Fertility issue

[chipens]

Ok, I have a group of orpingtons, a black roo (carries lav gene) with 6 lavender hens (2 are 1 year old and rest 3 or 4 years). Rooster produced many babies last year and had very high fertility with a group of maybe 8 hens black and lavender but this year I want more lavender so pulled the black hens out. They're all healthy birds get a good quality layer pellet with some maize and green scraps. It is early spring here.
I'm only getting if I'm lucky 2 out of 12 eggs fertile. . .
I have given them Brazilians, taken his favorite hen out, more greens, b12 supplement and still no improvement.
I've got a pen of barred rocks I'm getting nearly 100% fertility atm.
Any ideas what is going on??? Ideas to try??
The favorite hen had very worn back, the other hens not so much if any.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

With orpingtons, sometimes it may be necessary to trim fluff around the vent so the boy can make good cloacal contact.
More likely, there is something else going on.
I don't know what Brazilians are but I would lose the supplemental corn. It is low in essential amino acids, The layer feed is likely about 16% protein and at a level adequate for eating eggs but very borderline for hatching eggs. Adding corn and greens will dimish the amino acids in the feed.
I would try supplementing a bit of animal protein for a while like fish, eggs, meat, etc..

 

[chipens]

With orpingtons, sometimes it may be necessary to trim fluff around the vent so the boy can make good cloacal contact.
More likely, there is something else going on.
I don't know what Brazilians are but I would lose the supplemental corn. It is low in essential amino acids, The layer feed is likely about 16% protein and at a level adequate for eating eggs but very borderline for hatching eggs. Adding corn and greens will dimish the amino acids in the feed.
I would try supplementing a bit of animal protein for a while like fish, eggs, meat, etc..

Brazilian is a butt trim I've done all the hens and the rooster
The pellets are 18% protien, oh they also get sprouted wheat and barley, maybe I cut the grains so they get more pellets??

 

[3KillerBs]

The pellets are 18% protien, oh they also get sprouted wheat and barley, maybe I cut the grains so they get more pellets??

Yes, grain dilutes the nutrition in the feed.

 

[chipens]

Right so fertility is up ( yay) got about 9 out of 12 eggs, but now I'm getting blood rings around day 7, about 4 out of the 9 have died. Not an incubator issue as have been hatching multitude of other eggs with no problem. They are getting mostly pellets with a handful of sprouted wheat and thats it, good water access etc.
What is going on