Muscovy Egg Fertility

[QuietinNature]

My muscovies have come into maturity this spring, the oldest of which are about a year old. I've got 2 pens with 1 male and 7 females each, and one pen with 5 females and 2 males. I witness several matings a day, and it doesn't seem like the drakes are too fat to get the job done. While I'm getting about a dozen eggs a day, none of them that I've eaten or candled have been fertile.

One hen has gone broody since we left her 2 dozen eggs to sit on to get the hormones flowing in preparation to hatch out a clutch.

They're on an all natural, preservative and antibiotic free layer rations with free choice grit and oyster shell, and a few hours access to pasture each day.

Any ideas on why the eggs aren't getting fertilized? Many thanks in advance for your help.

 

[sourland]

One drake to seven hens is a lot in the one pen. Have you checked the eggs for the 'bullseye'? Do a forum search - this is the only indicator of a fertile non incubated egg. Candling an un incubated egg can not give any indication of fertility as there will be no veining or embryo development.

 

[QuietinNature]

Are you saying the ratio is off, or they may not have enough space? They've got more that 80 square feet per bird if that's the case. I've candled all the eggs which the hen has been sitting on for the better part of three weeks now, and none of them have veining. Nor have any of the eggs I've eaten had a little red spot.

I admit my pre-post search was cursory, but it's tough to find time to peruse the forums these days. -Sorry.

What am I missing here??