Rooster not taking care of his hens

[3 NH reds]

I know this is a family site so I will be as polite as can be. We took a cockerel off of craigslist last year, a RIR. He took over the coop in one hour and dominated the highest hen and he was crowing and doing his job, we had fertile eggs and we hatched out one chick. Now he crows but no interest in the girls. His one chick is a cockerel living in another coop who is girl crazy.Has anyone had a Rooster just give up? Everything is the same with no changes other than one hen died. I think about letting him free range because he is not performing but is that fair because we took him so he would not be killed

 

[vahomesteaders]

I know this is a family site so I will be as polite as can be. We took a cockerel off of craigslist last year, a RIR. He took over the coop in one hour and dominated the highest hen and he was crowing and doing his job, we had fertile eggs and we hatched out one chick. Now he crows but no interest in the girls. His one chick is a cockerel living in another coop who is girl crazy.Has anyone had a Rooster just give up? Everything is the same with no changes other than one hen died. I think about letting him free range because he is not performing but is that fair because we took him so he would not be killed

Seems to be the norm today. lol JK. Our main Roo is a RR. He has his moments. He is always dominant to anything new added to the barnyard. But sometimes he just looses his luster for a bit. Take your other Roo and put them together and he will pip up and take care of his girls.

 

[centrarchid]

Describe process used to access egg hatch-ability. I have learned to have a control run along side for comparisons.

Could we see a current picture of his comb and legs? Sometimes you might see something there that is related to fertility.

 

[donrae]

I'd also wonder how you're determining fertility. Is there a bulls-eye in a cracked egg? Have you tried incubating eggs?

I've had several mature roosters that I never, ever see breed a hen. My current splash Ameraucana has been here over 3 months, I've seriously never once seen him mate a hen. But, I hatched out fertile eggs from him, and have more in the incubator that are fertile and developing. So he's getting the deed done at some point!

Personally, I like the rooster being more on the down-low with the hens.

 

[3 NH reds]

I learned about this because I set 20 eggs and none developed. So i check some eggs and no bulls eye. He is a healthy good looking bird but he just leaves the girls alone.

 

[centrarchid]

Separate him from hens for one day and "fly" him 10 times. The return him to the pen with hens. See if he gets interested then.

Also feel him to see if he is in good weight.

 

[aart]

'Fly' him?

 

[centrarchid]

In a small area toss him gently into air so he must work is massive breast muscles operating wings to control landing. I suspect that may cause release of additional testosterone which OP's bird may be running low on.