Fertility Problems

BluBug

Songster
9 Years
Mar 19, 2010
188
6
103
Bloomfield
This year I am having problems getting chicks from my hatching eggs, whether in Incubators or Broody Hens had lights on 14 hrs all Winter.Also fed high in Omega laying pellets. This is the first year in 5 yrs for this problem. Wondering if our colder and very wet Spring weather w/ temp 50-60 one day & 80+ next??? No chickens were/are molting. I raise Black and Blue Orpingtons and Black Copper Marans. We always dislike having to admit that we have problems, however, it is now almost June and I was expecting to hatch a few dozen chicks and have only hatched 20.
 
What is your rooster to hen ratio and how old is/are your rooster(s)?
 
I wrote an answer to u but my phone must have gone off line before it posted-so here I go again.
Black Copper Marans-5 hens w/ one Roo /Blue & Black Orpingtons -
5 hens w/ one Black Orp Roo. All of these will be one yr old this coming
Weekend 5/25/13 bought from breeder as chicks.
6 Blue Orp hens & one Blue Orp Roo (no problems last 2 yrs hatching chicks) bought as POL-ages- 3yr-2yrs-1yr .now.
Just threw out 2nd young broody Orps non-hatching eggs, she finally gave up after 5 weeks even w other hens helping! First broody adopted
2 BCM chicks (4 weeks) after I threw her overdue eggs away. I did manage to incubate 7 of 28 BCM chicks & checked only the 7 were fertile. Same with first Black Broody Orps did not check the 5 week old 2nd broodys ! Someone else that has large incubator has been trying to hatch for me and we are only getting 6 chicks from 3-4 dz eggs. He is doing it right because he is having 95 % live hatches, me 100% last yr. And yes good friend.
 

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