Does Lowering The Incubators Temperature Kill The Male Embryos?

[-Flash-]

I believe about 45°F, the normal range.

So about half a week after the eggs have been laid, but the eggs in the fridge at 7.2 C (45 F) for a week, then let 'settle' for half a day (?) Then chuck 'em in the incubator?

 

[MysteryChicken]

So about half a week after the eggs have been laid, but the eggs in the fridge at 7.2 C (45 F) for a week, then let 'settle' for half a day (?) Then chuck 'em in the incubator?

I either warm them up for about 30mins, or stick them right in the incubator, or under a broody hen without warm up time.

 

[-Flash-]

I either warm them up for about 30mins, or stick them right in the incubator, or under a broody hen without warm up time.

Okay. I'm gonna try this!! In a few months though...

 

[MysteryChicken]

Okay. I'm gonna try this!! In a few months though...

Sounds good. I've been doing this method for years.

This year, the eggs I've hatched weren't refrigerated, so I got more boys then I ever had since the Straight Run chicks from TSC several years ago.

 

[Weeg]

Sounds good. I've been doing this method for years.

This year, the eggs I've hatched weren't refrigerated, so I got more boys then I ever had since the Straight Run chicks from TSC several years ago.

Thats really intreating. I want to try breeding next summer, and selling chicks, so I'll have to refrigerate my eggs as well.

 

[-Flash-]

Thats really intreating. I want to try breeding next summer, and selling chicks, so I'll have to refrigerate my eggs as well.

Yeah, same. I just have to wait for the chicks to grow up... another 2 or 3 months of waiting...

 

[MysteryChicken]

Thats really intreating. I want to try breeding next summer, and selling chicks, so I'll have to refrigerate my eggs as well.

Update on what your results are, when you do?

 

[Weeg]

There was a thread a while back discussing the lowered temp question. I feel like some said it works, but I didn't read through the whole thread.
I think the reason behind it was that females are supposedly more hardy. Not sure if this only applies to chilled eggs or what, but out of my shipped egg hatches I've had the perfect male to female ratio. Out of 3 surviving Serama eggs- 2:1 ratio. Could be better with larger numbers, but additional breeding can fix that.

 

[Weeg]

Yeah, same. I just have to wait for the chicks to grow up... another 2 or 3 months of waiting...

Try to get exact fridge temperature, exact about of time in the fridge etc. Maybe even try half in the fridge for a few days or a week, and half in the fridge for multiple weeks and see if one works better. You'd have to mark the eggs with colors to show the separate half, then leg band the chicks from each half once they hatched so you know who was from what half.

 

[EEforMe]

Very interesting, I’m still a little confused as I would think putting eggs in the fridge would kill them but idk.