fertility everyone please reply

[moon.walking.duck]

Hi everyone I am from the UK 2009/10 winter here was the coldest for 31 years. I understand in some parts of America it was also bad however in Canada it was warmer than normal. I’m not sure if this has anything to do with it but this year fertility/hatch rates appear to be very bad for almost all bird species I keep zebra finch Bengalese( society) finch and java sparrow as well as chickens quail red legged partridge (similar to chukar) and this year hatch Himalayan monal (impeyan) and temmincks tragopan eggs. This year fertility has been very bad and my finches only started breeding about 2 months ago whereas before they would have been on their third clutch by now and I have only had one hatch. My quail Chinese painted (button) and Japanese (coturnix) were not as fertile as normal and my broody welsummer was not very bothered she sat for a week then gave up. I have spoken to people who breed parakeets, budgies and many other breeds of pheasants and all of them are saying they have either had no chicks or very poor results, some breeds lady Amherst, golden, wild ring neck and American wild turkey have done ok still not as good as normal but ok. So I just wondered what’s it being like over where you are and if it has been as bad anyone got any ideas?
Thanks a lot for your help.

 

[Mahonri]

I have two friends doing fertility testing of my FBCMarans at present.

My Ameraucanas have been VERY fertile. I have too many broodies and those that I allowed to set on eggs did well.

of course, I'm in the desert southwest... our low this morning was 86 degress and it was HOT yesterday... we are PRAYING for rain.

 

[moon.walking.duck]

wish i could send some over its rained all week here

 

[pgpoultry]

I'm from Wales and it was the coldest winter since 1976 in 2009-2010. We had snow on the ground for months and (for GB)very low temperatures.
In spite of this my young hens have been broody and have had good hatch rates. My hatch rates are better this year than last but are not strictly comparable as last year I used an incubator and some of the eggs were shipped eggs.
I only have experience with hatching chickens,

Sandie

 

[moon.walking.duck]

ok right thanks im from the west midlands so not that far yet you seem to have had the opposite results to me strange the problem for me was atually getting anything to go broody my finches seemed very half hearted

 

[tnchickenut]

I'm in the SE of the US and it is one of the HOTTEST summers in years - broke all sorts of records. I think it has sevierly hurt my production. I normally am shipping a box of hatching eggs a week, per breed, all through the summer and this year I'm just not getting the eggs. That's my problem here.

My family in Germany says it is so cold already there. My aunt said she had to get out her winter clothes from storage! Here we are breaking 100F with the heat index almost daily.

The weather definately effects birds and laying and fertility. I wonder how long we'll have to deal with screwy weather like this. I just hope our winter isn't extreme too!

 

[moon.walking.duck]

Quote:
we havent had a proper summer here in england however it doesnt sound as cold as germany. as it is too hot where you are and was a bit too cold here i wonder if birds become used to the temperature they live in and adapted as most chickens are descended from the same wild jungle fowl yet now must have become adapted to thier specific part of the world.

 

[tnchickenut]

moon.walking.duck :

Quote:
we havent had a proper summer here in england however it doesnt sound as cold as germany. as it is too hot where you are and was a bit too cold here i wonder if birds become used to the temperature they live in and adapted as most chickens are descended from the same wild jungle fowl yet now must have become adapted to thier specific part of the world.

I believe that later is the case with your "heritage" and barnyard dual purpose chickens. I think with games they do tend to adapt better, but those breeds that are bred regionally seem (to me) to do best in a climate like their origin. For example, I have Barnevelders and with their thick undercoat that is well suited for Holland... they are really suffering here in SE Tennessee. If I had known this summer would have turned out this hot I would have held off on getting into them this year. The biggest question is... what will next year be like? Back to normal or even more extreme?

The breed that is doing the best in this weather, for me? My Sebrights. Extreme tempatures in either direction don't seem to bother them. They are in a pen that is more like a aviary and even in snow and ice prefer to be out on a limb than in the house.​