Is there a way of incubating to get a low amount of roosters?

[AuntNomi]

My son is getting ready to set some eggs in the incubator for our very first time. We were wanting to know if there is a way of getting a better amount of pullets verses roos? Just thought I'd ask before we got started with the incubation process. If not what are the results of incubations any of you have done as far as pullets verses roos? Thanks in advance.

 

[PureBarnevelder]

Hello, I've recently read an article about a study written in the U.K. on that very topic. I don't recall the full story but in a nut shell the temp was shortly after they started or right at the end. It produced more females but the down side was the females then would lay mostly male offspring. You can do a quick search of the internet and find the article I'm sure.

 

[Toddrick]

If there were a way to accomplish this then every single hatchery would be doing it. There is no trick. Sex is determined at fertilization of the egg inside the hen, you cannot change it. There are rumors of temperatures killing off the male eggs--sometimes they say make it hotter, sometimes colder--I don't believe any of that, because again, the hatcheries don't do it.

The bottom line is that there is a 50% chance of getting a male every time. It's like flipping a coin. You may get 70% females one time, and only 40% females the next. (It is this variability that probably led to some very unscientific assumptions about temperature affecting sex).

The industry solution to your problem is the Red Sex Link and Black Sex Link hybrids. These birds can easily be sexed at hatch by color....then the males are usually disposed of immediately after hatch.

 

[AuntNomi]

Ok so thank you both very much! I have read/been told multiple things so wanted to check on here and see what responses I could get. This will be the very first time anyway, so I am doubtful I would have been able to keep temp/humidity so precise anyway but had to ask. Thanks for the responses.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

If there were a way to accomplish this then every single hatchery would be doing it. There is no trick. Sex is determined at fertilization of the egg inside the hen, you cannot change it. There are rumors of temperatures killing off the male eggs--sometimes they say make it hotter, sometimes colder--I don't believe any of that, because again, the hatcheries don't do it.

The bottom line is that there is a 50% chance of getting a male every time. It's like flipping a coin. You may get 70% females one time, and only 40% females the next. (It is this variability that probably led to some very unscientific assumptions about temperature affecting sex).

The industry solution to your problem is the Red Sex Link and Black Sex Link hybrids. These birds can easily be sexed at hatch by color....then the males are usually disposed of immediately after hatch.

I will guarantee you that if you will only set one egg at a time then the chances are 100% that 1/2 of the chicks you hatch will be cockerels and the other 1/2 will prove to be pullets.

Otherwise the hatcheries would not pay Japanese chick sexers 100s of thousands of bucks a year to separate the males from the females with a 95% plus accuracy rate

 

[PureBarnevelder]

I will guarantee you that if you will only set one egg at a time then the chances are 100% that 1/2 of the chicks you hatch will be cockerels and the other 1/2 will prove to be pullets.  

Otherwise the hatcheries would not pay Japanese chick sexers 100s of thousands of bucks a year to separate the males from the females with a 95% plus accuracy rate 

Wow I did not know that about the hatcheries, good info thanks, I learn something new everyday.