Low-no Fertility problem

[chantecler]

HI All

Not sure if this is the right section -so Moderators , please feel free to move.

I have a 14 month old Rooster in a pen with 5 hens (14 months)
I started with 9/20 fertile eggs first batch, then 5/20, now 2/20.

They are on organic layer mash
they have access to fresh water
They also free range in the grass 2-3 times per week - the rest of the time they are in their pen.

The girls use to have raw backs from the rooster doing his thing.
Now the backs are not irritated at all.

They were treated for lice and mites in the spring.

I have put up a tarp seperating the neiboring pen so that he won't be distracted by the other roo.

I have also made the outdoor pen smaller so he won't have such a hard time chasing the girls.


I am going to seperate him for a few days and see if that makes them more interested.


I also noticed that his vent is very red - I'm going to look into that this evening (two person job) - so perhaps it's sore and he doesn't want to "perform" because it is uncomfortable.

Any thoughts on what could be causing fertility issues??
Thanks and sorry for the lng post.

 

[Kung Foo Chicken]

My D'uccle roo had this problem and it was "cured" by removing a few feathers around his vent and the hens. Sometimes when they are a little too puffy in the rear they do not make good contact.

The only time I've seen red around the vent area was feather mites on a roo. Some of the others on here might have an idea on that.

 

[BAYAREABIRDER]

Check for mites or lice around his vent. my roo is 4 months, and he get about 3 out of 6 eggs fertile in a days gathering.

 

[Chickenaddict]

I agree check for mites again, I have had my fair share of mites this year already myself. It is a huge pain to get rid of them, you literally have to "gut the coop" wipe everything down and coat everything with a mite spray, poultry protector, or poultry dust. I have had good luck so far with the poultry protector and DE in the pine shavings. Seems they get them more often when they free range.

 

[threehorses]

When I had a batch of no-go's, I upped their nutrition. They were healthy otherwise - in show condition. But your bird has another issue which I'll address below.

In the mean time, when are you determining that the eggs aren't fertile? At which day do you candle them?

Do any of the eggs that are fertile die off around 14 days?

As for his vent, I'd give them all probiotics. If you're trying to breed, I'd use a livestock probiotic like Probios powder. This will help your birds absorb more of the nutrients from their diet.

There are other factors to consider: the weight of both your rooster and hens, the overall diet (especially protein levels), the rooster to hen ratio, the vigor of your breeding male, the vigor of your breeding line. Some lines are less apt to be fertile without help.

Also if your male has a slight infection (yeast/candidiasis is one that comes to mind with red vents) he won't breed as efficiently. That's another reason to use probiotics - they keep the digestive tract healthy, and as the rooster doesn't have a phallus, keep the tract for semen expulsion healthier.

 

[chantecler]

Thanks everyone!
I will look for the probiotics.
I checked for lice and mites last evening and did not see any. I did see the lice egg packs on the feather shafts. I will treat for lice/mites again. I will switch to a breeder ration (if I can find one)

Thanks
N

 

[chantecler]

I check the eggs aat day 16 -ish.
And then I open every one that didn't take.
There is nothing at all.

I watched the birds yesterday. He doesn't try to mount them very often. In the morning he does try but theay all run away from him.

I don't think they like him? Is it possible that he can't catch the girls and now he just doesn't try anymore??

N:_)

 

[threehorses]

Very possible that they just don't like it. And with only one rooster, of course often necessary as they fight, he's just not getting his jobs done.

Shame they don't make birdy cologne?

I'd try upping his nutrition since he is doing less than he was before. I'd up all their nutritions in case it's on their side, but I think usually absolutely nothing means he wasn't fertile or didn't breed them - not that they're not doing their part.

If you have eggs that are fertile but then dying out before 14 days, then it can be nutritional on the girls' parts.

 

[chantecler]

Thanks again

I went and got some game bird layer-breeder feed yesterday and started them on that.
The solid wall between the two pens sems to be working as the roosters in either pen seem to be more interested int he girls. I say David - my prblem boy actually do his job - whoohoo.

I will kepp you posted.

N

 

[threehorses]

Please do let me know how that goes.

I noticed game breeder/layer feed at our local better feedstore last time I was inside. I'm considering buying another couple of trios of show breeders, so I'll have to check it out. From what I saw, it was very nice stuff. So I'm curious how it works for you.

I was just assuming that if I did it again, I might have to do their breeding-conditioning ration supplements like I did before.

I had a line of show breeders, national class show birds, who just would not lay fertile eggs. Through nutritional adjustment I got them to do that, but the eggs would die off at 12-14 days. So I had to adjust it more til I finally was getting clutches to hatch. (Then I had issues of them being weak at hatch - too weak to eat). Etc etc. /sigh When I finally raised some babies, raccoons killed them and my breeders. So I gave up.

Til now?

So please let me know how you like the new feed.

Thank you in advance.