Roo's "shooting blanks???"

[Momma_Cluck]

I have a mixed flock that has 6 banty Roo's and 2 Rock Roo's--- all the Gals (5 Banties 8 Rocks) are laying now....

Our OE banty Gal went broody on us, so we went ahead and brought her and her egg in the house-- then added 2 more from the other Banty gals.

We candled them after 4 days-- Nada--- even cracked open, they were infertile.
so went and collected some more eggs as they were laid and let her set on those--- again, 3 days later, nothing!

Could it be that ALL those males are blithering idiots and don't know what to do-- or could something be making them infertile????

(BTW-- none of the Rock eggs we've eaten were fertile either!)

 

[NYREDS]

Not a great time of year for fertility-cold temps + limited daylight.
Also you may have too many males in there-often when there are too many males they'll interupt each other's mating attempts.

 

[Momma_Cluck]

The "interruptions" must be it then, since they are in a somewhat "climate controlled" coop-- so well insulated that the temps are staying around 60f with the door closed and 45 door open... and I have supplemental lighting in there....

Will be separating the boys n girls soon-- then put them together as pairs when we WANT fertile eggs in the spring.... right now they are just all mixed together.

 

[onthespot]

I have noticed with my copper black marans roos that when there is more than one roo, sometimes roo 2 gets kicked off the hen by roo 1, and can develope a lack of confidence, a "rushed" style of breeding so he can finish before the other roo notices and intervenes, and their aim gets bad, mostly hits the feathers instead of the vent.

 

[vicki2x2]

I was going to post this today too. I have a 9 month old rooster that seems to be sterile. I have been hatching eggs from my other roo the same age with no problems, plus another older roo whose hens are the same age as the above roo, again, no problems. I have tried repeatedly, dozens of eggs, I think I have had 2 that even started to developed and died very early on. This rooster is gorgeous, protective of his girls, but not at all aggressive towards people. I love this guy!! Please give me some fertility boosting ideas!!

 

[jhm47]

In 2006, I tried to hatch some chicks in January for shows. I have a nice Humidaire incubator, and when I started it, it seemed to take a long time to get up to the 99.5 degrees that I wanted. I fiddled with it, and finally the thermometer read 99.5. I then set about 4 dozen eggs. Candled them at a week, and they were all clear. Set another 4 dozen, and got the same result at a week. I then blamed my roosters, and clipped the feathers around their vents. Still no luck after a couple weeks. Then, I clipped the feathers around the hens vents, changed feed, and started the breeders on some vitamins. Still no luck.

Finally, I took another themometer, and checked the temp in the incubator. It read 109 degrees. I then threw away my old thermometer, and set some eggs, and had a nice hatch. I was killing the germ in all these eggs, and wasn't smart enough to figure it out. After 50+ years of raising chickens, and this!!!

Is it possible that this is your problem? It's quite rare that a rooster would be infertile, and with as many as you have, it's virtually impossible.

 

[vicki2x2]

Not my problem since I am hatching eggs from my other hens and roosters in the same incubator.

 

[speckledhen]

When I first got my now deceased Hawkeye, it took five months, yes, MONTHS, to get one fertile egg. He was just too laid back and gentlemanly, plus, he had never had any hens before. Guess it just took him awhile to get it right. After he did, all was fine, but there were still some girls who never had fertile eggs, namely one of the Silver Laced Wyandotte girls, whom he never liked because she gave him a hard time when he arrived on the scene. I know chickens hold grudges, LOL!

 

[omelette'smom]

Hey, my roo is named Hawkeye too! There's a sticky on how to tell of your eggs are fertile.

even cracked open, they were infertile.

is this how you could tell?
too young? they are different breeds so maybe they "mature " differently! I wish i were having baby chicks right now!!

we have to wait till February EARLIEST due to temps!!​

 

[Smoky73]

I have learned that some roosters are seasonal breeders. I have a buff silkie roo who will not do the deed when I am needing them, from Spring to Fall! After Fall, he starts breeding. Weird huh?

And also, I have noticed that feed makes a difference. I feed the gamebird Layena from Purina and that usually makes a huge difference in hatchability of eggs.