Breeding problems

[rosaroca]

I’m trying to raise Lemon Blue bantam Cochins and having very little success. I started with a nice trio, managed to hatch a few chicks, then lost my adults to a coon who broke into the coop. My youngsters have been laying now for a few months. I’m TERRIBLE at incubating so have farmed out a few eggs to friends who haven’t hatched any (all candled clear after 4 weeks), so when I had two hens go broody I was thrilled. One sat for 4 weeks before abandoning the eggs. None hatched. The second hen has been sitting on a huge batch for a month now and still no chicks. What could be going on? I’m about to give up on them altogether.

 

[nchls school]

Your rooster is probably at fault. If you have had no eggs develop he is sterile. Chickens should hatch in 21 day after incubation starts. Sometimes roosters have overgrown vent feathers or debris stuck to the vent preventing coupling.. Trimming and cleaning his vent might help.

 

[Crestcrazy2]

Don't give up you might just need a better rooster

 

[rosaroca]

I’ll try cleaning and trimming his vent but can’t replace him at this time as I can’t find any breeders with LB Cochin bantams for sale is buy eggs but with my incubating record that would probably be fruitless.

 

[Punkybrewster]

If you can buy maybe 2 dozen to incubate you should get at least a few to hatch and one will likely be a cockerel.

 

[rosaroca]

If you can buy maybe 2 dozen to incubate you should get at least a few to hatch and one will likely be a cockerel.

sounds wonderful but my success rate with hatching is about 15%. I guess I could buy some eggs and have someone else hatch them A