hatching eggs ration of male/female

[Afterburner]

Generally, when hatching eggs, what is the ratio of boys to girls? I have heard everything from 3/1 leaning grils to 50/50. Is there a different ration when using an incubator compared to a broody hen? If my goal is six healthy hens, how man eggs should I start with in either case?

 

[sheila3935]

Usually its 50/50. My Australorp hatched 7 eggs this last April. She had 5 boys and 2 girls. I just hatched 6 barred rocks that my girl decided to abandon her nest after 4 days, so they went into the incubator. They hatched July 30th I have 3 boys and 3 girls. You just never know how many of each you will get. I would say set at least twice as many as you want. Then you have the problem of what to do with the boys unless you want to raise them for meat.

 

[AZBootsie]

50/50 ....but sometimes you get lucky and get more hens....sometimes more roos. Makes no difference who hatchs, what temps are used, brand of incubator or what your broody looks like. Just a coin toss every time.

a really fun coin toss though. I love incubating!! Someday maybe I will be lucky enough to get a broody... and I am sure I will love it just as much.

 

[Afterburner]

Could I use just a heatlamp for a brooder if my broody hen abandons the eggs mid sitting? If so, could I slip the chicks back underneath her sometime in the night and have her care for them without ill effects?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Quote:
Brooders are used for hatchlings to take the place of mom for warmth and where you feed and water them. An incubator is for hatching eggs. I have seen posts of people trying to use a box and heat lamp, but they are not very successful.

 

[drdoolittle]

It seems as though you always get more roos. I hatched chicks this spring, and got 3 roos, 2 hens.

I have several eggs under 3 broodies right now-----let see what happens.

 

[Chickangel79]

I got lucky last month, 7 girls 3 boys, but this month both the autosex eggs were boys !
I had 4 cream legbar eggs and got two of each. Incubator hatching each time. It all adds to the excitement of hatching !

 

[scottfarm]

you just never know what you will get. i hached this yr some hatches had more girls and few boys other hatches had lots boys few girls. i think that just part of hatching never know what you will get.

 

[Arielle]

In a book on hatching , I read that 50-55 % are boys. This is average! Do a zillion hatches, then average the numbers. Because as you know, individual hatches vary. THis is a phnomenon across most species of animals as the males have a higher death rate than females. THen as adult there are more females than males in most populations.