The Incubator Thread

[ringaring]

While researching incubators, I read that a lower temp (97 degrees) during incubation will produce more females. Has anyone heard of or experienced this? At what point during development is sex determined?

 

[Lizz9311]

While researching incubators, I read that a lower temp (97 degrees) during incubation will produce more females. Has anyone heard of or experienced this? At what point during development is sex determined?

I would assume gender is determined the same way it is for us humans... completely by chance and when sperm meets yolk. I could be wrong, but it makes the most sense to me.

 

[dheltzel]

Chickens are not temperature sex determined like (some) reptiles. Sex is determined at conception like humans, though the gene is completely different, opposite really, in the the female is the one with 2 different sex chromosomes.

Any possible effect of temperature is because one sex might be more sensitive to temps outside the proper range and die in the shell at a higher rate. You can be assured this would have been figured out in the thousands of research hours spent over proper incubation at ag universities. If they ever come up with a way to sex the eggs, at any point in the incubation, that will be a breakthrough because they can cull the roos sooner, and that means more profit for the hatcheries.

I just hope they don't genetically modify their strains to cause the roos to die in the egg. Any GM will be a horrible blow to the poultry industry, IMO. Tons of bad press at the very least.

 

[gimmie birdies]

if you were going to try,you would not want to lower temps for the whole hatch, the sex parts develop on days 2.5-5.

 

[Luchaylu]

I bought a still air incubator and I was wondering, do I need to fill her up or can I just incubate about a dozen eggs give or take a few?

 

[gimmie birdies]

i never set less than 6.

 

[NessAaron]

Help Please!!

This is first hatch. Using a Lyon Marsh Automatic Incubator.
Day 1-18. Temp was approx 99.5 (never had a prob with that) humidity was around 35-45
Now on day 19 lockdown I can get the humidity up to about 70 at night it keeps dropping to about 40
Is this going to do harm to my Silkie Eggs??

I can keep it at around 70 for the day time
There is nothing on the incubator (vents) that I can close to keep it in. The instructions to the incubator don't say anything about keeping humidity up with any vents to close

The only thing I can notice at the bottom of the plastic dome r tiny little squares that I covered with tape

I don't want to open the incubator to put any sponges or anything in
I hope that the humidity dropping for a few hours at night doesn't hurt them!!! Its a gradual decline in humidity, not all of a sudden, will they be OK

It will be the start of day 20 tonight at 9:30 (June 1st) NO pipping or rocking, I think that's OK though ,have been reading for weeks and hopefully getting this info right!!

All 12 eggs were doing great and aircells were big on day 18

Thank you for the help!!!!!!

 

[gimmie birdies]

I am sure you will be fine. good luck.

 

[NessAaron]

Wooooohoooo 12 out of 12 hatched!!!! 3 days old
All that worrying for nothing!!

 

[help4me]

That's awesome! Can I ask were they shipped eggs? Did you incubate or have a broody? Again, I am very happy for you. Enjoy them!