To many cockerel chicks, why?

[Sussex19]

I've had one hen go broody three times and each time we gave her eggs; the first time there was 11 eggs, one died hatching and we lost one to a predator, of the remaining 9 we only got 2 pullets.
The next time a couple of eggs got broken, but we had a better ratio of 3 cockerels to 4 pullets.
However the last time 7 chicks hatched, the only one that I believe may have been a pullet failed to thrive so it ended up as 6 cockerels.
I'm just wondering if anything affects the male to female ratio?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I believe the hen determines the sex in chicks. Are these all her eggs? Otherwise the ratio generally is 50/50 but that doesn't always happen.

 

[HumbleAmerican]

My last batch was 11 males 7 females

This batch is 7 females 3 males.

 

[Sussex19]

I believe the hen determines the sex in chicks. Are these all her eggs? Otherwise the ratio generally is 50/50 but that doesn't always happen.

Some of them are, others are from another hen that came from the same place so I suppose they're related; but there's also been some from two completed unrelated hens.
Although now I come to think of it they've possibly been more pullets, so maybe that is it.
Another thing is that most of these eggs were kept in the fridge before incubation, could that change any thing?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Some of them are, others are from another hen that came from the same place so I suppose they're related; but there's also been some from two completed unrelated hens.
Although now I come to think of it they've possibly been more pullets, so maybe that is it.
Another thing is that most of these eggs were kept in the fridge before incubation, could that change any thing?

They say with chickens incubation and storage temperatures doesn't affect sex like it does in reptile eggs. I'm not totally convinced of that, but I have no proof. Some years I seem to get more pullets and other more cockerel.

 

[Sussex19]

They say with chickens incubation and storage temperatures doesn't affect sex like it does in reptile eggs. I'm not totally convinced of that, but I have no proof. Some years I seem to get more pullets and other more cockerel.

Oh well, I guess I'll just see what happens this year, possibly do a bit of experimenting with storage temperatures and see if it evens out.
If not I guess the hens might be to blame; would this be hereditary?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Your hens might just throw more males

 

[Sussex19]

Your hens might just throw more male

That's what I'm starting to think!

 

[3KillerBs]

Random chance.

If you incubated several hundred eggs it would probably even out.