difference. Guess it’ll be a surprise to see what they look like when they hatch! Question if you know the answer; can you tell the difference between a “black“ blue birchen and a black copper when they are chicks?

And odd that I have 4 dark and the rest are light. I’m wondering if they are blues, I’ll be so happy I’m addicted to blues and silver chickens.

 

[kelseyk]

1 Gold Neck d'Uccle hatched and dried this morning. Pipped chick is resting. Nothing from the other 2 yet. Took them out quick to candle and they haven't changed much over the last 2 days. Didn't see any movement and my nail did not move over them, so I think they did not make it. Hatch day is not until tomorrow, so we will see. I have been nervous about these eggs since I got them as they were not the cleanest and the air cells were a bit wonky.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

And odd that I have 4 dark and the rest are light. I’m wondering if they are blues, I’ll be so happy I’m addicted to blues and silver chickens.

Me too! I love blue and silver chickens! I also have 13 lavender Ameraucanas brewing and 15 Silkies, many of them are supposed to be lavender as well!
I was supposed to just get six eggs ended up with 38 not quite sure how that happened…
I figured 50% hatch rate with shipped eggs at best and maybe only half of them are pullets so at the end will not have as many chickens maybe?!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

View attachment 2147194
I don’t know if it makes any difference as Marans are graded by the egg color, but the 3 darkest ones here are the black copper. The breeder marked the eggs, the only way I know the difference. Guess it’ll be a surprise to see what they look like when they hatch! Question if you know the answer; can you tell the difference between a “black“ blue birchen and a black copper when they are chicks?

Hmmm @CluckNDoodle might know the answer. This is my first time with marans. I’d like to know the answer as well.

Egg color in Marans is developed by selective breeding so it's not necessarily the color of the bird that will determine the color of the egg but there does seem to be a much higher demand for both blue and splash Marans so what I often find with breeders is they focus on either or and not necessarily both. They either focus on getting a higher percentage of blue and splash hatches or they focus on the egg color. Fortunately a couple of my local friends have their blue flocks established and their primary goal now is to breed for the darkest eggs.

Some of the darkest eggs I've hatched were from a BBS (Blue/Black/Splash) flock. The flock was 100% blue but when you breed blues you will typically hatch 50% Blue/25% Black/25% Splash.

I hope that answers your question!

This is a local breeders image from her Blue Marans flock.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

And odd that I have 4 dark and the rest are light. I’m wondering if they are blues, I’ll be so happy I’m addicted to blues and silver chickens.

As the season goes on the Marans eggs will also get lighter. Early in the season they're much darker than toward the end and a 2 year old hen's eggs will never be as dark as her first year so it may just be that they're a little older.

 

[sdm111]

Oh wait there's another egg! Lol mighta not noticed. Ok so this is the last to hatch (the dark one)

 

[FortCluck]

Oh wait there's another egg! Lol mighta not noticed. Ok so this is the last to hatch (the dark one)


View attachment 2147240

What color will it be when older