How Do Hatcheries predict the hen/cockerel ratio?

[Celtic Hill]

There must be some equation or rule of thumb that hatcheries use to know how manny eggs to set if they have an order for 400 Barred Rock Pullets?

Anyone know?

 

[EweSheep]

Why in earth one wants that many pullets? Egg selling?

 

[Casey3043]

They probably figure that like any species, chickens will come out about 50% male and 50% female. So with some losses, they would probably set 900 to 1000 eggs. Just a guess. Don't want to think about what happens to all those poor little male chicks.

 

[Kelly G]

They can't PREDICT what sex they will hatch....they sex them after they have hatched and fluffed out.

Nature designed a 50/50 split (more or less).........so for 400 females, there will be 400 males.

Some males are ordered (some people want roos), some males are packing peanuts, and other males __________ ?????

 

[Robo]

They can't predict, but they vent sex at hatch.

 

[Celtic Hill]

they have to be able to predict BECAUSE if they get orders that total up to 400 Barred rock pullets, and 20 Males, they have to beable to fill that some how, and i am sure they have some type of rule of thumb.

 

[Robo]

The truth is they do not. They just hatch extra. If you can find a way to tell the sex of the egg then I'll buy right into it.

 

[Celtic Hill]

Quote:
right, so how much do they estimate over?

 

[Kelly G]

There is simply no way to predict the sex of the chicks before they hatch. If someone orders 400 pulluts........they are going to set 800+ eggs.

The 20 males (theoretic order from above) will be sent with the 400 pullets. The other males are sold, packed as peanuts, a few each year kept by the hatchery for breeding (possibly), and the rest _____________????

It's the reality.

 

[jgravilusmc]

Quote:
my dad always siad that the pointier ones were male, and the rounder ones were female he said it worked well for him. i'm not sure though. You know how the old timers are