My little roo can't get the job done

[L&Schickens]

I don't know where I should put this, so I am posting here.

I got 3 nice little bantam RIR's from a man I know and I set some eggs. Not one of them was fertile. The roo was infested with lice when I got him so I took care of that right away. That may have been part of the problem, but now I think there is another one. He can't mount a hen (For lack of a better term). I have seen him try and try again, but the hens will not co-operate and he does not seem strong enough to force the issue. Even when I have them locked up in a small pen he can't seem to do the deed. Anyone ever have a problem like this? Is there a way I can help him? Should I just try and get a new roo?
Thanks for any help.

 

[ThePamperedPullet]

Oh I can see the posts now....... Get him a pair of stilts, a small
2 x 4 and put him on the Joe Weider muscle building plan..... LOL

 

[EweSheep]

I've had bantam roosters mounting LF hens no problem and got fertile eggs. I think with his determination, he will do the deed LOL!

 

[Wildsky]

Hmmmmmmmm, my little bantam can take care of the STANDARD hens.

I'd give him a few more tries, and then consider getting another roo - not sure what the problem is, but perhaps its best not to pass anything onto a new batch of chicks. He might have some issues with muscles or something - heck I dunno.

Edit to add: How old is he anyway?

 

[L&Schickens]

I was told he was a year old. He looks like it as his tail is all in but has very short spurs.
He kind of walks like a Nazi Storm Trooper. The hens walk and run normally. I think there might be some kind of muscle or tendon shortening or something.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

He may be too young. i have had bantam roosters take over the RIRs (full grown). I actually had to get rid of the littel stud. The guy I gave him to had to give him to yet another. He apparently took over the ENTIRE bantam hen population in his barn !!! I mean if you looked up COCKY in the dictionary, his pic would be there.

 

[Poohbear]

Being a small statured man myself I spotted the problem immediately, lol! Seriosly some things you can do to help mother nature is, cut all the feathers away from the butt of the hen and the rooster. This will help copulation and contact. Sometimes the rooster will copulate when we think they are not. Take him away from the hens for a day or two then put them back together. This will also help. Some hens are just shy and hoping for a RING first!

 

[L&Schickens]

Thanks. I will try that.
The hens are not laying right now anyway, so it does not really matter. I just know none of the eggs I incubated showed any sign of development and every time I catch him trying to get the job done, he never reaches the goal, so to speak, and the hens don't help any. So, maybe in the spring the hens will be more in the mood.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Wildsky]

You should crack a few open to look for the fertile little "target" on the yolk before you try incubate any. Just to save you some time and frustration.

 

[swtangel321]

awww, poor little man !! Hope he figures it out !!