Sexing eggs!

[lazy gardener]

Those of you who've had hatches that were noted for egg shape, I hope you'll take time to fill out the survey (link is in my signature line). Interesting info re: hens who lay a specific shape, and the history of the chicks they produce.

 

[lindalouly]

It's just depressing. My 1st clutch of 12 was mailed to me from Missouri, only 4 were viable and only 2 hatched, both male. This clutch of 14 I picked up from a lady 20 minutes from my house, 12 were viable, 10 hatched and I opened the 2 that didn't, and all were male. I am awaiting 10 to hatch next week, and I am praying, BEGGING that there be girls in this batch!! I haven't measured these guys because my last batch blew the sexing eggs idea out of the water, but I guess I could when I put them in lockdown, if you guys really want me to?
The measurements of my last boys are as follows from pointy(er) end to round(er) end, measured with calipers:
#2=1.359-1.429, #3=1.391-1.498, #4=1.46-1.521, #5=1.352-1.486, #6=1.329-1.473, #7=1.298-1.450, #8=1.343-1.480, #9=1.255-1.419, #11=1.352-1.513, #12=1.313-1.498, #13=1.294-1.485 & #14=1.27-1.354. Measurements were taken 1/4-1/3" away from the tips of the eggs.

Shipped eggs will be harder to monitor cause you can't tell the difference from the other eggs the same hen lays...

 

[lindalouly]

I decided to give this chicken brujeria a whirl too. I set the roundest of the fresh eggs. I've spent weeks comparing the eggs from my hens. I have a hen that lays pointy eggs and one that lays round and I looked for the subtle differences.

Left is pointed, right is rounded from same hen.


Hopefully I get decent results. I have 9 roos from my last hatch that I have to cull today, and I'm sick about it. But I couldn't find anyone reliable or didn't give me suspicion on CL to take them, and I'd rather only have one bad day in their lives than go to a hoarder or fighter situation. But I'd like to avoid this in the future, so fingers crossed those eggs are PINK!

Fingers crossed!!!

 

[melnjerm]

Shipped eggs will be harder to monitor cause you can't tell the difference from the other eggs the same hen lays...

I picked those eggs up, but I know what you're saying. Looking back, it was a little suspicious of her to offer to take any boys back......

 

[lazy gardener]

I picked those eggs up, but I know what you're saying. Looking back, it was a little suspicious of her to offer to take any boys back......

I can't imagine that she was aware of any egg shape benefit. I think she was offering to take any boys back, knowing that you'd provide free feed for 6 - 8 weeks before being "SURE" that some of them were cockrels. It was in her best interest to let you feed the roos for free for a month or two, then she can just finish them off. IMO, if I'm gonna feed cockrels for a couple of months, I'm gonna finish the job, and put them in my freezer, not in someone else's.

 

[melnjerm]

I can't imagine that she was aware of any egg shape benefit.  I think she was offering to take any boys back, knowing that you'd provide free feed for 6 - 8 weeks before being "SURE" that some of them were cockrels.  It was in her best interest to let you feed the roos for free for a month or two, then she can just finish them off.  IMO, if I'm gonna feed cockrels for a couple of months, I'm gonna finish the job, and put them in my freezer, not in someone else's.

Lol! That is exactly mine and my husband's opinion too! I just wonder if she was doing her own experiment. I just cant get over the odds of all 12 (2 I did an eggtopsy on) being boys! It's crazy!

 

[chickengr]

due on 2nd and 12th april, then about 4 weeks to see if they are girls

not to mention that 1 broody is a muscovy duck

 

[hotmessJess]

Four of five of mine have hatch (on days 19 & 20 despite steady temp between 100.5 and 100.8)! The last is on day 17 because the neighbor kid dropped the auto turner pole right through the original on day 3 (and wasn't supposed to be in there in the first place...)

Because I can't vent sex, it's going to be a few weeks before I'm sure. I don't think wing/feather sexing is as accurate as some claim, but supposing it were, looks like a 50/50 ratio. That's still much improved over my last hatch!

 

[chickengr]

my bcm marans pullet lays eggs that have the same shape. it seems I got 2 boys and 1 girl. as it is too early to tell I will let you know and put it in the survey in about 8 weeks.

 

[BillJ]

I'm thinking the egg shape has more to do with flock conditions, hen activity, than roo sperm chromosome composition, e.g X or Y. I have a single laying hen, a older black copper maran, among four younger old rhode island reds.

First egg I put aside for hatching is the roundest, ratio 1.433. She was normally free ranging with the old man and other hens. After the first saved egg I started dropping her in for a short period with a much younger roo, this when it was convenient to catch her. Following those days the eggs tended to be more pointed, i.e. 1.495, 1.496, 1.513.

Earlier post posited dropping the incubator 2° tended toward hens, citing a great hen to roo ratio that resulted. I recall in biology class that red blood cells have the optimal surface area for carrying oxygen and a true globe the worst. Since pointed eggs have more surface area they'd tend to heat better, faster but conversely lose heat quicker too. So shape does have an effect though indeterminate. Perhaps the shape describes an effect on oxygen availability to the embryo.


Also I'm wondering about egg storage conditions. I opted for one of those new clear plastic egg cartons but I've started to wonder about fertile egg oxygen consumption and have gone to an open cardboard carton while waiting for enough to start incubation. I thought of this because I've been snugging up my homebrew incubator and wonder how a higher incubator oxygen content would effect development. While serving aboard an antique submarine circa 1944, we were held down by sonar in war games for an extended period searching for a thermal. We started releasing O2 into the atmosphere from tanks but had the option to spread lithium hydroxide crystals to absorb CO2. Improved now, submarines carry lithium hydroxide curtains so as not to release caustic dust. The USN gets the curtains for $19 each. These also produce heat. So, small patch versions of these shouldn't be expensive and might be a nice addition to an incubator. But if pointed eggs produce more roo's due to increased oxygen availability to the embryo then putting a lithium hydroxide patch in an incubator would get more roo's fewer hens.

Bill J

Noted: I've been informed roo's don't carry a sex determining chromosome.