How to increase hen to drake ratio during a hatch.

[fishin_dad]

I have attempted 2 duck hatches in the incubator and both times i have ended up with a 30% hen to 60% drake hatch rate. Is there any way to increase the percentage of hens? Temp, humidity etc.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

No. It's determined at conception whether it's make or female. Get new females since they determine the sexes

 

[mosseater]

Isn't it just 50/50? I think you're due for a duck heavy hatch

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Isn't it just 50/50? I think you're due for a duck heavy hatch

Statistically in a perfect world, yea. But there are genetic and biological factors that play in too

 

[Humanbean68]

No. It's determined at conception whether it's make or female. Get new females since they determine the sexes

Really? So a particular duck can be prone to producing more of one sex? Fascinating....

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Really? So a particular duck can be prone to producing more of one sex? Fascinating....

Yep, just like how in humans some families only have sons or daughters

 

[Humanbean68]

Except in humans it’s the male that determines the sex, not the female.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Except in humans it’s the male that determines the sex, not the female.

Correct

 

[Kaw]

We had the same issue. Out of 7 hatched ducks, 4 were male...I won‘t cull my males and I don’t know that anyone wants a male Duck, so I purchased 6 female ducklings from a hatchery to give them a 1 to 3-4 ratio.
Well now I have 13 adorable Indian Runner ducks in a Suburban neighborhood zoned for two chickens...
So far so good.

 

[Kaw]

Correct

The male determines the sex in humans too. It depends on whether their sperm carries the X or Y chromosome. Women carry the X chromosome. XX = Girl, XY = Boy.