***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[TRUE5]

This newbie has a new question for all you Marans parents who hatched their own eggs. I am borrowing a bator and hatching these eggs myself. I am getting the eggs next week

(Splash Marans) and am so very nervous. I don't want to screw this up! The breeder said that I should do 45% humidity for the entire hatch but 3-4 days before hatch day drop it to 20% for about 2 days. Then up the humidity back to 45% the day before hatch day, or I would guess "lock down". Have you in Oklahoma had much success with this method? Being that she is in Texas I didn't know if the humidity range on their state would be very different on the hatching results seeing they are in the incubator but I read that it does make a difference. I hate being confused

. I just want to mainly make sure this is what I need to do before I do it. However I am SO excited to try this on my own and am praying hard that I get some babies out of this! My kids would love to see eggs hatch!

 

[Ksane]

This newbie has a new question for all you Marans parents who hatched their own eggs. I am borrowing a bator and hatching these eggs myself. I am getting the eggs next week

(Splash Marans) and am so very nervous. I don't want to screw this up! The breeder said that I should do 45% humidity for the entire hatch but 3-4 days before hatch day drop it to 20% for about 2 days. Then up the humidity back to 45% the day before hatch day, or I would guess "lock down". Have you in Oklahoma had much success with this method? Being that she is in Texas I didn't know if the humidity range on their state would be very different on the hatching results seeing they are in the incubator but I read that it does make a difference. I hate being confused

. I just want to mainly make sure this is what I need to do before I do it. However I am SO excited to try this on my own and am praying hard that I get some babies out of this! My kids would love to see eggs hatch!

I've never heard of doing it that way. Everyone learns through trial and error how to do it. I keep humidity around 30-35% the 1st 18 days and then the last 3 days I jack it up as far as I can get it. I usually can't get it past the 70's those last 3 days. I've only hatched less than 15 times though so I'm no expert.
What kind of incubator are you borrowing? I'd be really nervous about using one of the styroforam incubators. I've had rotten luck stabilizing the dang temp in mine. I can't even trust it to stay at even temps the 1st 4 days so I can candle and find out who's growing and who's not.
You'll hear lots of advice lol Be prepared to do a lot of reading and stack up on grains of salt

 

[Kassaundra]

I've never heard of doing it that way. Everyone learns through trial and error how to do it. I keep humidity around 30-35% the 1st 18 days and then the last 3 days I jack it up as far as I can get it. I usually can't get it past the 70's those last 3 days. I've only hatched less than 15 times though so I'm no expert.
What kind of incubator are you borrowing? I'd be really nervous about using one of the styroforam incubators. I've had rotten luck stabilizing the dang temp in mine. I can't even trust it to stay at even temps the 1st 4 days so I can candle and find out who's growing and who's not.
You'll hear lots of advice lol Be prepared to do a lot of reading and stack up on grains of salt

That is the way I do it too, spoiled to the brinsea's rock solid temps. I have not hatched marans eggs, don't know if there are reasons for what she suggested w/ the dark shells.

 

[bardies]

This newbie has a new question for all you Marans parents who hatched their own eggs. I am borrowing a bator and hatching these eggs myself. I am getting the eggs next week

(Splash Marans) and am so very nervous. I don't want to screw this up! The breeder said that I should do 45% humidity for the entire hatch but 3-4 days before hatch day drop it to 20% for about 2 days. Then up the humidity back to 45% the day before hatch day, or I would guess "lock down". Have you in Oklahoma had much success with this method? Being that she is in Texas I didn't know if the humidity range on their state would be very different on the hatching results seeing they are in the incubator but I read that it does make a difference. I hate being confused

. I just want to mainly make sure this is what I need to do before I do it. However I am SO excited to try this on my own and am praying hard that I get some babies out of this! My kids would love to see eggs hatch!

The method that Ksane describes is called a 'dry hatch' method...and the idea is to make sure that enough of the moisture evaporates from the egg so that come hatch time - the babies have enough of an air pocket to pip into and learn how to breathe. This air pocket and the air inside also has the chemical makeup necessary to send the chick into spasms (the hatching muscle?) and enables him to zip the egg. So, the air cell is all important. A lot of people candle the eggs and keep track of the aircell development that way. Some other folks are more exacting and weigh the eggs, ensuring that the appropriate amount of weight is lost through the hatching period. I do not do that...but I have not hatched only marans before - I relied on other lighter colored eggs in the batch to go by. I do not know the proper amount of weight that the eggs should lose - but I know that the info is out there.
In the dry method, the humidity is jacked up so that when the babies start to hatch, the membrane does not close in on them and do a shrink wrap thing.
I use the dry hatch method - or a variation thereof, but I have not been doing this long enough to have a valid opinion on it.
Also realize that you can do everything right - and the eggs still wont hatch anyway. All you can do is the best you can.
Good luck!

 

[mjgigax]

Quote: Too cute! Makes me miss haveing little chicks right now.

 

[mjgigax]

Man oh man oh man, no good can come from this!!!!!!!! I have been researching paper piecing all day, like how to draft your own patterns and such. I came across a site for a quilt a-long for paper piecing 20 .......................................... count them .................................. 20 DOCTOR WHO blocks!!!!!!!!!!

I am to late for the quilt along part, and can't find the free patterns yet, I think I have to sign up for the group first which I can't do on the work computer.

One of my colleagues was wearing earrings with blue telephone boxes one day last week and the Friday before I heard another mumble something about "Dr. Who time" on her way out the door.

 

[miohippus]

I can't hit any download button on the work computer, I will have to wait until I get home.

Sorry just thought i would show you one you didn't have to sign up for because i hate having to sign up for things all the time

 

[Kassaundra]

Sorry just thought i would show you one you didn't have to sign up for because i hate having to sign up for things all the time

Thanks I appreciate that

 

[Kyzmette]

Resting from hard work in the garden. I was dismantling it, they were too... one scratch and peck at a time.

 

[NanaKat]

Must be rough having more than one addiction.... Chickens and Dr. Who.