Sussex rooster infertility issues

[everyday_farmlife]

Hi all,

I need some opinions/thoughts on what could be going on with our boy.

We put him over a hen last season to make sure he is capable before we removed our previous rooster and back then Dec 2022 he had a 100% fertility and hatch rate.

Fast forward to now Aug 2023 and he isn't fertile at all!

He is a pure bred standard light sussex.
We have observed him mounting the hens and appearing to dtd daily. He is only in with 4 hens who are all 12-13months old and each laying 4-5 eggs a week.
They all have brought red combs, clear eyes and act normal and healthy.
They are all on Showbird Breeder MP (feed)and free-range for 6-8hrs every second day.
They all had a dose of Bellbreeder vitamins (dissolved in water) for 3 days straight 4 weeks ago.
They are mite and lice free.
I have trimmed the girls vents but clearly this isn't the issue as my barred rock didn't go in to roost one night and was unknowingly locked out only to see our BLR wyandotte mounting her the next morning (the sussex and wyandottes take turns free ranging). Her eggs that were set, were unfertilised up until 3ish days after the wyandotte covered her and are developing well as are our straight wyandotte eggs.
my son is devo as this sussex rooster was unbeaten junior champion and overall champion at every show this year.
What would you do!???
Give him more time? OR try to source another rooster for breeding season? (which is going to be an extremely hard ask now that breeding season is literally weeks away!)
I've pretty much resigned to the fact we are going to lose 12m on improving our flock and will have to hold onto these young hens next year in case whatever rooster we do bring in sends our flock backwards

 

[sourland]

I would try plucking vent feathers on the rooster.

 

[LaFleche]

this sussex rooster was unbeaten junior champion and overall champion at every show this year.

Was he maybe treated with antibiotics after one or several of these shows as it often happens that they come back with some kind of respiratory infection or similar.

If this was the case, some antibiotics can have infertility as a side effect in the treated animal, this effect can last quite some time or even never reverse.

I would deworm him thoroughly and trim his behind as well. Too much fluff can get in the way and prevent their cloaca from proper contact.

 

[Folly's place]

Also some diseases can cause sterility. Sadly, some birds are no longer fertile at his age too.
All good ideas above, hope something works!
Mary

 

[everyday_farmlife]

Was he maybe treated with antibiotics after one or several of these shows as it often happens that they come back with some kind of respiratory infection or similar.

If this was the case, some antibiotics can have infertility as a side effect in the treated animal, this effect can last quite some time or even never reverse.

I would deworm him thoroughly and trim his behind as well. Too much fluff can get in the way and prevent their cloaca from proper contact.

Hi LaFleche, he has never been treated with antibiotics or had any illness.
Our birds get chilli flakes in their water (freshly changed) for the first 3 days of every month to treat for worms and any other internal parasites.
They were all treated with maldison50 at the end of show season to prevent any lice/mites that *could* of been picked up.
I trimmed around his vent yesterday so we'll see how they go over the next week.
We have been offered the pick from a good breeders cockeral pen if we wish to do so... but unfortunate timing we will be down there tomorrow and won't know if our boy is sterile or not until next week at the earliest.
Said breeder is 3hrs each way, away
Thinking maybe we should get one anyways just in case?

 

[everyday_farmlife]

Also some diseases can cause sterility. Sadly, some birds are no longer fertile at his age too.
All good ideas above, hope something works!
Mary

This is my biggest concern, being that he is coming up to 3yrs in January. I have read that many roosters start to lose fertility after the 3y mark.
Unfortunate but thats life lol he came from a breeder, hence why he was older when we got him at the very end of breeding season last year. Obviously he was good enough for their pens as a breeder, given his success rate at the shows this year.

 

[everyday_farmlife]

Also some diseases can cause sterility. Sadly, some birds are no longer fertile at his age too.
All good ideas above, hope something works!
Mary

This is my biggest concern, being that he is coming up to 3yrs in January. I have read that many roosters start to lose fertility after the 3y mark.
Unfortunate but thats life lol he came from a breeder, hence why he was older when we got him at the very end of breeding season last year. Obviously he was good enough for their pens as a breeder, given his success rate at the shows this year.View attachment 3612422

 

[Tonyroo]

I'm surprised he would be infertile at his age. My Swedish flower rooster is a little over 3 1/2 years old and still very fertile. I'm not incubating every egg but I always check fertility before I cook it up. He is on the ball with his ability. Sorry for your situation.

If your running a breeding program you should have 2 roosters to work with in general.

 

[nuthatched]

Hi LaFleche, he has never been treated with antibiotics or had any illness.
Our birds get chilli flakes in their water (freshly changed) for the first 3 days of every month to treat for worms and any other internal parasites.
They were all treated with maldison50 at the end of show season to prevent any lice/mites that *could* of been picked up.
I trimmed around his vent yesterday so we'll see how they go over the next week.
We have been offered the pick from a good breeders cockeral pen if we wish to do so... but unfortunate timing we will be down there tomorrow and won't know if our boy is sterile or not until next week at the earliest.
Said breeder is 3hrs each way, away
Thinking maybe we should get one anyways just in case?

Chili flakes or Capsicum have no worming capability whatsoever, it's a wives tale.
You need a real wormer if you want to worm. :]

 

[LaFleche]

Hi LaFleche, he has never been treated with antibiotics or had any illness.
Our birds get chilli flakes in their water (freshly changed) for the first 3 days of every month to treat for worms and any other internal parasites.
They were all treated with maldison50 at the end of show season to prevent any lice/mites that *could* of been picked up.
I trimmed around his vent yesterday so we'll see how they go over the next week.
We have been offered the pick from a good breeders cockeral pen if we wish to do so... but unfortunate timing we will be down there tomorrow and won't know if our boy is sterile or not until next week at the earliest.
Said breeder is 3hrs each way, away
Thinking maybe we should get one anyways just in case?

I would deworm him properly using Safeguard, Valbazen or similar to make sure no worms are interfering with his fertility.

Older roosters need more vitamin E to fertilize eggs, so adding some to his diet could help as well as some brewers yeast.

Stress from exhibitions will also take a toll on a bird. How long ago was the last one?

I would get the other rooster as well to broaden the genetic pool.