I think my hen might have hatched 9 cockerels? Help?

[21hens-incharge]

All I can add is a big sad dang it for such a hatch of boys.

 

[shanadienne]

Does anyone know if this is more likely to happen with older hens? She is 4 years old.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Does anyone know if this is more likely to happen with older hens? She is 4 years old.

Age has nothing to do with the gender that hatches. However, the hen does determine the gender of the chicks (likely just by genetics, not choice). So if you have one that consistently throws boys and that isn't what you want, then I wouldn't hatch her eggs. More likely as they age they would throw more deformed chicks or less hatchable eggs.
Fertility isn't just about the boys. I thought if a hen lays eggs she IS fertile. But I guess that isn't the case... the eggs themselves may not have fertility (viability) even if they get fertilized.

 

[shanadienne]

Is the creation of egg cells different in hens than humans? I assumed it was the same process of meiosis, with cells duplicating and dividing, then dividing again but without duplicating the genetic material so you would end up with 50% female eggs and 50% male eggs.

To be clear, she has had daughters before. I hatched two boys and two girls in an incubator last year.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Is the creation of egg cells different in hens than humans? I assumed it was the same process of meiosis, with cells duplicating and dividing, then dividing again but without duplicating the genetic material so you would end up with 50% female eggs and 50% male eggs.

To be clear, she has had daughters before. I hatched two boys and two girls in an incubator last year.

I figured you had previously gotten female chicks since you asked if it was age related.

I haven't done extensive research.. So I looked up what you are referencing, and the truth is I don't know! Here is one link, though probably not where I got my original info.. Wish I was interested in genetics when I was still on school...
https://www.mypetchicken.com/backya...etermined-in-chickens-and-what-does-H100.aspx

And one more link with probably the same basic description..
https://www.thoughtco.com/how-chromosomes-determine-sex-373288

 

[shanadienne]

Thank you for the links.

I'm wondering if I should try to hatch the next nine eggs she lays and expect a lot of females... But I think they call that the gambler's fallacy.

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

Lol, I'd be tempted, just to see. If you do, let us know what you get!

 

[shanadienne]

Quick update, I've hatched 10 out of her first 12 eggs after she finished up with her boys. (Well, a couple of my hens did.) I'll post again when I have a decent idea of what I got.

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

Quick update, I've hatched 10 out of her first 12 eggs after she finished up with her boys. (Well, a couple of my hens did.) I'll post again when I have a decent idea of what I got.

Great! I'm interested to see what you get.

 

[shanadienne]

The new ones are the same age as the boys here, so I made a new thread.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/second-opinion-on-pullets.1196191/

It's looking a little better this time, but keeping in mind that 3 of the eggs were from a different hen and one of the definite females was from a not-Sam egg, I am not 100% sure yet...

P.S. The seven remaining roosters here are now named Frosty, Wynndy, Firey, Girly, Lonely, Spectacles, and Mia. And Spectacles is gosh-darned fricking beautiful as heck. This picture doesn't do him justice.