Statistically Unlikely

AuthorFurther Heights
Date
17. May 2020
Time1 min read

So while FTHR1 has been growing, I've been checking the litter daily! So far, eleven rittens were born (one didn't survive), and the ten remaining are all healthy and growing like tiny weeds.

After they hit a week old, I've also been attempting to sex them daily, and now as they approach two weeks and teat marks appearing on the ladies, it's becoming easier to do. What's surprising is it seems this litter is nine girls and one boy.

I'm going to continue checking to verify, and it'll be a couple more weeks before they're weaned and need to be separated, and by then, it should be blatantly obvious. The mostly female litter is incredibly statistically unlikely if it holds; as even in lab conditions in a 1992 study testing the likelihood of female bias under asynchronous litter conditions [archive] (which isn' the case here), litters would average 65% female.

This will likely mean the single male from FTHR1 will end up being a hold-back, as he does appear to be a golden bareback dumbo and a good candidate for continuing the line. I'm looking forward to seeing if there are any other surprises in store!