Rooster fertile one month and not the next

[Ribatutta]

For the first time I kept a marans rooster and hatched my own eggs this year. It was a perfect hatch I set 14 eggs, 13 were fertile and every one hatched.
When the chicks were a week old I set some more in the incubator for a friend and not one is fertile when I’ve candled them.
Does anyone have any thoughts as to what might have happened please???
Can it be normal for roosters to have spikes in fertility?
Thank you

 

[LaFleche]

What were the temperatures the second time you collected the eggs? They might have gotten too cold.

Did you treat your rooster with antibiotics or pesticides before collecting for the second batch?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

How old is he? What about the hens? I know it's rather sudden, but that's what comes to mind admittedly whenever I can't see veins in my eggs (granted I wouldn't panic as much if I could just wait until day 5 to start candling)

 

[Ribatutta]

I haven’t treated him with drugs for anything. But maybe temperature is a good thought. It’s not been really cold but I guess if they were left all night it could have got down to 7 or 8 degrees.
thank you LaFleche!!!

 

[Ribatutta]

How old is he? What about the hens? I know it's rather sudden, but that's what comes to mind admittedly whenever I can't see veins in my eggs (granted I wouldn't panic as much if I could just wait until day 5 to start candling)

He is 10 months. Most of the hens are between 1 and 3 years old and all different breeds.
It’s day 8 so there should be some veins visible in there by now if they were fertile.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

He is 10 months. Most of the hens are between 1 and 3 years old and all different breeds.
It’s day 8 so there should be some veins visible in there by now if they were fertile.

Ah, yeah, shouldnt be age related then. I'd agree they probably got too cold before being collected

 

[LaFleche]

I haven’t treated him with drugs for anything. But maybe temperature is a good thought. It’s not been really cold but I guess if they were left all night it could have got down to 7 or 8 degrees.
thank you LaFleche!!!

Well, in that case I think that the low temperatures are responsible and not the rooster, or his case at only 10 month old, he is still a cockerel.

When I collect hatching eggs in colder temperatures, I go and look every two hours to prevent them from getting too cold. And never store the eggs lower than 8 °Celsius.

 

[Ribatutta]

Thanks for your thoughts
Will try again when it’s warmer!!