Is rooster fertility affected by temperature?

[McSpin]

I see a lot of people who sell hatching eggs, say that they're checking for egg fertility and expect it to go up because it's getting warmer out.

Are roosters less fertile in the cold? Or, maybe the embryo dies easily at low temps? If this is true, what temps are needed for higher fertility rates?

Thanks for any input.

 

[ae50mag]

mostly eggs are affected by the cold,and shipping damage, plus a lot of folks like me keep all the breeders in a heated building. if the roosters comb gets damaged i am told this will affect his potency.

frank

 

[ginasmarans]

Don't know if it's true, but I heard that roos are affected by shortened daylight hours like hens are,but it's not as obvious.

 

[McSpin]

Quote:
I'm not worried about shipping. It's my rooster with my hens. I'm going to hatch some eggs for myself, but I didn't want to set up a couple dozen eggs and get a low hatch rate. I also don't want to hatch way more than I need, so I'm trying to get a better handle on how temperature could affect fertility. We're lucky to get into the 30's during the day around here this time of the year.

 

[ae50mag]

i think i would wait until it warms a little, i am sure the roo's are fertile, but the eggs will chill and degrade in the temps. it will be a crapshoot. you wont waste to much time if you want to test some, candle them after 4-7 days, if good-great if not you answered your ?.

good luck
frank

 

[McSpin]

Quote:
I'm hatching Welsummer eggs that are about 6 on the French scale for darkness. Candling them is very difficult. My attempts in the past have never given me a result I could trust. I pretty much have to go the full 21 days. I think I'll wait until we get a warm spell and then set the number that will likely work for me.