Low Incubation Heat

[AmyLynn2374]

I've heard that the temprature can determen wheather the baby chick will be a rooster or hen. Is this true and if it is, what temp do I need to shoot for in my styrpform incubator for baby hens? I think it's a hova-bator but not sure as I bought it used. I have the automatic turner and fan. THANKS for your help in advance!!

I have heard this as well and have seen it in the "chicken wive's tales" category. I think if there was much trueth to this we'd all be getting incubator's full of hens instead of dealing with unwanted roos. I am assuming like everything else in life (barring certain reptiles/amphibians) that sex of chicken depends on which sperm fertlizes the egg and nothing to do with temps. I side on the side of logical though and could miss an improbability, but what I know of biology says the sperm determines the sex of birds (oviparous) and mammals.

 

[dheltzel]

I've heard that the temprature can determen wheather the baby chick will be a rooster or hen. Is this true and if it is, what temp do I need to shoot for in my styrpform incubator for baby hens? I think it's a hova-bator but not sure as I bought it used. I have the automatic turner and fan. THANKS for your help in advance!!

Totally false! Temperature sexing works for some reptiles because they don't have sex chromosomes like birds and mammals. The only thing close with chickens is it you incubate just outside the safe range, a larger percentage of female chicks will die than males, not easily reproducible, and the exact opposite of what you want.

 

[dheltzel]

I have heard this as well and have seen it in the "chicken wive's tales" category. I think if there was much trueth to this we'd all be getting incubator's full of hens instead of dealing with unwanted roos. I am assuming like everything else in life (barring certain reptiles/amphibians) that sex of chicken depends on which sperm fertlizes the egg and nothing to do with temps. I side on the side of logical though and could miss an improbability, but what I know of biology says the sperm determines the sex of birds (oviparous) and mammals.

Not quite true. In mammals, men have only 1 X chromosome, so they are the deteminers of gender in the offspring. In birds, it's the opposite, the female determines the sex of the offspring. In a sense, every mammalian sperm is either male or female, but in birds every sperm is male, and every egg (even unfertilized) is either male or female.

Sex linked traits are tied to this, so in humans for ex, the percentage of color blind or hemophiliac males is much higher because they only get one copy of the X chromosome, and if it has the defect, it shows in the boy, but a girl would need to get a copy of the defective gene from both parents, but can easily be a silent carrier of those traits. It's never silent in men.

Chicken sex linkage is the opposite, if a hen gets only one copy of a recessive sex-linked gene it will express, this is "gold" in red sex links (where silver is dominant), or solid black in black sex links, where barring is dominant.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Not quite true. In mammals, men have only 1 X chromosome, so they are the deteminers of gender in the offspring. In birds, it's the opposite, the female determines the sex of the offspring. In a sense, every mammalian sperm is either male or female, but in birds every sperm is male, and every egg (even unfertilized) is either male or female.

Sex linked traits are tied to this, so in humans for ex, the percentage of color blind or hemophiliac males is much higher because they only get one copy of the X chromosome, and if it has the defect, it shows in the boy, but a girl would need to get a copy of the defective gene from both parents, but can easily be a silent carrier of those traits. It's never silent in men.

Chicken sex linkage is the opposite, if a hen gets only one copy of a recessive sex-linked gene it will express, this is "gold" in red sex links (where silver is dominant), or solid black in black sex links, where barring is dominant.

Awww! They use z & w sex chromosomes so the roo carries a zz and the female caries either a wz. The roo passes down the z while the female passes either the w or z deciding the sex. Interesting...

 

[FoxHead]

I found a ceramic dish at Goodwill and use this for adding humidity. The wells haven't been the greatest for my experiences either. My incubators thermostat has about a 4 degree variable. I have a good hatch rate with a good mix of roo/hen turn out. I wish it were an exact science for temperature to determine sex. I would have a lot more hens!

 

[StephensonC]

I found a ceramic dish at Goodwill and use this for adding humidity. The wells haven't been the greatest for my experiences either. My incubators thermostat has about a 4 degree variable. I have a good hatch rate with a good mix of roo/hen turn out. I wish it were an exact science for temperature to determine sex. I would have a lot more hens!

The rooster in your avatar is beautiful!! Is he a Lavender Orp?

Edit: I just went to your FB page and found the answer....lol I "liked" your page BTW. Will you be shipping any of your hatching eggs?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

The rooster in your avatar is beautiful!! Is he a Lavender Orp?

Edit: I just went to your FB page and found the answer....lol I "liked" your page BTW. Will you be shipping any of your hatching eggs?

I thought the same thing last night when I was looking at it and almost said something...lol

 

[FoxHead]

The rooster in your avatar is beautiful!! Is he a Lavender Orp?

Edit: I just went to your FB page and found the answer....lol I "liked" your page BTW. Will you be shipping any of your hatching eggs?

Thank you for the compliments! He is a handsome rooster! Thank you for liking my page, and yes, I will be selling hatching eggs soon!

 

[lzufelt]

Hi everyone,
I greatly apreciate everyones feed back. I have been writing down exactly what I have been doing with my eggs and the incubator so that I can hopefully learn from my mistakes and do it better the next time. Here is what it looks like so far;
Date

AM/PM

Time

Temperature

Humidity

Comments
01/25/15

AM

7:00

97°F

76%




AM

10:00

98.4°F

72%




PM

1:04

99°F

44%




PM

1:34

99.5 °F

34 %




PM

3:30

98.7°F

50%

Finally added water


PM

5:46

93°F

43%

Opened incubator to drain water. Hoping for humidity levels to drop.
High Humidity = Lower Temperature?


PM

6:49

97.7°F

64%

Humidity appears to be rising.


Pm

9:08

99.9°F

34 %


01/26/15

AM

1:29

99.3°F

16%

Humidity dangerously low. A small amount of water was added.


AM

7:11

97.7°F

25%




PM

12:40

97.5°F

46%




PM

2:43

97.7°F

43%




PM

3:58

101.1 °F

46%

New hot water bottle added and a teaspoon of water


PM

6:03

99.0°F

40%




PM

8:15

99.5°F

35%

Space heater was on from 6:00 until 8:00- Approximately two feet from the incubator.


PM

9:03

99.1°F

35%

Added small amount of warm water.
01/27/15

AM

1:22

98.5°F

29%

Check


AM

1:30





Added new hot water bottle and 1/6 cup of warm water


AM

6:23

98.2 °F

35%




AM

6:56

97.8°F

34%

New Hot water Bottle and 1/6 cup of warm water


PM

1:00

97.3°F

62%

Removed water and added 1/6 a cup of water


PM

1:17

96.2°F

60.3






3:25

97.2 °F

35.4

Fire Restarted and 1/6 water and new hot water bottle


PM

3:45

97.7 °F

37.5




PM

5:55

98 °F

30.5




PM

7:55

97.2°F

42%

Heater is approximately 2 feet from incubator


PM

9:58

98.2 °F

32%

New hot water bottle and 1/3 cup of warm water added
01/28/15

AM

6:08

97°F

34%

New hot water bottle and approximately ¼ cup of warm water


AM

9:30

98.6°F

42%

Added a hot water bottle


PM

12:45

98.6°F

37%




PM

3:00

97.1°F

33%

Added hot water bottle
Added bottle
Waiting for temp to stabilize

6:08

100.1°F

57%




PM

11:16

97.5 °F

43%

Added hot water bottle and 1/8 cup of warm water


PM

11:25

100.5°F

51%


01/29/15

AM

2:48

100.4°F

44%






8:20

98°F

31%

Space heater on 2ft from incubator and a little bit less than ¼ cup of warm water


Does anyone see any major problems? I candled on day four only checking 4/ 24 eggs and I didn't see anything?! I am going to try again in a few days just to double check and I did put those four eggs back in but I would really like to know if my numbers are what is causing the problem?!

And YES, I have been told that I am being crazy about this.

Thank you in advance for any insight and information that can be passed on!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Hi everyone,
I greatly apreciate everyones feed back. I have been writing down exactly what I have been doing with my eggs and the incubator so that I can hopefully learn from my mistakes and do it better the next time. Here is what it looks like so far;
Date

AM/PM

Time

Temperature

Humidity

Comments
01/25/15

AM

7:00

97°F

76%




AM

10:00

98.4°F

72%




PM

1:04

99°F

44%




PM

1:34

99.5 °F

34 %




PM

3:30

98.7°F

50%

Finally added water


PM

5:46

93°F

43%

Opened incubator to drain water. Hoping for humidity levels to drop.
High Humidity = Lower Temperature?


PM

6:49

97.7°F

64%

Humidity appears to be rising.


Pm

9:08

99.9°F

34 %


01/26/15

AM

1:29

99.3°F

16%

Humidity dangerously low. A small amount of water was added.


AM

7:11

97.7°F

25%




PM

12:40

97.5°F

46%




PM

2:43

97.7°F

43%




PM

3:58

101.1 °F

46%

New hot water bottle added and a teaspoon of water


PM

6:03

99.0°F

40%




PM

8:15

99.5°F

35%

Space heater was on from 6:00 until 8:00- Approximately two feet from the incubator.


PM

9:03

99.1°F

35%

Added small amount of warm water.
01/27/15

AM

1:22

98.5°F

29%

Check


AM

1:30





Added new hot water bottle and 1/6 cup of warm water


AM

6:23

98.2 °F

35%




AM

6:56

97.8°F

34%

New Hot water Bottle and 1/6 cup of warm water


PM

1:00

97.3°F

62%

Removed water and added 1/6 a cup of water


PM

1:17

96.2°F

60.3






3:25

97.2 °F

35.4

Fire Restarted and 1/6 water and new hot water bottle


PM

3:45

97.7 °F

37.5




PM

5:55

98 °F

30.5




PM

7:55

97.2°F

42%

Heater is approximately 2 feet from incubator


PM

9:58

98.2 °F

32%

New hot water bottle and 1/3 cup of warm water added
01/28/15

AM

6:08

97°F

34%

New hot water bottle and approximately ¼ cup of warm water


AM

9:30

98.6°F

42%

Added a hot water bottle


PM

12:45

98.6°F

37%




PM

3:00

97.1°F

33%

Added hot water bottle
Added bottle
Waiting for temp to stabilize

6:08

100.1°F

57%




PM

11:16

97.5 °F

43%

Added hot water bottle and 1/8 cup of warm water


PM

11:25

100.5°F

51%


01/29/15

AM

2:48

100.4°F

44%






8:20

98°F

31%

Space heater on 2ft from incubator and a little bit less than ¼ cup of warm water


Does anyone see any major problems? I candled on day four only checking 4/ 24 eggs and I didn't see anything?! I am going to try again in a few days just to double check and I did put those four eggs back in but I would really like to know if my numbers are what is causing the problem?!

And YES, I have been told that I am being crazy about this.

Thank you in advance for any insight and information that can be passed on!

Wow quite the record keeping you have going on there. I wouldn't say you are being crazy. The best way to pinpoint a problem is by detailing your process and you seem to be doing that well. My first question is does this chart start the day you set them? If you set your eggs on the 25th then today is day 4. You mentioned that you candled on day 4 is why I am asking. You do not count the day you set the eggs as day 1, you start 24 hours after the set of eggs.

Now onto my OPINIONS: Your humidity seems to be in a generally healthy range, your temps however seem to be a little up and down. Not dangerously up and down, but if you could stabilize that a little more it would be more condusive to a better hatch. My opinion: I would worry less about the humidity as long as it stays under 55% and above 25% and concentrate on the stabilizing the temp a little better. You seem to have more lower flunctations than higher. (which is safer than having higher flunctautions.) If running at a lower humidity stabilizes your temp better I would run at the lower humidity. Just watch your eggs air cells to make sure they are not growing too fast or not enough and tweak your humidity according to that and not a number.

You stated you candled on day four and did not see much. You don't generally, (or at least I don't) see much of anything the first week, at least the first 5 days. I'm going to add the link to a wonderful candling page on here, check it out, it gives an idea of what you should be seeing on what days. (Mind if you have a lower than average temp you may see a delay in development and a higher than average temp you may see a increase in development.)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...g-candling-pics-progression-though-incubation
Hope you get everything figured out and have a successful hatch.

Editted to add: Just keep in mind that they kind of eggs you are candling is going to make a difference as to how much and what you see when. The darker the eggs the less you are going to see or it may take longer to see. So don't exclude an egg that you can't see inunless it is smelling.