rooster fertility

[shadowpaints]

at what age does a roosters fertility go down? i have a 4 year old silkie roo in with 10-12 hens and my fertility has gone down to 50% a few weeks ago it was nearly 100%

 

[Arielle]

THis is what I read in a book called A Guide to Better Hatching by Janet Stromberg; the graph shows a marked DECREASE in egg fertility from early May to December.But no clear answer about how to increase the fertility. It was under a section that also talked about the effects of daylength and lights on egg production but did not go so far as to say seasonal infertility could be addressed by keeping a rooster under lights. Maybe because in our hemisphere the day length is still increasing. Sorry not a great answer . . .

 

[racuda]

My Silkie fertility issue was caused by too much fluff. I had trimmed them, but they soon molted and it grew back really fast.

 

[shadowpaints]

i will try trimming their rears, should i do the hens or roosters or both?

 

[sjarvis00]

It may be fluff or it may be heat, we see fertility decrease during the hot weather (above 90). Age doesn not really play a role we have breed from 7 and 8 year old males with no problems except in teh heat. For th ereally hot time of year if you plan to continue to hatch try using a cockrell they are ussually much more active in the real hot weather while the older males tend to take a bit of a break.

 

[shadowpaints]

Quote:
its not hot here yet.... just in the 70s. hoping trimming helps!