Feeding Sorghum Seed to Poultry May Result in More Females Per Hatch

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Dr. Walker found research that shows sorghum seed has a lot of female hormones. He wondered if, when fed to birds, that would increase the probability of hatching hens.
Dr. Walker found research that shows sorghum seed has a lot of female hormones. He wondered if, when fed to birds, that would increase the probability of hatching hens.
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Sorghum seed as chicken feed may increase the probability of hatching more laying hens than roosters.
Sorghum seed as chicken feed may increase the probability of hatching more laying hens than roosters.

Some years ago, while doing research on the properties of sorghum seed, I discovered that a genetic female hormone was quite prevalent in these small, glossy kernels.

I had a feeling that this sorghum hormone could, perhaps, influence the percentage of hens hatched (female birds), and – to check this “hunch” – I set up an experiment using zebra finches.  Because zebra finches regularly hatch up to four eggs a month, this breed seemed like the best choice available to me.

Before I began the research, these birds had hatched out a predictable half-and-half mixture of male and female finches.

I decided to keep a full dish of sorghum seeds in the aviary at all times and watch for developments.

At first the birds didn’t show much interest in their new sorghum food, but over the course of three or four weeks-they began to feed on the sorghum before moving on to their regular feeders.  This pattern steadily developed during both the morning and evening feedings. After two or three months, I began to notice a distinct increase in the number of female birds hatched.

  • Published on Jan 1, 1979
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