Sexing eggs!

3riverschick said:

Okay I know you are going to laugh at me and I don't care. I'm a fan of using the ring on a string trick to see if they are male or female. once the egg is progressed far enough along to definitely be one or the other. I've seen it so many times and be right I don't care if anybody believes me . I'm a Believer.
I watched my daughter in law do it once over her hand with her gold wedding ring on a string. Kelsey's having twins, a boy and a girl. that ring went around in a circle once and then back and forth once. then round in a circle once and then back and forth once. it was just amazing to see. I have also seen at old-time farmer do it with chicks correctly.

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I am not laughing at you, I am angry you didn't say it earlier, lol. my broody has just hatched 11 chicks.

chickengr said:

I am not laughing at you, I am angry you didn't say it earlier, lol. my broody has just hatched 11 chicks.

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Well you could run an experiment... take each chick and put them separate and do the sexing with the string & ring or pendulum and maybe use a dye to note which are suppose to be male on their little heads ( food coloring)... then monitor them as they grow to see what you get.

Lauravonsmurf said:

Well you could run an experiment... take each chick and put them separate and do the sexing with the string & ring or pendulum and maybe use a dye to note which are suppose to be male on their little heads ( food coloring)... then monitor them as they grow to see what you get.

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good idea.

I have 5 araucana chicks wild type and they should be sex linked. as they come from the mixed colours they might not be so I will start with them. I don't need food colouring with them, lol. the other 6 are bcm and usually boys have bigger combs from day 1. I will see what the ring tells.

When I am ready to get chicks again maybe I will do the same plus the flip truck to see what we get.... I am seriously considering chicks, as my girls are actually getting grey feathers... probably should figure out their age...

Hey guys. Im not sure i phrased my question right. .. i wondered if BEFORE you start incubation, if there is a way to determine an egg to be fertile , or is it that they are only fertile after incubation? Bottom line how do i know which eggs to sell as fertile? As i say, i have 15 roosters, most of my eggs develope, hatch rate is im guessing 90%. But if im selling at auction i want to be honest. I used to do the "dangle" trick until a friend told me it was too dangerous with such tiny, fragile little legs. Either sex, i keep. I love my boys. Wy roos get along, well ok, they tolerate each other! So far, 5 years. I used to take them to auction, but started hearing the stOries and was sick with guilt. Fortunately we live on 52 acres in the country so everyone can sreer clear of each other! This was my first year breeding Polish! What funny lil skeeterbugs! And what a personality! Below is daddy Treasure and 3 of his little gems.






Sorry! Accidentally inluded two extras... grey hen Grayson (was supposed to be a cockerel) and my half Polish Head Rooster KingElvis's son Suit.
My Treasure is embarrassed getting his pic taken, his hair is just growing back from the winter. Muddy Washington winters...it was easier to trim my polish hens topknot.

Ol Grey Mare said:

Many folks maintain layer only flocks with no roosters, so the eggs will be infertile. Additionally, eggs not stored under optimal conditions for hatching eggs (unwashed, positioned fat end up, kept at optimal temperature, turned and 10 days or less in age) will offer significantly lower hatch rates even if the were fertile when laid so unless they are collected and handled to preserve hatchability it would be irresponsible to sell them as hatching eggs which traditionally demand a higher price than those intended for consumption

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Thank you! That was the most definitive and concise reply yet!

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And the other option is dowsing. If you can dowse for water etc it might be worth trying to sex eggs. I am not suggesting it will definitely work but it might and it is something to do while waiting for them to hatch apart from candling. I have tried it but being somewhat disorganised always forget to write down what the results have been. Must try harder!

Sylv said:

And the other option is dowsing. If you can dowse for water etc it might be worth trying to sex eggs. I am not suggesting it will definitely work but it might and it is something to do while waiting for them to hatch apart from candling. I have tried it but being somewhat disorganised always forget to write down what the results have been. Must try harder!

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I never thought of that I have dowsing rods. It kinda make sense people use needle and thread to sex a baby before it’s born

silly4buttons said:

I never thought of that I have dowsing rods. It kinda make sense people use needle and thread to sex a baby before it’s born

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I've got a weight on the end of a chain which is attached to a ball so it swings clock-wise or anti-clockwise. Good luck with the rods.