Tis Time for a March 2020 Hatch-a-long!

[hysop]

A breeder told me recently that she separated the rooster for a while and when she put him back it increased the fertility rate. I guess distance really does make the heart grow fonder. lol

Thank you. Hmm maybe I’ll do that for a couple of days and see if it works. I don’t have much time til March 21st for experiments

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Thank you. Hmm maybe I’ll do that for a couple of days and see if it works. I don’t have much time til March 21st for experiments

That's true, maybe if you separate him today and give him a week off and then put him back in? Wait a few days for him to do his thing and then collect for a few days? It's worth a try if he isn't doing anything now anyway!

 

[Floydie]

With the (guinea) pigs if a boar was off his job we would scatter a handful of shavings from another boars cage to get him working. Would this work? Or would you just send your rooster crazy? (Don't try it with out others input)

 

[hysop]

That's true, maybe if you separate him today and give him a week off and then put him back in? Wait a few days for him to do his thing and then collect for a few days? It's worth a try if he isn't doing anything now anyway!

I shall ask my husband if he can catch him tonight or maybe tomorrow since it will be chilly tonight. I’ll let everyone know how it goes and if it worked.

 

[hysop]

With the pigs if a boar was off his job we would scatter a handful of shavings from another boars cage to get him working. Would this work? Or would you just send your rooster crazy? (Don't try it with out others input)

I think he’s on strike cuz I penned him up going on two weeks now and he’s used to free ranging. After this month’s incubation they will be going back to free ranging.

Not sure if birds work the same as mammals (Pigs are mammals right ). Is their sense of smell strong? Or are they more eyesight and taste type animals?

 

[Floydie]

Pigs (well guinea pigs)... Yes it's the smell just a suggestion and not sure it would work at all with chickens... But the idea is that the male would smell the other male and get on with his job or (in his mind) risk loosing out to the other male. He doesn't know that the other male isn't actually around.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I don't think that would work with a rooster but I could be wrong. Another thought is if he's being submissive toward the other rooster you have then maybe the White Leghorn just needs to be out of sight? They will "sneak time" with another rooster's ladies when the top roo isn't looking.

 

[Floydie]

Ah well it was just a suggestion. I don't keep chickens so I don't really know how they work.

 

[gmjarvi]

Yep this. It’s not a guarantee that it’ll happen but it could.

I have heard of people avoiding shrink wrapping by misting the inside of the bator when they have to open it for whatever reason. Thoughts from more experienced hatchers?

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Ah well it was just a suggestion. I don't keep chickens so I don't really know how they work.

When a rooster isn't doing his job properly people have tried much weirder things, I promise you, lol. My friend is getting so desperate to figure out if her rooster is sterile that she's considered trying helping manually...