I have been breeding Welsh Harlequins for 5 years and have always had a decent fertility rate. This year, I had 0% fertility on the first batch. On the next batch some were fertile but died between the 7 day and 14 day candlings. Batch #3 40% are alive currently at 1 week incubation. The other 60% were infertile or died very early on.
They have access to water and I have observed them mating.
I tried two different drakes to make sure he was not the problem.
I think it must be a nutritional issue. They are on the same diet I have had good success with in the past - 18% all flock pellets, a little fish meal, fresh veggie scraps and free choice oyster shell. I am thinking they are short on some nutrient?
I have Fertrell Nutribalancer and Durvet Poultry Multivitamins on hand. They don't have any symptoms of niacin deficiency, but I could add in nutritional yeast as well. Just trying to figure out a better idea of what exactly they might be short on before I spend a ton of money throwing random vitamins at them!
Ideas anyone?
They have access to water and I have observed them mating.
I tried two different drakes to make sure he was not the problem.
I think it must be a nutritional issue. They are on the same diet I have had good success with in the past - 18% all flock pellets, a little fish meal, fresh veggie scraps and free choice oyster shell. I am thinking they are short on some nutrient?
I have Fertrell Nutribalancer and Durvet Poultry Multivitamins on hand. They don't have any symptoms of niacin deficiency, but I could add in nutritional yeast as well. Just trying to figure out a better idea of what exactly they might be short on before I spend a ton of money throwing random vitamins at them!
Ideas anyone?