Influencing for Male-Female ratios

[Gracie85]

Anyone got any tricks to get more females than males? Especially for zebras?
I don't breed often, but my last two clutches ended up being all male, all 6 of them. Had loaned a pair to the local high school last year, they had a clutch of six, which were 5 females and 1 male. Could it be the fluorescent lights in the classroom? Some influence of the fish tank light that was next to the zebra cage? I need females to balance out my numbers!!! (most of the high school birds were adopted by students, so I didn't end up with them. This year they have a student with severe allergies, so couldn't take a pair.)

I now have 6 male and 4 female zebras in one flight, having had to pull one female because her mate was plucking her severely, they were the pair who went to school, he wants her to nest, but there is no nesting in my flights, I'd be overrun! Had previously pulled a CFW female who decided all other females were competition and had bloodied one. So, now I have too many males in there.

The other zebra flight I just set up is 4 males and 3 females (and a stray society who plucks the tails of other societies, so he can't live with them). This is mom & dad and their three male babies, the plucked female, and the aggressive CFW, but she's the only white bird in there, so I'm hoping it will work out. Dad bird is completely non-aggressive and non-competitive, so I am more worried about the females than the males getting along. And hoping the society just works out, he's big and dominant, so I think he'll hold his own, but zebras aren't likely to put up with his tail-plucking nonsense, I hope.

So, anyway, I desperately need about 3 female zebras, and there isn't a pet store or private breeder within 50 or more miles of me. I would love to use this need as an excuse to breed my own rather than buy, but I cannot risk getting any more males.

So, anyone know what works to influence a clutch towards females?

[Sally]

Gracie85 I had the same problem some years ago, and I was told by several breeders to put a black light where it would shine into the cages. It did work, my ratio turned to almost 50/50. Just don't get one of those black party lights (screw-in bulbs), as most of those aren't true black bulbs. I used a 4' black fluorescent tube.

[Flight Feathers]

Gracie85 I had the same problem some years ago, and I was told by several breeders to put a black light where it would shine into the cages. It did work, my ratio turned to almost 50/50. Just don't get one of those black party lights (screw-in bulbs), as most of those aren't true black bulbs. I used a 4' black fluorescent tube.

So would that be having the cage darker or lighter? I've been getting more females than male at the moment. Out of my last lot of 6 I had 2 males and 4 females (I think). Not sure what I've got in my latest lot of 4 tho.

[Sally]

Flight Feathers I can't say, as I had the opposite problem, but I was told that the black light would make the ratio more even. It is worth a try, I would think.

[Flight Feathers]

Flight Feathers I can't say, as I had the opposite problem, but I was told that the black light would make the ratio more even. It is worth a try, I would think.

Okay thank you!