Sexing eggs!

[kuchchicks]

I am setting 41 eggs tonight. I have 84 eggs to choose from. They are black copper Maran (which btw I have never had good luck in hatching before so I am not sure how much good I will do with this experiment). My typical hatch rate has been between 87%-94% last year. Because I have so many eggs to choose from I want to try to set as many "female" eggs as possible. I have tried to read through this thread but want to make sure that I did not miss anything.

So.... I am going to choose eggs that are 1. Not too big or not too small - MEDIUM (there was something posted earlier that there could potentially be a link between large eggs and roos). 2. more round on both ends - either round or oval, NOT triangle.

Did I get this right? I need to get these picked out by tonight.

Also as a side note, if anyone has any tips on increasing my hatch rate with Marans let me know. I am not sure if the low hatch rate is because the shell is dark/thicker? Should I run my humidity lower? I usually run dry... between 27%-35% during days 1-17 and then about 70%-75% at lockdown. My results have always been high with my other eggs. Last time I did Marans I only had 2 out of 12 hatch....

 

[junebuggena]

I've got 8 Easter Egger eggs and 5 black sexlink eggs set. The Easter Egger eggs are all from the same hen, and they are all the exact same shape. She's no help to this project at all, but I want some more Easter Eggers. The sexlink eggs from my Barred Rocks are all a bit different. Those girls hardly ever lay the same shape day after day. I set the more rounded eggs to see if it makes a difference. And I'll know right away once they hatch.

 

[lazy gardener]

I am setting 41 eggs tonight. I have 84 eggs to choose from. They are black copper Maran (which btw I have never had good luck in hatching before so I am not sure how much good I will do with this experiment). My typical hatch rate has been between 87%-94% last year. Because I have so many eggs to choose from I want to try to set as many "female" eggs as possible. I have tried to read through this thread but want to make sure that I did not miss anything.

So.... I am going to choose eggs that are 1. Not too big or not too small - MEDIUM (there was something posted earlier that there could potentially be a link between large eggs and roos). 2. more round on both ends - either round or oval, NOT triangle.

Did I get this right? I need to get these picked out by tonight.

Also as a side note, if anyone has any tips on increasing my hatch rate with Marans let me know. I am not sure if the low hatch rate is because the shell is dark/thicker? Should I run my humidity lower? I usually run dry... between 27%-35% during days 1-17 and then about 70%-75% at lockdown. My results have always been high with my other eggs. Last time I did Marans I only had 2 out of 12 hatch....

See PM

I've got 8 Easter Egger eggs and 5 black sexlink eggs set. The Easter Egger eggs are all from the same hen, and they are all the exact same shape. She's no help to this project at all, but I want some more Easter Eggers. The sexlink eggs from my Barred Rocks are all a bit different. Those girls hardly ever lay the same shape day after day. I set the more rounded eggs to see if it makes a difference. And I'll know right away once they hatch.

Who's your roo for the BSL eggs? The hatch from them will be telling, for sure! I love keeping gals in my flock that will produce BSL. My EE roo x Pioneer hen produced gender id chicks last season. I think that this season, I'll pull all of the girls that gave me sex linked/auto sexed chicks last year, and collect their eggs, before moving on to F2 generation which most likely won't produce any gender id chicks.

 

[junebuggena]

See PM

Who's your roo for the BSL eggs? The hatch from them will be telling, for sure! I love keeping gals in my flock that will produce BSL. My EE roo x Pioneer hen produced gender id chicks last season. I think that this season, I'll pull all of the girls that gave me sex linked/auto sexed chicks last year, and collect their eggs, before moving on to F2 generation which most likely won't produce any gender id chicks.

My red Easter Egger rooster is the dominant rooster in my flock. I've got a black sexlink cockerel in the flock too, but my Barred Rock girls absolutely hate him. He hasn't gotten brave enough to even try to get near them.

 

[SpringPeeper]

My red Easter Egger rooster is the dominant rooster in my flock. I've got a black sexlink cockerel in the flock too, but my Barred Rock girls absolutely hate him. He hasn't gotten brave enough to even try to get near them.

I bet the roosters from that mix will be really pretty! Good to see more sex-linked eggs being used here.

 

[peepsthebrassy]

Feather sexing is supposedly unreliable unless you breed specifically for it.  Sex linked, auto sexing chicks:  of course provide instant gratification.  There are 1 or 2 posters who feel confident with vent sexing.  Otherwise, you just wait for secondary sex characteristics to show up.  Best would be if you could set all eggs that you suspect SHOULD yield females, and compare it to previous hatch percentages.  I did 3 hatches that way.  Otherwise, divide your bator in half, with suspected female shape on one side, male on the other and band the hatch to check accuracy.  If you have a small enough flock that you can id each hen's eggs, you can separate eggs according to hen, and set each hen's roundest eggs produced during each collection period.  

I am doing something like this but I am measuring the eggs and recording them to the hen they come from. The biggest meshered egg is a boy the smallest meshered egg is a gril. I don't know if this is going to work. But that is what I am experimenting for.

 

[lazy gardener]

Keep your stats.

 

[melnjerm]

Let the pips begin!! 5 out of 12 so far!!!! e

 

[Lozuufy]

Let the pips begin!! 5 out of 12 so far!!!!

Any out yet?

 

[melnjerm]

5 are out so far, ALL BOYS!! 2 were not guessed as boys by shape. 3 more pips, 4 more to go! Please let them be girls!! I measured each egg with calipers, so I will leave all the results and measurements when all are out! Wish me luck!!: