Cockerel to pullet ratio - Why was I so heavy on roos?

[happychickmom]

Four months ago I hatched 15 beautiful mutt chickens - large laying breed crosses. Dad was a Buff Orpington, and the moms were BO, RIR, Australorp, Lt. Brahma, etc. Anyway, I thought for a long time that I had a majority of pullets. In the last month or so, it has become evident that I had either 9 or 10 cockerels!!!! (I'm still not sure about one chicken - big comb, but blunt tail.)

This is very disappointing, as this is my first new flock of chickens since we sold our last house and gave away our chickens two years ago.

I have rehomed three roos, am keeping one, so have five or six more to rehome (or process).

I thought I would get close to a 50% ratio, at least. What happened? It would have been great if it were the other way around.

I have hatched chicks a few times in years past and don't ever remember a lopsided outcome like this.

Is this a common occurrence for you other hatchers?

 

[shelleyd2008]

It's just the luck of the draw. I hatched 6 EE this past spring and only 1 was a pullet

 

[Mesa]

Yep I agree.
Although, I'd like to experiment a little with humidity and temps to see if chicken eggs are like crocodile eggs... male vs female is dependent upon temp.


I had some hatches where 11 out of 12 chicks were cockerels and a BC Marans hatch that was 4 pullets to 2 roos. That was a relief lol.

I have a mixed breed hatch in the brooder now and I swear most are cockerels by the way these chicks are attacking my hands when I feed them.

 

[KDbeads]

Quote:
Sex of the chick is determined BEFORE egg is laid, not by heat/humidity. No scientific proof behind heat/humidity determining the sex of birds. Chickens are not reptiles

 

[Highland Moongazer]

Quote:
Yes, but I have seen it mentioned that females seem to be more susceptible to temperature spikes than males.

 

[MariposaMama]

I'd like to know the answer to this question, too. I have hatched out a total of 18 chicks this year and at least 10 are roos (the last batch are still young, so there could be more).

If the sex of the chick is determined before hatch, who is responsible for it the hen or the roo?

 

[speckledhen]

I thought I would get close to a 50% ratio, at least. What happened? It would have been great if it were the other way around.

You didn't have a large sample, that's why. Odds change when you only hatch small numbers. I've had a hatch with 6 roos/2 pullets, 6 pullets/1 roo, etc, etc.

If you have alot of eggs from one particular hen, that may change the odds some since sex is determined by the female in avian species. I have one BR hen who has never thrown a cockerel, only pullets. Another one throws mostly cockerels.​

 

[FenDruadin]

I have one BR hen who has never thrown a cockerel, only pullets. Another one throws mostly cockerels.

Really? That's very interesting! Hmmm... I wonder whether you could breed for that trait? Do any of the pullet-throwing hen's babies also tend to throw pullets?​

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
You didn't have a large sample, that's why. Odds change when you only hatch small numbers. I've had a hatch with 6 roos/2 pullets, 6 pullets/1 roo, etc, etc.

If you have alot of eggs from one particular hen, that may change the odds some since sex is determined by the female in avian species. I have one BR hen who has never thrown a cockerel, only pullets. Another one throws mostly cockerels.

I never realized the female determines sex. Interesting.

Would you like to send me eggs from the one that throws pullets? I'd be happy to test it out for you!

 

[happychickmom]

Thanks for all of your input, everyone. I agree that it might be interesting to breed for the pullet-throwing trait.