What are the odds????

[James the Bald]

My first hatch back in March ended up with 2 males. My recent hatch has netted what appears to be possibly ONE female.
Just like the smurfs; all males and one female. I'm going to start naming them after the cartoon... there's Loudsmurf, Loudersmurf, Middle-of-the-nightCrowSmurf, PapaSmurf, HarryHoudiniSmurf (that escapes from the brooder), a bunch of other male smurfs and Smurfette.

 

[TwoCrows]

James, I recently read an article about a study done in Australia. They have found that eggs stored before incubation at warm temps can actually produce more males. Eggs kept at cooler temps can hatch out more females.

So if this is all true, you need to collect your own eggs, store them for about 6 days at or around 50 degrees. Maybe even upper 40's. Do an experiment and see if you don't get more females.

 

[creekrocket]

Hey Two Crows,
Where Did Y'all Read That Article? If Like To Read About That. Thanks

 

[TwoCrows]

I happen to stumble this article somewhere and don't have the original, however here is a short discussion about it on this page...

http://www.mypetchicken.com/backyar...incubate-eggs-that-will-hatch-female-H99.aspx

This would make a pretty interesting hatch experiment.

 

[James the Bald]

very interesting. I read the abstract, which indicated that it was white leghorns that they studied. I wonder if the same holds true for other species. To download the entire PDF costs $25 and I'm a tad hesitant about spening that much for what may end up being a paragraph or 2 on the issue.

My wife has stated that if we have only 1 female from this last hatch, then she fully intends to make a 5 hour one way trip to JMF to get some eggs. I may actually break down and purchase one of those coolers you can plug into a cigarette lighter.