Question about humidity (Marans eggs)

[bigspringshatchery]

I have had excellent hatch rates with eggs. Mostly always around 95-99%. But Marans eggs are kicking my butt. I have a hard time with them. I think it's a humidity problem. What is a good percentage to be on for first 18 days and then the last 3. I have heard 35-40 the first days then 60-65. But my question is I'm using a homemade cabinet bator I built last year and now it's running and the humidity is around 35% with no water added. Do I still need to put some in there?

 

[Mahonri]

I would PM chookschicks and ask her.

She says that because the shell is SO thick, you either have to dry hatch OR you need to sandpaper the surface of the eggs so that there can be oxygen exchanged.

She also has a 'cheat sheet' on incubation that is a great read.

 

[bigspringshatchery]

Thanks. I'll do that right now.

 

[flgardengirl]

I dry hatch my marans eggs. I have way better results if I dry hatch than if I use extra humidity. We are pretty humid here in FL, anyways, compared to some places so it might make a difference.

 

[Wingsfan]

Please post the cheat sheet. I will be setting Maran eggs for the first time next week and would love to be successful. I've hatched before , just not Marans. I need all the tips I can get!
Thanks, Kris

 

[bigspringshatchery]

Please post the cheat sheet. I will be setting Maran eggs for the first time next week and would love to be successful. I've hatched before , just not Marans. I need all the tips I can get!
Thanks, Kris

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/incubation-cheat-sheet

Thats that's link for it. It's pretty interesting. I might give it a try.

 

[Arielle]

I would love to see this thread continue with information on hatching the marans. I tried a few shipped eggs, so couldn't be sure if it was because they were marans or shipped. I do pretty good with my own eggs.

I had done research before setting the eggs and all the advice was "same as other eggs' then after a low hatch rate I'm not reading, to change the methods. I not setting yet but will keep tabs on this thread.

 

[Margitas]

I have had excellent hatch rates with eggs. Mostly always around 95-99%. But Marans eggs are kicking my butt. I have a hard time with them. I think it's a humidity problem. What is a good percentage to be on for first 18 days and then the last 3. I have heard 35-40 the first days then 60-65. But my question is I'm using a homemade cabinet bator I built last year and now it's running and the humidity is around 35% with no water added. Do I still need to put some in there?

I hatching marans eggs every weekend , humidity need 45-55 first 18 day ,than raise up to 65-70 .
35% humidity you see because the eggs inside , you need to add water.
Temp my is 100 and i get over 80% some time 100% hatch with shipping eggs.

 

[Arielle]

I hatching marans eggs every weekend , humidity need 45-55 first 18 day ,than raise up to 65-70 .
35% humidity you see because the eggs inside , you need to add water.
Temp my is 100 and i get over 80% some time 100% hatch with shipping eggs.

Wow ! I need to follow this recipe!

 

[OldChurchEggery1]

I wonder if it isn't part of the breed history that makes the eggs need a higher humidity level. From the various club sites, I gathered that the Marans was developed in a particularly swampy area. Perhaps selection over time has made it so that their eggs require different conditions from those developed in more arid climates. I've had a mixed bag with Marans eggs- most recently I had 4/4 shipped eggs to hatch, but I've also had 0/24. This spring will be the first time I've hatched from my own flock (yay!) so that should give me some baseline expectations.