Is there any truth to this humidty?

[buff_the_rooster]

I have had a few hatchings this year turn out to be 90% roos, I was told by an old timer that it was due to humidty being too high. That roos will survive but females wont.
So I am keeping my humidty low just in case becuase I want the girls to make it

NO MORE ROOS

So is there any truth to what he told me about the humidty

 

[hinkjc]

I've heard the same old wives tale with temperature fluctuations. I doubt there is any bearing to it.

eta - males will drown in the egg just as easily as a female.

If the air cell is too small, they run out of air or cannot reach it to pip.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Thats a new one. You will hear all kinds of stuff like this. None of which eever turn out to be true.

 

[2txmedics]

true on the drowning part...heard that ole tale also...wouldnt it be nice though...to have such control!!!!

 

[buff_the_rooster]

OK so I keep my temp like 45-50 and then bump it up 65-75 last three days. Does that sound right?

So if there is no truth in this then I am just cursed to have all roos

 

[hinkjc]

The typical 50/50 percentile is based on hatching at least 100 chicks. Once you get to 100, you should have half and half.

Yep, sometimes small hatches result in mostly roos and sometimes mostly pullets, but most times around 50/50.

I would go for a little less at hatch time - my preference is 60-70. It will go up naturally as they start pipping and hatching.

 

[sandyj]

I would guess that the sex is predetermined before the chick even starts growing????? Sort of like humans.

sandyj

 

[Akane]

I don't think the question was if the gender would change. It was just if the pullets would die first. Which I believe was proven true with temperature. I doubt humidity has much impact though and it's just as likely that low humidity is killing them as high. Are you having a lot of eggs not hatch?

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

The one about the temp has a grain of truth to it. But not with chickens. Some reptiles hatch out different sexes by what temp there incubated at.

 

[buff_the_rooster]

I do I have lots of eggs that develop and look great when I stop turning them then only a couple hatch?
So maybe the temp is the problem not the humidty?