Experimenting: Hatching Black Copper Maran Eggs// Lower Humidity

I continue to experiment with hatching BCM eggs, this time I did a lower humidity (40-45 percent) from 1-18 daysand had a improved success rate, but I personally believe the humidity is still to high following this experiment with the amount of developed unhatched eggs I had. What are your thoughts?

[@muhammadsameedqureshi7531]

You just posted on the right time!! Soon I'm going to hatch my first ever black copper marans

[@PastureFowler]

That’s awesome!! I’m still learning that’s for sure, I hope it goes well! :)

[@lovedpunk]

Awe you are such a sweet amazing human being. Thank you so much for your experience with hatching. I defiantly am going to try a lower humidity point. Blessing 💜

[@PastureFowler]

Why thanks! Best of luck :)

[@mjremy2605]

DEFINITELY, not DEFIANTLY! 😂

[@littlewillowhomestead113]

I hope you’ve discovered by now that below 30% humidity is best 😊 I breed dark black copper Marans

[@PastureFowler]

Do you!!! That’s wonderful to know :) it was my suspicion I was not going low enough- thank you for your expertise :)

[@shawnhurla7923]

Do you sell and ship marans eggs

[@PastureFowler]

@@shawnhurla7923 I don’t Shawn! I wish I could help you out more!

[@SpYucaipaSoCal]

I used the scale of they should loose approximately 13% of the gross weight over the first 18 days. I found 35 to 40 % works great. I use the same humidity level for all my chicken eggs now and have no complaints on hatch rates. Now these rates don’t apply to EBay eggs 😂

[@angelastossel2418]

Great to know. Im getting my hatching eggs tomorrow! Do you keep the humidity below 30% even on and after lockdown, or how high you let it rise?

[@Barrell60]

The Journey continues Good job

[@PastureFowler]

Thanks Mark!!

[@chrisbgarrett]

I got 10 out of 12 locally bought eggs. Ran 45-55% until lockdown. Then up to 65%. I’ve replicated same and didn’t have but 50%. Now I hatch my own and run 40-50% until lockdown but increase humidity to 70% and reduce temperature to 98.5-99. That’s been best for me but so many variables. I also run 3-4 thermometers some times if I have extra available. Accurate temperature is important more than humidity in my book.

[@PastureFowler]

That’s awesome!! Congrats, it sounds like the hard work and research is paying off

[@RodneyLinzay-lf7ls]

Keep up the good work!!

[@PastureFowler]

Why thanks Rodney!

[@floridamicrohomesteader3027]

I live in Central Florida where it is really humid. I've started doing the dry hatch method. Not sure what your natural humidity is, but it's something to look into. My natural humidity with no water added to the incubator is 35-40% humidity.

[@josebrito-ensinamentosedro2661]

Eu sempre tenho obtido 70% a 80% de taxa de eclosão usando temperatura de 37,8C a 38,1C e umidade de 55% a 60% durante os primeiros 19 dias e aumento a umidade para 65% no 19o dia até o nascimento que sempre tem ocorrido com 20 a 21 dias. Uso chocadeira caseira com viragem de ovos automática a cada 2h posição de ovo em pé e inclinação de 45 graus. No nascimento eu uso outra incubadora caseira só pra nascimento sem viragem de ovos.

[@wandamannsmith8469]

Love this! Very pleasing video. I’m a newbie (if that’s still a word to use) but was wondering if the Hova Bator has to be vented during lockdown like the NR360. Also, do you use a secondary hygrometer throughout the entire process? Again, thanks for posting and best of luck with your beautiful eggs

[@PastureFowler]

Hey Wanda!! I’m still a newbie too, so I’ll use that word also LOL. The hovabator does work a little different than the nurture right, and I don’t open up more vent spaces like I do for the nurture right. There is a spot on the top I believe to do so if you wanted :)- I just control the humidity through the amount of water I put in, where with the nurture right, the vent space helps me control the humidity more easily too- I don’t use any secondary sources of using the parameters, but a lot of people do! I hope this helps! There are a lot more knowledgeable folks on this journey than me, so take everything I say with a grain of salt! I’m glad you enjoyed the video, and best of luck on your hatching journey!!

[@ciasarah376]

Marans eggshells are harder than regular eggshells.I put 15 in the incubator and had 12 hatch but like i said i dry hatch till day 18 then add water to get the humidity up to 55%.

[@PastureFowler]

That’s great it went so well for you! Thanks for the input

[@waynelee657]

I get about a 90 % hatch rate. By dry hatch and spraying the eggs with 3% hydrogen peroxide. When I put them in the nurture right.

[@thomaslapointe4671]

Great Contents, ~Have 18 BCM, Dozen Wheaten/Blue Wheaten, Dozen Splash & Blue Birchen Marans coming ~ Thanks for the Tilt, any thoughts on Turn vs Tilt Success

[@PastureFowler]

I have friends who believe the tilt works better for the air sac- I have noticed better success in my hovabator which is a tilt, but it also hold humidity so effectively! I’m not sure which aspect makes it better in my context 😂 - best of luck!! That is exciting!

[@ciasarah376]

I just hatched out a doz BCM eggs i dry hatched till day 18.

[@dianamallory8535]

Why don't you get a broody silky to hatch them for you?

[@PastureFowler]

Lol I have heard they are pretty darn good at it

[@theback40acresllc]

I have had better success with dry hatch. I don’t add water unless humidity goes below 25% the first 18 days. My last hatch was 65 % hatch rate

[@PastureFowler]

That’s awesome! Thanks for the confirmation that I’m heading in the right direction :)

[@jamesw.3491]

Why not do the dry hatch or hybrid hatch method? Lots of documented success for people that have done it.

[@PastureFowler]

I’ve been learning that James! Have you had good luck with those methods?! Thanks for the tip!

[@jamesw.3491]

@@PastureFowler we will see. I'm about to incubate a dozen Orpington and a dozen marans with the hybrid method.

[@PastureFowler]

@@jamesw.3491 that’s awesome James! Keep in touch and let me know how it goes, maybe I can give it a try too!

[@shannonfbc1]

Dry dry hatching them add no water at all until day 18 then jack humidity to about 80% marans seem to struggle getting out more that others (die in egg) that seems to help an awful lot

[@PastureFowler]

Shannon thank you for your input! I’m glad you are finding something that is working for you, it sounds like then, maybe I caught on to the scent but need to go a little further that direction! Thanks!

[@sanjayrana381]

Which poultry buy marans eag

[@forced4motorsports]

IMO having the air sack on the 'bottom' rounded end of the egg is part of the issue. It's not natural. Hens do not prop their eggs up on the pointy end do they? I also think dry hatch make the most sense. Hens can only control humidity by sitting or not sitting on the eggs - so in other words, they can't. May be worth investigation on your next run?

[@PastureFowler]

Absolutely! Those are some great thoughts! I have noticed a much better hatch rate consistently in the hovabator versus the nurture right, the hovabator is turning the eggs upright versus the nurture is doing it on its side- but there are so many variables LOL it’s hard to tell if that’s what’s causing the better hatch rate!

[@forced4motorsports]

@@PastureFowler I think material construction plays a bigger role here. Styrofoam is way better at maintaining a consistent temperature and many have better electronics. The cheap plastic incubators have different temps below, middle and above the eggs. Using a heating pad below helps some for the 'side to side' ones, but only for those of us who dry hatch. Humidity would be a challenge for standard hatch and I'm not sure if the heating pad would work on the 360/round ones, since I don't have one. I don't like their design and they are way overpriced.

[@PastureFowler]

@@forced4motorsports you are probably right! Thanks for the input, I really appreciate it, you gave me food for thought :)

[@haqiqulhassan8139]

You lost 4 chicks only because of low humidity. After 18 days, humidity should be 60 to 65 because chicks are not able to broken eggshell is the only way to make eggs shell soft with high humidity

[@PastureFowler]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@waynelee657]

Spray hatch eggs. With 3% hydrogen peroxide. For higher hatch rate

[@PastureFowler]

That’s a great idea! Thank you!

[@mrbasshole301]

What does that do ? .. I'm getting 1 dozen in the mail in 2wks .. Black Copper Marans.. I have the nurture right 360 incubator.. this is my first time incubating eggs .. now I'm seeing negative reviews on the incubator.. these will be my fist chickens so Im new .. I need alot of expert advice that has been proven successful on Black Copper Marans.. ????????????

[@waynelee657]

@@mrbasshole301 There are all kinds of videos and theories on KZbin about it. I would encourage you to look it up it's very informative. Good luck!

[@PastureFowler]

@@mrbasshole301 hey there! I have the NR 360, and think it does great! It just has a little harder time controlling the humidity :)- A lot of folks like dryer hatching, they feel it’s more successful for BCM- but I’m definitely not a expert! I have had better luck with upright turners and lower humidity hatching. I hope this helps, and wish you the best of luck on your journey! When working with nature, it’s often a lot of trial and error!

[@mrbasshole301]

@@waynelee657 yes, the folks that I'm getting the eggs from said that only the eggs are gently washed and ready for the incubator to lightly mist them with the peroxide and that's how they've been successful.. also they said about 50% humidity until the 18th day then around 30% humidity during the lockdown .. that the hatching process will bring up the humidity.. but won't that drive up my reading ?

[@ciasarah376]

Don't add water till lockdown.

[@mjremy2605]

Just so everyone knows, including you, it is COPPER MARANS, not MARAN. One hen or many hens, it is always MARANS with an S. The town of MARANS, France is where this chicken came from. Please speak up, can barely hear you. Please do not put any music on demo videos, it ruins the content and hurts the ears. I have to turn sound ON OFF ON OFF between voice and music, and it gets old. Never a good idea to add music to any demo video.