Please help me solve an embryo gender disagreement :)

[eestep8]

Hello
My Mom and sister talked to on of my sisters 4-H advisors yesterday about incubation. He says that a higher temp will result in more males and a lower temp will result in more females. He says he's been doing this most of his life and that it works.

I say it doesn't.

Is he right or is he just lucky in getting what gender he wants lol.

Thanks

 

[SpringChickens]

That occurs in reptiles, but not in chickens. Chickens are a chromosomally sexed animal, where reptiles are a temperature sexed organism.

Reptiles rely on chromosomes to some extent, but it is primarily due to temperature, which affect their hormone levels (i.e. it is possible to influence sex by injecting hormones into the eggs during incubation. To create females at *male* incubation temperatures).

ETA http://galliform.psy.mq.edu.au/Megapode_project/Reprints/goeth&booth.pdf

 

[horsejody]

I have heard that baby roos are hardier than baby pullets. Maybe, if you have less than ideal incubator conditions, you might get more roos because a higher number of pullets would have died in the egg. But the gender of the embryo is decided by genetics whether it makes it to hatch or not. It's too bad that the guy is a 4H advisor. There's enough bad info floating around already. If the gender could be determined as easily as he thinks, the hatcheries wouldn't have so many extra males hatching.

 

[vfem]

I was told something similar once, but I think its a crock! Honestly, I know how it works in cold blooded animals but it has not been scientifically proven... so I don't buy it!

 

[eestep8]

Thank You very much!!!

My Mom and sister have been hounding me since last night to turn my bator down LOL

 

[dancingbear]

Once your temps are stable, you risk losing the entire hatch if you start adjusting with eggs already in. That causes chills/high temp spikes, depending on which way you go. Tell them that, maybe they'll back off.

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
If that doesn't work, beat them around the head and neck until they stop pestering. And, if all else fails, SSS. Just kidding.