Why are we hatching so many males?

[Del1977]

If it is something to do with our incubation conditions will be interesting to see if the latest hatch is any different given slightly lower temp, although no overly accurate indication due to that dam power outage. Might be worth checking temp with an independent thermometer incase the incubator one is out. What sort of thermometer would you recommend?

Edited to add - Will post update on latest hatch once we can determine sex, so in another few weeks.

 

[dc3085]

Your hatch rate will always be close to 50/50 males/females. Nature worked this out on its own and we arent able to interfere with it.

 

[Del1977]

I wish ours was close to 50/50! It's what I would expect and would be happy if it was anything more than that in favour of females, but so many males is just a PITA when we are trying to gather breeding stock.

 

[dc3085]

Mathematical probability can be a real jerk sometimes. If your hatch rate is skewed thats all it is. If quail embryo sex was affected by temperature someone would have figured out how to isolate that long since as they did in chickens.

 

[HammerSA]

Hi Del1977, as I am just starting out on quails and have no knowledge on fixing the problem, I therefore have to cull to alleviate the birds suffering. This is the reason I joined the group, so as to gain more knowledge and hopefully treat, before culling. Should you have any information that will be beneficial to the birds and the treatment of the spalyed legs and curled toes, I would very much appreciate your input. uote name="Del1977" url="/t/1063897/why-are-we-hatching-so-many-males#post_16204477"]Any reason why you culled the ones with leg problem rather than trying to fix?  Just curious, as I know it can be fiddly.  We have successfully fixed all our quail with curled toes and/or splayed legs, no that we have problems with every hatch, and it does seem to be more common in the late hatches that require assistance, but have never had to cull any for that reason.  Had to put cull one that had a slipped Achilles that we couldn't fix and have had to cull two that had serious skull deformities.  Curled toes and splayed legs are pretty easy to fix it you want too, but I realise some people only want to breed the fittest and strongest and would rather cull any with problems.
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[Del1977]

Not sure if you can zoom in on my avatar, but the chick in that photo had splayed legs and curled toes on one foot. We shackled the legs together with a small bandaid, (can use tape), at the ankle, so legs are about normal width apart. Fixes the legs in 24-48 hours, sometimes even less. I've put shackles on before going to bed only to wake up in the morning to find it has fallen off overnight but the chick no longer has splayed legs. Have read it isn't a deformity as such but more a cognitive problem when they first hatch and just need to be reprogramed on how their legs are suppose to be which is why having them on a none slip surface is so important. We use paper towel.

Curled toes can apparently occur due to fluctuating humidity during incubation, I find it most common in chicks that are breach in their shell and/or require assisted hatch. We place toes spread apart on round piece or half circle piece of tape or bandaid with another piece on top so they are sandwiched together in correct position. Again, usually fixed within 24-48 hours or less.

Although fiddly, both problems are very easy to fix and there are a lot of video tutorials on how to apply the tapes etc. Despite this I know some people prefer to cull anyway as they only want the fittest and strongest to breed with which is far enough and I understand. However, once fixed, you wouldn't know who had leg/feet issues and who didn't. And if literature is true and neither are actual deformities then I personally would prefer to try and fix.

 

[Mhays]

OK, so to be clear: if temperature fluctuations were the cause of my hatch of what's now looking like 100% roosters (13 out of 14, one died of pasty butt before it was old enough to sex properly) I'd have had a lower hatch rate than 80%? We only had 3 eggs that didn't hatch, and we did have a yellow rooster, so I was assuming that was due to the lethal yellow gene if anything.

That just seems like an oddly high number of roosters to attribute solely to bad luck...but I mean, luck is luck?

 

[FloorCandy]

OK, so to be clear: if temperature fluctuations were the cause of my hatch of what's now looking like 100% roosters (13 out of 14, one died of pasty butt before it was old enough to sex properly) I'd have had a lower hatch rate than 80%? We only had 3 eggs that didn't hatch, and we did have a yellow rooster, so I was assuming that was due to the lethal yellow gene if anything.

That just seems like an oddly high number of roosters to attribute solely to bad luck...but I mean, luck is luck?

Well, perhaps you just have a lot of hens who make males. You know like people sometimes have like 8 boys and 1 girl or vice versa, and it’s just something about the mortality rate of male vs female sperm. But there’s also the probability that you had a skewed hatch, and maybe in the overall score of m vs f that you’ll have over the years, it’ll break even. It would be interesting to see if you could get a hen who always gives 80% f and see if you could pass that on

 

[Mhays]

Well, perhaps you just have a lot of hens who make males. You know like people sometimes have like 8 boys and 1 girl or vice versa, and it’s just something about the mortality rate of male vs female sperm. But there’s also the probability that you had a skewed hatch, and maybe in the overall score of m vs f that you’ll have over the years, it’ll break even. It would be interesting to see if you could get a hen who always gives 80% f and see if you could pass that on

Ooh - that's good to think about, because the Tuxedo hen is my fave who I would like to reproduce (her chicks have been adorable, despite being effing roosters!) So, we'll see if she can produce anything else...

I mean, I know probability is funky...but wow, that's a lot of roos. I mean, I guess we'll get more than a couple meals out of it, but still...