Rooster not interested in Mating

[jimnjay]

I have a two year old Frizzled Cochin. I bought him just a few months ago. I rarely see him mating with the hen. None of her eggs turn out fertile. Last night he went to roost in the nesting box and would not budge. There are several eggs in there. Is he having an identity crisis?

Is there anything one can give them in the diet to speed up the hormones or natural breeding instinct?

 

[thecochincoop]

I have this problem too. I had to resort to artificial insemination. I have 4 roos and 8 hens and only a handful of fertile eggs. They were mating too, but they have too fluffy butts and can't breed naturally. The one roo that I wanted to use for breeding I have never seen mate. I think he is below the hens on the pecking order so it will probably never happen naturally. Maybe that is your problem?

 

[pattypenny]

I took a pair of sissors and trimed the fluff from the hens and rooster and mine manage fine.

 

[FlashPointFarm]

Wouldn't you kow it. They have the best job in the world, and don't want to perform. Darn freeloaders!

 

[jimnjay]

I have trimmed the feathers on both the male and female. They are the only one there except for three juveniles the hen hatched from eggs I purchased.

If this boy would actually mate with the hen I would then consider AI but I am not really sure I want to go there without knowing if he would be shooting blanks.

 

[thecochincoop]

well the only way that you are going to know if he is fertile is if he starts breeding or you AI. Chances are that he is fertile it is rare that they aren't. If you AI and he isn't then I would get rid of him unless he's a pet. you could just get another roo (I tried that and that is why I have 4 now

) I thought mine weren't fertile, but I do have some babies and I see them mate but I keep cooking a LOT of infertile eggs. Now I'm trying the AI and I hope that works but I wont know for at least a couple weeks

I tried trimming but I have to show them so that wont work. I think the cushion may prevent contact also or at least in my own birds.