Sexing eggs!

[Ol Grey Mare]

As with all the other old wives' tales with regards to sexing chicks you'll have a 50/50 shot at "proving" your point and being right with each egg

 

[KirstieJG]

Please no more arguments about this, just experiments please

Seriously. if you want to make a point, do it on another thread please.

 

[LBKS]

KirstieJG, how are you tracking the genders for your hatches? I'm doing a large enough hatch here in the week that I can't just track individuals, and I won't have leg bands available in time to track that way. Given the last hatch had 22 chicks, I'd really hate to zip tie color code them as temporary leg bands, and there are enough black down babies that I can't really food color a dot on their head either. If I had enough brooder space I'd just separate them to different brooders until I can band them, but that's not very feasible either.

I'm out of ideas, may just have to wait on collecting data for this.

 

[lazy gardener]

There's been other threads where egg shape has been the target of experiment to see if the old wives tale had any credence. I could have sworn lazygardener had done one not too long ago.

Kirstie, I love a good experiment. I read that same study, and decided to put it to the test. My experimental hatch are now very busy in their brooder, with their Heating Pad broody hen. Some of those chicks are sex links. I set all of the eggs that were sex linked breeding. However, some of the other birds that are not sex links look very similar. There were 18 or 19 viable chicks in that hatch, and the ones that I don't keep will be going to a friend, so he'll be able to report back to me regarding the gender distribution. I intend to set an other batch of chicks as soon as I get my bator temp regulated. The first batch, with the exception of the sex linked eggs were chosen to favor the "round = pullet theory" I compared eggs which I assumed were from the same hen, though I couldn't be certain, b/c some of them lay "look a-like eggs", and chose the round ones, while the rest were destined for the frying pan. Unfortunately, I failed to keep good records regarding the sex links, but do know, that according to shape, there were more "male shape than female shape" sex linked eggs. Hope to do a better job with my record keeping with the next batch, which will be a control group: eggs will be set as they come from the nest, though I expect to choose more of the sex linked eggs. This time, I may set all of the "round eggs" on one side of a divider, and the "pointy ones" on the other side for the hatch.

So yes, I think I speak for both Kirstie and myself in this regard, when I say: It's an interesting premise. And we all know many reasons why the theory is not sensible. But, that's not the purpose of the thread. The purpose is to test the theory, using the best scientific method at our disposal (given that we don't have the training, or the equipment to do a professional job) and have fun with it in the process.

So, any one else wanna join the fun? Mark your eggs, make your predictions, and see if the hypothesis bears any merit.

 

[KirstieJG]

Hi LBKS,

I'm just setting non-pointy eggs. I'm not sure how you could possibly track them, hmmm, i'm the same with my ducks, I have one with brown markings and two all yellow fluff but the pointy egg one is identical to the non pointy egg one so i have no idea which one is which now!

I guess there is no real hurry on this, how possible would it be for you to set just non-pointy eggs next time?

 

[lazy gardener]

Aside from my sex linked eggs, that's what I did. My hatching ratios are usually at least 60% male. So, barring the sex links, if I get better than 40% female, that will give me reason to repeat the test. Doing a mixed hatch like my next one, if the eggs are divided to separate sides of the bator, with a divider for the hatch, then banded, that would be the easiest way to differentiate.

 

[KirstieJG]

LazyGardener, thank you and yes it is fun!

 

[LBKS]

Hi LBKS,

I'm just setting non-pointy eggs. I'm not sure how you could possibly track them, hmmm, i'm the same with my ducks, I have one with brown markings and two all yellow fluff but the pointy egg one is identical to the non pointy egg one so i have no idea which one is which now!

I guess there is no real hurry on this, how possible would it be for you to set just non-pointy eggs next time?

I won't be able to just set one or the other (need to get as many hatched as possible as they are all from my breeding project) unfortunately. I can easily divide my incubator for hatch though, that isn't a problem. If I had room for two more brooders I'd be able to separate them long enough to leg band them, but unfortunately I can't do that right now.

I'm wondering if maybe I can blue kote their toes. Black legs with pink toes are what I'm working with, so maybe left leg blue kote tips for round egg chicks, both for pointed egg chicks, and none for those I already hatched or otherwise don't have a record of. Not sure how durable it'd be or if maybe some nice picking-deterring food coloring colors would work better?

 

[scflock]

I will be setting 2 dozen Polish eggs. I hate to be a buzzkill, but my Polish only lay pointy eggs. If your theory is right, this is going to be a very short-lived venture for me

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I will be setting 2 dozen Polish eggs. I hate to be a buzzkill, but my Polish only lay pointy eggs. If your theory is right, this is going to be a very short-lived venture for me

lol