Proven roo suddenly became infertile- Help!

[One Chick Two]

We have a one-year-old proven PR RIR rooster (Chief Bigtail) that has been breeding well this season. He's given approximately 40 vigorous chicks through several clutches over the last 4 months. By last month, the amount of chicks tapered down considerably (he's with 4 hens).

One older, bossy hen we discovered wasn't mating with him at all, but he was still getting chicks with the other 3 hens, at that time. We didn't think there was a real problem with him, so we continued incubating, but, just now, have discovered more infertile eggs but from all of the hens! He hardly seems to mate them now. What is causing this sudden and complete infertility in our rooster?

He does not appear to be molting, although I believe many of our other freerange chickens of different ages seem to be molting right now. No signs of mites/ nor lice. Comb seems moderately red (not bright red, but not pale, or, dark either.) He has no competition in the pen with him.

Temperatures have crept up to 90s with some days 100+. We have lots of water/ shade/ misting stations. Nothing else has substantially changed about water/ food/ or housing.

Please help- any ideas or thoughts on sudden infertility or what we could do to help this? Can some roos lose interest in procreating in summer?

 

[One Chick Two]

Here he is at 7 months old balancing at attention on a sloping hillside, lol. He has a wide "V" tail end set- something most of these hybrids lack in droves, so we've been attempting to breed more hens with wider hynies. lol

 

[Jon Wagner]

I am having the same problem with my BLRW. I have 1 roo and 5 hens all laying. Just now I candled and threw out 25 eggs out of my incubator this is the second batch that has been like that. He does seem to be molting in his neck but no other issues. But its weird it seems this happened about the same time your fertility went down. I am open to any suggestions or help. Thanks.

 

[One Chick Two]

I am having the same problem with my BLRW. I have 1 roo and 5 hens all laying. Just now I candled and threw out 25 eggs out of my incubator this is the second batch that has been like that. He does seem to be molting in his neck but no other issues. But its weird it seems this happened about the same time your fertility went down. I am open to any suggestions or help. Thanks.

I wish I really knew what was going on with these guys...

Did read somewhere that a rooster can become temp. sterile while molting. Maybe that is what is happening with your roo? Have you checked him for mites/ lice at vent and under wings, and also check legs for scaly leg mite (raised scales.). I'm not thinking molting is the issue with our male. Haven't noticed any areas of feathers missing, or pests or illness.

Have heard that one can milk the roo ( look up artifical insemination for poultry), and then put the specimen under a microscope to see if things are mobile. You can do AI with your hens if your rooster was proven. We are considering this as well. Nothing wrong with his other chicks.

Also am considering putting another female in with my roo and seeing if there is any change. It is almost if he's just lost interest.

Have heard that if a roo is too fat, then he can have problems. One suggestion I read was to give them more lean protein (fish, etc.). Our roo is pretty large, wide and clumsy, but doesn't feel fat, persay. Seems gentlemanly (more than some of the other roos) and courts the ladies with wing dances, but they also don't appear so outwardly all that willing right now either.

Keep me informed with what happens with your male, okay? Hopefully something can be figured out...

 

[Jon Wagner]

No raised scales and no other signs of pest. But he is molting through out his neck. Hes is not quite 2 years old yet. I wormed them today to see if anything will help. They free range all day so he is not to heavy and I feed them a little corn and laying pellets twice a day. He has me puzzled im hoping molting is the issue but only time will tell.

 

[One Chick Two]

Are there any other roos in with him that could've pulled off his neck feathers? Occasionally, our free ranger roos will do this to each other during a squabble. I wish I could say I knew that molting for sure was the reason going on with our boy- I would feel so much better about all of the infertile eggs. He is only missing a few minor feathers on chest and his feathering is looking just a bit shabby.

What are you using for wormer? How is his poo color? Weigh him every week and keep track so you can see if he's going downhill. I have my boy's weight from 6 months ago and I'm going to reweigh him tomorrow.

Keep checking in, okay? So if one of us has a breakthrough, we can share results.