Rooster still breeding?

[sbrown]

I have an Ameraucana roo and a few hens. A few months ago I also had a buff orpington. They were overbreeding the hens so I had to get rid of one. They seemed to compete and the Ameraucana would run the other one off any time he could . But since I got rid of the Buff I haven't visually seen him breed a hen. This worries me since I am planning on hatching eggs soon. He is supposed to be only a couple years old. Any ideas?

 

[sourland]

Do a forum search on 'bulls eye fertility'. Locate threads showing the appearance of fertile eggs, and then check to see if yours are fertile.

 

[donrae]

I hardly ever see my older roosters mate, yet every egg has a bullseye. I think they're just calmer, and don't have the urge to cover each hen several times a day, so I don't notice. I agree with Sourland, if you've got bullseyes you're fertile. You can also test incubate and see what grows.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I hardly ever see my older roosters mate, yet every egg has a bullseye. I think they're just calmer, and don't have the urge to cover each hen several times a day, so I don't notice. I agree with Sourland, if you've got bullseyes you're fertile. You can also test incubate and see what grows.

That is why I keep telling new BYC people to give that 5 months old rooster time to grow up. Hyper sexuality is just part and parcel of being a teenage rooster.

 

[sbrown]

Here is a pic of 3 eggs I just collected. I don't think they are fertile.

 

[sbrown]

 

[wsmith]

Doesn't look like fertilized eggs to me. Sorry.