Rooster not performing - age or butt fluff?

[Redhead Rae]

I have an English Chocolate Orp rooster who isn't doing his job adequately. I set two batches from him. In the first, I had 1 out of 3 eggs fertile. That egg is due to hatch this week. The second batch was 8 eggs, a grand total of 0 of them were fertile.

I'm thinking I may have been duped on how old this rooster is. I was told he was 1.5 years old when I bought them (a trio). But looking at him and the hen (I had to cull the other hen). I think they are older. Their face flesh is very coarse and thick. The rooster's spurs are also in excess of 3-4" long. My 1.5 year old roosters only have 1" long spurs. I'm thinking the difference could be living environment. My roosters are out on pasture. I think these birds were barn kept in breeding pens.

I have him in with the hen I bought with him as well as three other hens I got from a different source. I've hatched from the other 3 hens previously this year. Their fertility isn't in doubt. But none of my eggs are fertile.

I'm thinking before giving him up as a dud, I might give him, and the girls a butt fluff trim. I read that some Cochin breeders have to do this because of their extreme fluffiness. All these birds have lots of fluff. I need to trim below the rooster's vent and above then hens' vents, right?

I really don't want to do AI as it creeps me out a little.

 

[The Phantom]

I have an English Chocolate Orp rooster who isn't doing his job adequately. Out of two batches I set from him, I had 1 out of 3 eggs fertile. That egg is due to hatch this week. The second batch was 8 eggs, a grand total of 0 of them were fertile.

I'm thinking I may have been duped on how old this rooster is. I was told he was 1.5 years old when I bought them (a trio). But looking at him and the hen (I had to cull the other hen). I think they are older. Their face flesh is very coarse and thick. The rooster's spurs are also in excess of 3-4" long. My 1.5 year old roosters only have 1" long spurs. I'm thinking the difference could be living environment. My roosters are out on pasture. I think these birds were barn kept in breeding pens.

I have him in with the hen I bought with him as well as three other hens I got from a different source. I've hatched from the other 3 hens previously this year. Their fertility isn't in doubt. But none of my eggs are fertile.

I'm thinking before giving him up as a dud, I might give him, and the girls a butt fluff trim. I read that some Cochin breeders have to do this because of their extreme fluffiness. All these birds have lots of fluff. I need to trim below the rooster's vent and above then hens' vents, right?

I really don't want to do AI as it creeps me out a little.

Butt fluff could be the issue. AI wouldn't be a bad idea. I help my vet friend AI deer, elk, and horses. Her husband somehow AIs honey bees.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I would trim them up and see what you get for fertility.

I really hope you get good results.

 

[Redhead Rae]

I would trim them up and see what you get for fertility.

I really hope you get good results.

I think that is what I'll do when I get the chance.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I really hope he's not just ancient.

 

[Redhead Rae]

I really hope he's not just ancient.

Me too. I have bad feelings associated with him and the hen I got with him. I'm considering getting as many chicks as I can from him this year and then working with my other 3 hens and the chicks going forward.

 

[WVduckchick]

I would also do a spur reduction on him. Have you ever done the twist off method?

 

[HenniesInMyHeart]

Have you actually checked your yolks for blastoderms to confirm fertility or are you just going based on hatch rate? It is possible the eggs are fertile but you're having incubation issues.
Roos can make chicks to nearly the day they die so age probably isn't an issue.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Have you actually checked your yolks for blastoderms to confirm fertility or are you just going based on hatch rate? It is possible the eggs are fertile but you're having incubation issues.
Roos can make chicks to nearly the day they die so age probably isn't an issue.

I've been trying to hatch them along side other eggs. Those eggs are doing well. I did check a couple eggs for fertility and couldn't see any signs of a blastoderm. The girls aren't prolific layers and I don't want to ruin any chances of getting chicks by cracking all the eggs.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Well, I just candled the 14 eggs I set on Tuesday last week, it looks like 4-5 of them are fertile. I haven't done any trimming of butt fluff yet.