Temperature Dependent Sex Determination

[Tony]

Can or will this work with Poultry?


Temperature Dependent Sex Determination (TDSD)

It has been learned that the sex of some reptiles (crocodilians and some lizards and turtles) is determined early in incubation by the temperature within the nest (or incubator). Whether a baby will be male or female depends on nest temperature during the first two weeks of incubation. Babies of both sexes are produced by varying temperatures within the nest (the temperature is usually cooler on the bottom than on the top).

Temperature dependent sex determination (TDSD) works differently for different species. For example, male leopard geckos are produced at moderate nest temperatures (88 to 90 F) but females are produced at low nest temperatures (79 to 82 F) and again at very high nest temperatures (above 90 F). A nest temperature of 84 to 87 F will produce both sexes.

 

[Cats Critters]

Doesn't work for poultry, it is determined before laying.

 

[lemurchaser]

The sex of the chick is determined by the genes, not temp. It's been tested, doesn't work to change the temps.

 

[bethandjoeync]

sex is determined by the genes....but I have read that during incubation...roo chicks can tolerate heat spikes before hatching, better than pullets...but who's to say this is true

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

There is a study out there somewhere where temperature was dropped at a certain point in development.

This caused some genetic males developed female characteristics and were even able to lay. When mated to other roosters, 100% of their offspring were male, which might be of use for the broiler industry (males gain weight faster), but little else.

I don't remember if I found the link on BYC, or feathersite, or somewhere else on the web...

Regardless, I don't suppose your goal would be to create 100% cockerels!

 

[Tony]

Ok, thanks everyone for your responses, but the reason I looked this up is. Maybe large hatcheries know something we don`t. For example, I`ve seen hatcheries offering 100 pullets or 100 roos for "X" amount of money, "specials" as they call it of a particular breed. Lets say 10 people take advantage of such offers, would the hatcheries incubate thousands of eggs, just to fill these 10 orders? Or just maybe they have a way of hatching the 1000 ordered pullets or roos to fill these orders without wasteing time,money, effort etc. Get what I mean?