Want some cuckoo maran Hens!!!

[OHhappychicks]

I only have 1 cuckoo maran hen left and she is 3 yrs old. She is still laying some. I put a couple of her eggs in the bator this past spring, only 1 hatched, and guess what it is? You got it! A roo! I wish there was a way to garauntee hens!! Surely there is someone on here smart enough to figure it out!!!

(Just kidding) would be nice though, huh! I'm thinking of putting the next 2-3 we get from her in the bator, but I want HENS! and all of the spring chicks are 11-12 wks old and not sure I want to go thru the "chick" stage again! I really have more chickens than I can almost handle! We have 2 hen houses with 22 in 1 (spring chicks from hatch and M. Mc.) of which 8 are roos! (going to freezer camp real soon!) and 15 (older girls and 1 roo) in the other HH. But I really want more marans!!

Decisions, Decisions!

 

[Arielle]

I have read in a couple sources this idea; nothing substantiated. But worth trying.

Adding apple cider vinegar into the hens water promotes female eggs. 1 tablespoon per gal fresh water in a nonmetal containers. need to start 1-2 months before collecting eggs.

It's an experiment I will try next year when I have enough birds to work with (old enough to be laying

) I would love to have more females than males! again, this has not been proven--could just be an old wives tale.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Quote:
If this was the vase we would have more hens here. All water containers have apple cider vinegar in them. We use it to stop algae growth.

 

[OHhappychicks]

An interesting concept though! It might be worth it just to see what happens. I love experiments!

 

[Mystic Farms]

It has been said that if you run your incubator a bit warmer, like 102f that you will hatch girls.

This does NOT change the sex of the chick, just kills off the male embryos. Search for it here, as that was where I read it. May lead to a real sucky hatch rate

this is part of one that cites a study supporting it,

In at least one bird, this turkey, sex is determined by temperature. However according to: http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/275/1652/2703.full (if I read it right) more females were produced at high temps and more males at low temps... because high temps killed the males and low temps prevented the females from developing.

 

[Cuckoo Roo]

I don't know if it's right but I've heard that a slight change in incubating temperature promotes either roos or hens. I think the hotter side of the incubating temp gave a higher percentage of roos and the cooler side gave more hens.

Probably not right though. The big incubating houses would have it down to an art if it were true.

I have a Cuckoo Maran roo and would love to find a few hens for him or do some experimental crosses. It'd be better to have the Maran hens though and get the sex link bonus.

Good Luck!!

 

[OHhappychicks]

I love these concepts! I think it will be fun to see if it works. I will try this the next time I incubate! Thanks!