roosters to hens in an egg batch

[bethanyrae]

I'd like to know the reproductive genetics of this for sure.

I suspect that the sex of the chick is not determined at fertilization like it is for humans. I think it has to do with the temperature of the egg at a particular time of incubation.

For example: Sea turtles hatching out of sand of a certain temperature will produce more male or female turtles depending on the warmth of the sand.

This makes sense, when you see batches coming out of incubators with way lopsided percentages. If they could figure this out, to the moment a certain temp was needed, the egg industry would sure flourish, eh?
bethanyrae

 

[matt1jsh]

The sex of an egg is actually pre determined my the female, prior to fertilization. Much as in humans where we think of female sex cells as x, x and male as x,y and the male determines the sex. except with chickens it is reversed as in female sex cells are z,x and the male are z,z.


Therefore unfortunately adding product, nor chemical or hormone will have any affect on the hatching sex. This also eliminates the chance of temp or humidity having any determining factors.


the below link has some very useful info, and i hope this helps



http://www.edelras.nl/chickengenetics/theory.html#gen_theory_terms