The Poultry Health & Hatching Forum

Why so many roosters?

Hi guys, I've been hatching pekins the last few years and this year I find I'm getting mostly roosters. I mean 70 percent of what I'm hatching are roosters. Any particular reason this may be happening?

Digger
Saturday, July 9th, 2022

Could I ask you how many eggs you set at once? And also, how many total chicks do you usually hatch at once?

craigmartin
Saturday, July 9th, 2022

I would set 48 eggs and would usually hatch out about 35 getting maybe a 50 50 male to female ratio. But this year I'm flooded with roosters. Not very pleased at all this year.

Digger
Saturday, July 9th, 2022

Yeah with setting so many eggs and hatching out a good amount as well you should be getting a rough average of 50 50 male and female. I don't know any reason why not.

craigmartin
Saturday, July 9th, 2022

I've been setting the incy at 37.5c, gonna try 37.3 and see does it make a difference.

Digger
Sunday, July 10th, 2022

I pretty much always run the incubator I use at 37.8°C.

craigmartin
Sunday, July 10th, 2022

Just happens that way sometimes, alot of people had the same complaint last year.... No real reason to believe that it will be 50/50,sometimes its more like 70(roos)/30.

The rooster your breeding with can also have an effect of the hen/roo ratio.... Some tend to breed alot of roos, I have 1rooster that breeds quite alot of hens...

vmulvany
Monday, July 11th, 2022

To the best of my knowledge, in chickens it is the egg that determines the sex of the future chicks, not the sperm.

Bea
Sunday, July 24th, 2022

And Google agrees with you! I didn't know that either.

Joseph lawler
Sunday, July 24th, 2022

Thanks all of ye. You're all very helpful.

Digger
Sunday, July 24th, 2022

Very interesting read about chromosomes on Google, well worth a read, thanks Bea. Well it seems I must have some hen making hens then😊.

vmulvany
Thursday, July 28th, 2022